Wednesday, January 28Sports. Travel. Events. Play

Sports Travel

SailGP expands global calendar for season four 
Calendars, Events, Guides, Sports Travel

SailGP expands global calendar for season four 

SailGP has unveiled an expanded schedule for its fourth season – a 12-race global circuit spanning four continents from June 2023 to July 2024.  Known as “the world’s most exciting racing on water”, SailGP’s fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled events use identical hydrofoiling F50 catamarans – 50ft race boats with 80ft wingsails that fly over the water at speeds of more than 60mph. The global championship features national teams battling in short, intense races at iconic stadium-style venues across the globe.  The North American market features prominently in the 2023-2024 calendar, hosting six of the planned 12 events. This includes a brand new stop in Los Angeles on the LA Waterfront at the Port of Los Angeles from 22-23 July 2023, and the return to New York in June 2024, which hosted Sa...
Event in focus: Motor Valley Fest 2023 in Emilia Romagna, Italy
Events, Guides, Sports Travel

Event in focus: Motor Valley Fest 2023 in Emilia Romagna, Italy

Emilia Romagna’s Motor Valley Fest returns from 11-14 May 2023 for a celebration of Italy’s rich automotive and motor racing history. The four-day festival takes place in the heart of the northern Italian region’s “Motor Valley” – spread across the Unesco-city of Modena and surrounding areas – and will feature a wide range of activities, events and test drives. Highlights include the re-opening of the Automobili Lamborghini Museum in Sant’Agata Bolognese (Bologna), as well as live music, food and entertainment throughout. Long regarded as the “Motor Valley” due to its important contribution to Italy's motor industry, Emilia Romagna is home to celebrated names such as Ferrari, Maserati, Pagani, Dallara, Ducati and Lamborghini; there is no other place in the world with such a rich motor h...
Cycling in Morzine 2023: Tour de France, Bike Week and more 
Events, Guides, Sports Travel

Cycling in Morzine 2023: Tour de France, Bike Week and more 

Sitting at 1,000m altitude, the French mountain village of Morzine, part of the Portes du Soleil, has a wide range of activities and experiences on offer throughout summer. Not only is it a sporting hub, with the Tour de France returning for the 22nd time, but it’s also a place where visitors can enjoy nature and the great outdoors.  Unlike many other skiing destinations, Morzine has 3,000 permanent residents, meaning it remains a vibrant hub during the warmer months. Guests can make the most of 52 bars and restaurants, 34 hotels, 80 retailers, 21 chairlifts and cable cars across Morzine and Portes du Soleil, 200km of signed cycling trails, and 15 mapped mountain bike routes. Visitors can also spot 132 cows, 50 goats and 20 pigs, plus more than 1,000 species of flora.   Her...
Women’s cricket: a huge summer ahead in England and Wales
Events, Sports Travel

Women’s cricket: a huge summer ahead in England and Wales

It's a huge year for women’s cricket in England and Wales. England will face the No.1 team in the world, Australia, in what is set to be an enthralling Ashes series in June and July. And then in August, stars from both nations will go straight into the domestic competition, The Hundred, which features eight women’s teams battling it out alongside the men’s to be crowned champions.  2023 Women’s Ashes  The Women’s Ashes multi-format series will start on Thursday 22 June 2023 and this summer’s showdown is expected to break all attendance records for women’s international fixtures in England. It is the first year that both the men's and women's Ashes are being played alongside one another, with equal prominence, at the biggest grounds.  Heather Knight’s team will start...
An active tour of Philadelphia: running, cycling and the outdoors 
Guides, Sports Travel

An active tour of Philadelphia: running, cycling and the outdoors 

As a sports destination, Philadelphia has it all. Pennsylvania’s largest city is home to teams in the four major US sports leagues – the Phillies (MLB), Eagles (NFL), 76ers (NBA) and Flyers (NHL) – and is also well known for its association with boxing’s most famous fictional fighter, Rocky Balboa. As well as the major league sports, Philly is also a great outdoorsy city which boasts a huge urban park system and extensive walking, running, and cycling trails. Here we look at the activities and things to do in Philadelphia for a healthy and active city break.  Fairmount Park Boxer’s Trail (Image: Fairmount Park Conservancy) Outdoors  Philadelphia boasts one of the largest city-owned urban park systems in the world. Taking up more than 2,000 acres, Fairmount Park incorporates mor...
Greek Running Tours by Dean Karnazes: the ‘ultimate runcation’ in Greece 
Holidays & Trips, Sports Travel

Greek Running Tours by Dean Karnazes: the ‘ultimate runcation’ in Greece 

Greek-American ultramarathoner Constantine “Dean” Karnazes has partnered with sports tourism and wellness agency ActiveMedia Group to launch Greek Running Tours. Greece, the birthplace of the marathon, is a land where history has been created, legends made and where magic and mythology come together. As tribute to his Greek heritage and his desire to promote Greek tourism to a global audience, Karnazes gives runners the opportunity to explore Greece on foot, immersing in the history and beauty, eating the food and experiencing this legendary land in a way that few tourists ever will.  Dean Karnazes (Image: Angelos Zymaras) Along with the running (and a walking option for non-runners) each day will include cultural experiences – from bread making in the mountains of Crete, to olive...
Sports holidays: adventure cycling in South Korea with Saddle Skedaddle
Holidays & Trips, Sports Travel

Sports holidays: adventure cycling in South Korea with Saddle Skedaddle

Cycling holiday company Saddle Skedaddle has launched a new guided adventure in South Korea that takes riders from Seoul to Busan. The 14-day cycling trip explores the history, culture and cuisine of this often overlooked part of Asia.  Beginning in the capital Seoul, the route follows the newly-developed Cheonggyecheon Stream Bike Path, cutting through the heart of the city all the way to the Han River Bikeway.  Joining the South Han River Bike Path in Yangpyeong, it’s a fairly flat ride to the county of Angsung where the area’s famous hot springs are ready to treat weary legs after a long day in the saddle. More hot springs await in the town of Suanbo, North Chungcheong, where the healing waters have been part of Korean culture for centuries.  The changing scenery leaving S...
Emilia Romagna, Italy, sports guide: events and activities in 2023
Guides, Holidays & Trips, Sports Travel

Emilia Romagna, Italy, sports guide: events and activities in 2023

Emilia Romagna’s “Motor Valley” comes alive when it hosts three major motorsport events: Motor Valley Fest and Formula 1 in May and MotoGP in September. The northern Italian region has been long regarded as the Motor Valley due to its significant contribution to Italy's motor industry. In addition to being home of celebrated brands – including Ferrari, Maserati, Ducati, Pagani, Dallara, Energica and Lamborghini – Emilia Romagna has a wealth of events and attractions making it a must-visit destination for motoring fans, from international motor tracks and circuits, to a number of private collections of vintage cars and motorcycles. Emilia Romagna has an action-packed sports events calendar in 2023. As well as motorsport, the Italian region will also host Giro d’Italia cycling and IRONMAN...
Patagonia Park Argentina: the ultimate outdoor destination
Sports Travel

Patagonia Park Argentina: the ultimate outdoor destination

Large-scale rewilding with brand new trails and facilities have transformed Patagonia Park Argentina into South America’s ultimate outdoor destination for 2023 and beyond. The park has been restored by private charitable organisation, Freyja Foundation, and its partner and grantee, Rewilding Argentina, in a bid to ignite greater connection with nature and passion for the outdoors.  The park stretches across 180,000 hectares from Portal Cañadón Pinturas in Argentina to La Ascensión Portal on the border of Chile and, thanks to the rewilding efforts, is once again home to Patagonia’s top predator, the puma, and the region’s largest herbivore, the guanaco. Through world-class trails, hiking, camping, excursions and breath-taking scenic routes, travellers will encounter endangered species th...
Mallorca sports guide: events and activities in 2023
Sports Travel

Mallorca sports guide: events and activities in 2023

In addition to its natural beauty, mild weather and unique cultural heritage, Mallorca is the ideal destination to practise sports 365 days a year. Due to its long sporting tradition and excellent infrastructure, the island isn’t short of international competitions either and in 2023 a large number of events will attract visitors throughout the year. Here we take a look at the cycling, triathlon, running, golf and tennis events and activities in Mallorca.  Cycling With 2,071km of roads and cycling paths, Mallorca has become a bucket list destination for the world’s amateur and professional cyclists alike due to the island’s 16 routes that make up its extensive cycle route map infrastructure.  Mallorca 312 is one of the island’s most important races. Taking place on 29 Ap...
Formula 1 Exhibition to open in March 2023 in Madrid 
Events, Sports Travel

Formula 1 Exhibition to open in March 2023 in Madrid 

Tickets are now on sale for the world’s first official Formula 1 Exhibition, which will open on 24 March 2023 at the renowned IFEMA MADRID in Madrid, Spain. Developed in association with Formula 1 and with support from the motorsport community, the show boasts a wide range of artefacts and contributions from the sport’s most legendary teams, drivers, experts and personalities. Several years in the making, the exhibition combines spectacular audio-visual design, rare film and imagery, engineering and educational displays, sculptural pieces and iconic Grand Prix cars to deliver an immersive experience for everyone – from avid followers to younger fans and families. Produced in partnership with Round Room Live and delving far beyond what fans have ever seen before, the show uses bold, tech...
Rugby union: 2023 Six Nations men’s and women’s fixtures and dates
Calendars, Events, Guides, Sports Travel

Rugby union: 2023 Six Nations men’s and women’s fixtures and dates

European rugby union takes centre stage in February and March 2023 with the men’s Guinness Six Nations championship. Featuring England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales, games will be played over five rounds. In 2022 France won the championship and the grand slam. The 2023 edition of the Six Nations will also be a big part of preparations ahead of the men’s 2023 Rugby World Cup in September and October.   Following the conclusion of the men’s Six Nations, it’s the turn of the women’s teams. The 2023 Women’s Six Nations championship begins with the first round of fixtures on 25-26 March and finishes with round five on 29 April. Guinness Six Nations Fanzones Each year, millions of rugby fans attend the Guinness Six Nations matches, and more than 100,000,000 tune in across ...
Ski travel book: Around The World in 50 Slopes by Patrick Thorne
Guides, Sports Travel

Ski travel book: Around The World in 50 Slopes by Patrick Thorne

The new book from veteran snow travel writer Patrick Thorne – Around The World in 50 Slopes – takes skiers on a journey between ski runs located in 30 countries across six continents. Available to buy in bookstores and online, each of the 50 featured slopes includes a fact box and a hand-drawn map which marks each run’s location. Thorne's last book – Powder: The Greatest Ski Runs on the Planet – topped Amazon’s ski-books best-seller list for more than six years. For his new title, he has taken a different approach in choosing his 50 runs. “There are lots of lists online covering the world’s steepest, most challenging runs and it’s normally the usual suspects, but I’m more interested in runs that have a story to them, an added dimension beyond just being great runs,” he said. “In short, ...
Les Sables-d’Olonne: capitalising on sailing and ocean racing
Sports Travel

Les Sables-d’Olonne: capitalising on sailing and ocean racing

by Ramy James Salameh For Les Sables d'Olonne sport has brought global attention to this elegant seaside town in western France. Settled on the shores of the Atlantic coast, the destination has become the world capital of single-handed ocean racing, home of the Vendée Globe and Golden Globe solo round-the-world sailing races. The latter is described as the father of solo round-the-world events, one for the sailing purists, placing man and not machine at the heart of maritime exploration, while the equally demanding Vendée Globe uses state-of-the-art technology and equipment, but with no less guile, determination and fortitude.  A dedicated race village opens to the public at Esplanade du Vendée Globe weeks prior t...
Darts: 2023 Cazoo Premier League schedule and venues confirmed by PDC
Calendars, Events, Guides, Sports Travel

Darts: 2023 Cazoo Premier League schedule and venues confirmed by PDC

The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) has confirmed the event schedule and venues for the 2023 Cazoo Premier League season. There will be 17 venues on the calendar, with events taking place on Thursday nights from February to May. The new season will start at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Thursday 2 February and the play-offs will be held at The O2 in London, England on Thursday 25 May.  In a news release, the PDC also confirmed that the 2023 Cazoo Premier League season will retain the same format as introduced in 2022. Eight players compete each night in a knockout format before the top four players from the final league table progress to the play-offs.  As well as the opener in Belfast, February will also feature league nights in Cardiff, Glasgow and Du...
Ski Club of Great Britain announces 2022-2023 Freshtracks holiday schedule
Holidays & Trips, Sports Travel

Ski Club of Great Britain announces 2022-2023 Freshtracks holiday schedule

The Ski Club of Great Britain’s Freshtracks holiday programme has fully re-launched for the 2022-2023 season with more than 150 different weeks throughout the winter, starting on 25 November 2022 and running until 1 May 2023. All Freshtracks holidays are designed to bring like-minded skiers together of similar ability levels and many trips are led by qualified mountain guides and ski instructors. Holidays are popular with solo travellers with many trips sold on a single occupancy basis. There’s a programme dedicated to those skiers over the age of 60 – Peak Experience – that attracts enthusiasts well into their 70s and sometimes beyond, plus one of the largest choices of off-piste and ski touring holidays on the UK market. But there’s also opportunities for skiers to improve their techn...
Skiing in Austria: 11 reasons to hit the slopes this winter 
Holidays & Trips, Sports Travel

Skiing in Austria: 11 reasons to hit the slopes this winter 

From snow-sure slopes to the world-famous Kaiserschmarren, Austria is one of the best places to ski. Here the team from the Austrian National Tourist Office pick out 11 reasons why you should visit Austria for skiing this winter. 1. Plenty of snow-sure pistes  Snow-guarantee is a crucial factor when choosing a winter destination. And, luckily, the Austrian Alps are blessed with it. Widely recognized as one of the world's most reliable skiing destinations, Austria's top resorts ensure perfectly groomed pistes throughout the classic winter season – and way beyond. Tirol alone has five glaciers, including Zillertal's Hintertux, where you can ski 365 days a year. In Zell am See-Kaprun skiing is on from October to June thanks to the Kitzsteinhorn glacier. And if everything goes wrong, Aus...
Qatar World Cup new openings: hotels, resorts and attractions
Hotels & Resorts, Sports Travel

Qatar World Cup new openings: hotels, resorts and attractions

With just weeks until the start of the 2022 Fifa World Cup, Qatar Tourism has revealed new tourism attractions, hotels and resorts that will be open for fans to enjoy during the tournament. Here we take a look at some of the upcoming new openings ahead of the football festival… Related articles 2022 Fifa World Cup Qatar: fixtures and groupsHotel review: InterContinental Doha Beach & Spa Pictures: Qatar Airways aircraft with Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 livery Al Maha Island (Image: Qatar Tourism) Al Maha Island Set to launch in November, Al Maha Island will feature high-end restaurants including Zuma, LPM, Billionaire and Carbone, as well as other eateries and attractions such as Nammos Qatar beach club. The island also features Al Maha Drive, a unique driveway experience r...
Aqua Rugby Festival: a ‘sporting phenomenon’ in Sydney, Australia 
Events, Sports Travel

Aqua Rugby Festival: a ‘sporting phenomenon’ in Sydney, Australia 

With “big hits” and even “bigger splashes”, Aqua Rugby has been described as Australia’s newest “sporting phenomenon”. Taking place at Manly Cove in Sydney, Australia from 10-12 November 2022, the three-day Aqua Rugby Festival will see matches played on a 30m x 30m floating pontoon pitch with tries scored by jumping into the ocean. Think of it as rugby’s full contact and fast pace combined with Olympic-style dives and NFL-inspired celebrations.    The teams, professional and amateur, feature five players plus reserves and games are played for ten minutes – five-minute halves with two minutes for half time. Over the weekend there will be men’s and women’s knockout competitions as well as a number of exhibition matches. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_QNk0NRI2o Fans will be able...
‘Blue Scotland’ by Mollie Hughes: a sports adventurer’s guide to Scotland’s wild waters
Guides, Holidays & Trips, Sports Travel

‘Blue Scotland’ by Mollie Hughes: a sports adventurer’s guide to Scotland’s wild waters

In her new book – Blue Scotland: The Ultimate Guide to Exploring Scotland’s Wild Waters – sports adventurer Mollie Hughes picks out her favourite places across Scotland to paddleboard, kayak, swim and surf.  Mixing world-class surfing breaks with kayaking adventures on the west coast, and urban paddleboarding along the Clyde with invigorating swims in the lochs of the Cairngorms National Park, the book shows how to access and enjoy these varied blue spaces.  Hughes includes her own personal experiences and tips, enabling wild water sports fans of all levels to make the most of the amazing opportunities Scotland has to offer. Here’s her pick of the off-the-beaten track places to visit in Scotland.   North Uist, Outer Hebrides  “The Island of North Uist in the Outer Heb...

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