20ten SPORTS

1. UCI WORLD ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS (CYCLING)

Geelong will play host to the 77th UCI (International Cycling Union) World Road Championship where local lad Cadel Evans will attempt to defend his 2009 title. This five-day event consisting of four main races will culminate in the Elite Men’s Road Race. This 259.9km race commences in Federation Square, winds its way towards Geelong and ends with 11 laps of the Geelong Road Race circuit.

This course will provide ample of opportunity for spectators line the streets and see more than 400 of the world’s best cyclists up close and personal. This is also an opportunity for spectators who like to dress up to sporting events but cannot wait for the test cricket season to start to dust off the costumes left over from last year’s Halloween and get their chance at YouTube fame.

Many public transport options will be made available to assist with traffic management at this event, including riding options for those people who want to try on their own lycra and pedal out to Geelong.

Web
www.2010melbourne.com.au
Dates
29 September – 3 October
Location
Geelong, Victoria

2. BOXING DAY TEST MATCH

What is an Australian Christmas without the Boxing Day recovery period comprising of dozing on the couch, eating left and watching the Aussies take on the Old Dart to (hopefully) beat them at their own game?

Sure we may be currently struggling to beat them on their home turf but on an Australian wicket we are still untouchable. Hopefully the vocal and parochial home crowd can come up with something more sophisticated than “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie” to counter the choral renditions of the Barmy Army. It is time to win back the urn.

Web
www.cricket.com.au
Dates
26 –30 December
Tickets
www.ticketek.com.au
On sale 14 July for Cricket Australia members and 29 July for the general public
Location
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Victoria

3. CLIPSAL 500

The premiere motor racing event rolls through Adelaide in the heart of South Australia’s festival season. Winner of the Australian Tourism Award for best Major festival and Events in 2003/2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008 this is one heck of a reason to visit Adelaide. The street circuit follows the route of the Australian Grand Prix before it crossed the border to Melbourne.

The four-day event includes numerous races with each day culminating in an after race concert every day. Entry into the concert is included in the ticket price. Already named for the after race concerts are Eskimo Joe, Jessica Mauboy, Wes Carr, Tom Williams and Status Quo. Saturday night will also see the return of the fireworks spectacular “SkyShow.”

Web
www.clipsal500.com.au
Dates
11 – 14 March
Tickets
www.ticketek.com.au
From $35, children under 14 are free when accompanied by a paying adult
On sale now
Location
Adelaide, South Australia

3. HENLEY ON TODD REGATTA

There is nothing more Aussie than a yacht race in a desert. 2010 will see the 49th running (literally) of the regatta on the banks of the dry Todd River – 1,500km from the nearest body of water.

Based on the Henley-on-Thames race between Cambridge and Oxford universities in England the regatta now boasts 15 land-based “water” events. Registration is open to anyone and everyone who wants to participate in this iconic event on the Australian sporting calendar. Proudly founded and supported by Apex Clubs of Alice Spring

Web
www.henleyontodd.com.au
Date
21 August
Registration
Adults $12, children $5 and families $25
Register on line or on the day
Location
Alice Springs, Northern Territory

4. SYDNEY TO HOBART YACHT RACE

This will be the 66th sailing of one of the world’s premiere open water yacht races, if you are not a participant then this is a sport that is more about the celebrations than the race. The race starts on Sydney Harbour, a body of water that will be choc-a-block with pleasure crafts of all shapes and sizes, the equivalent of starting the Olympic marathon at the top of the stadium and forcing the runner to run through the crowd down to the track. Turning right outside the Headsthe fleet heads south to Hobart, Tasmania, which will be the next time the average Australian, has the opportunity to see the fleet.

Once they have passed the Heads it is time to crack open the champagne and wait for their race leaders to arrive at their destination, which could take between 1 day 18 hours (2005 race record) and 11 days 6 hours (1945 slowest race). The parties are bigger in Sydney because people know when they will be, in Hobart celebrations can only commence if and when the boats arrive.

Like a motor race, for the novice the only interest in the race is really the accidents along the way. Nothing better than seeing a multimillion dollar craft break in two and disappear to the bottom of the Tasman Sea, with the crew safely watching from the deck of a competitor or rescue craft.

Web
www.rolexsydneyhobart.com
Date
26 December (start)
Tickets
Available for official spectator craft
Check the website closer to the event for costs and boarding details
From $59 in 2009
Location
Start line: Nielson Park, Sydney Harbour New South Wales
Finish: Castray Esplanade on the River Derwent. Hobart Tasmania

5. FIFA FOOTBALL WORLD CUP

The biggest sporting event in the world and Australia is participating but, short of doing a Bradbury, has no chance of winning. Sure it is not taking place on Australian shores but still something everyone should be part of.

Don’t let the distance or time difference deter you. The World cup is the perfect excuse to eat and drink with mates in front of your Kevin-Rudd-stimulus-package-funded plasma television. Pretend you understand the rules of a game you watch every four years and yell at the umpires and any team that looks like they might beat the Socceroos declaring they are clearly cheating.

Other options for seeing the games is to take the 11 hour flight from Perth to Johannesburg or watch it with 20 to 40 thousand of your newest friends one of the large screen erected in public spaces in every city council.

Web
www.fifa.com/worldcup
Dates
11 June – 11 July
Tickets
From $80 (US)
Tickets are allocated through a ballot process, application via the website
Phase three allocation 5 December 2009 – 22 January 2010
Phase four allocation 9 February – 7 April 2010
Phase five allocation 11 April – 11 July 2010
Location
Johannesburg, Rustenburg, Polokwane, Nelspruit, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, South Africa

6. WINTER OLYMPICS

Talking of getting up early to watch sports on television that you don’t really understand, the Winter Olympics are back.

Now boasting 15 sports (5 in the Paralympics) Australia has a similar hope of success as in the Football World Cup. Our main medal hopes may rest on the shoulders of international athletes we have claimed as our own. Our best chances are in aerial skiing, moguls skiing, ski-cross and snowboarding, and any sport in which the other competitors choose to fall over just meters from the finish.

Web
www.vancouver2010.com
Dates
12 – 28 February
Paralympics 12 – 21 March
Tickets
www.cosport.com
From $175US
Paralympics from $10US
Location
Vancouver Canada

7. XIX COMMONWEALTH GAMES

Australia may not win many medals at the Winter Olympics, but is unlikely to lose many at the Commonwealth Games. If history is anything to go by the only real competition will come from England and Canada. England following their strong showing in Beijing and gearing up for 2012 London Olympics could be set to knock Australia off the top of the medal tally for the first time in five Games.
A good excuse to dust the green and gold clothing. Worth watching on the box for no other reason than learning more than the first and last lines of the Australia’s National Anthem.

Web
www.thecgf.com
www.cwgdehli2010.org
Dates
3 – 14 October
Tickets
Phase one allocation now to 15 January
Phase two allocation 15 January – 31 March
Ongoing from 1 April
From $15
Location
Delhi India

8. STATE OF ORIGIN (RUGBY LEAGUE

Marons v Blues. Unusually this three-match competition between two states, the only two Australian states where the sport is taken seriously, is one of the biggest events on the national sporting calendar.

The Queensland Maroons caused somewhat of an upset winning the 2009 series, can they prove it was not a fluke in 2010? More importantly which former great will be brought back from retirement to give some strength to an otherwise undermanned and under-skiled team?

Game 1
26 May
ANZ Stadium, Sydney

Game 2
16 June
Suncorp Brisbane

Game 3
7 July
ANZ Stadium Sydney

Tickets
www.ticketek.com.au
Games 1 & 3 on sale now
From $60

9. TUNA TOSS

This unique annual event takes place as part of the South Australia’s Tunarama Festival. Use whatever technique you desire and throw the tuna as far as you can. There are prizes for male and female winners.
People do come from al over the country and the world, seriously, to participate in this event. The heats are held on the Saturday with the finals taking place on the Sunday afternoon. The overall festival program includes other novelty sport events, sideshows, displays fashion, music and fireworks, everything you would expect a country carnival to be.

Web
www.tunarama.net
Dates
23 – 26 January
Tickets
Pay as you go for individual activities, many free activities included in the program
Location
Port Lincoln, South Australia

10. AUSTRALIAN OPEN (TENNIS)

Always controversial, normally because of the weather and if the roof should remain open or closed, but always more exciting when a player has an on or off court tantrum.

It will attract the best players in the world and on the outside courts you can get closer than a German spectator and Monica Selles. IF you are not that into tennis but like the event atmosphere sit around the Garden Square or Grand Slam Oval where you can see the big games on large screens in between bands, DJs and shopping, not to mention catering and people watching.

Web
www.australianopen.com
Dates
18-31 January
Tickets
www.ticketmaster.com.au
From $19
On sale now
Location
Melbourne, Victoria