Leading Off

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COLOR PHOTO: PHOTOGRAPH BY ADAM PRETTY/ALLSPORT Dawn's Early Flight A solitary surfer catches a wave at daybreak before the beginning of the Rip Curl Pro tournament at Bells Beach near Torquay, Australia.

COLOR PHOTO: PHOTOGRAPH BY DARREN CARROLL Chuklehead The Blues' Keith Tkachuk gets iced by the Stars' Richard Matvichuk in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal playoff series (page 84).

COLOR PHOTO: PHOTOGRAPH BY CAROLYN SCHAEFER/LIAISON A Line in the Sand Seven hundred competitors show true grit during the Marathon des Sables as they try to traverse 150 miles of the Moroccan Sahara in seven days. Temperatures reached 140 degrees.