CLOSE one-name study

Following the landmark achievement of Miroslav KLOSE today, becoming the most prolific goal-scorer in World Cup history, I was beginning to wonder if I ought to add the surname KLOSE to my one-name study of CLOSE. [If the news has passed you by, see BBC Sport and all will be revealed - or if you understand German, try this link. .] I therefore did a quick check on the frequency of the surname KLOSE on www.verwandt.de  and found there are 7,726 entries in the German phone book, which according to the website indicates there could be over 20,600 individuals bearing the name.  OK, so it seemed like a good idea for a moment, but I think I'll stick to CLOSE/CLOSS for the time being. Of course, Miroslav, you'll have plenty of free time when you retire from football, so maybe you'd like to take up a one-name study of your surname?  I'd be happy to compare notes with you, or indeed with any of the 20,600-odd other KLOSE individuals who may be looking for a challenge.

It was amazing today to see the prestigious Tour de France racing through the narrow country lanes and village streets of Swaledale, Yorkshire - the ancestral home of a good many CLOSEs in my one-name research.  The riders and their entourage came through Muker, then on to Gunnerside,  through Reeth,  and past the church of St Andrew, Grinton, on their way to the last of the hill climbs: "Côte de Grinton Moor" After all the excitement of today, no doubt by this evening Swaledale will be getting back to the much more peaceful state in which I found it on the day I took these photos.