Events Sports Events
Richmond Road Cycling Championships
Sept 19 - 27, Virginia, USA
This year, Richmond, Virginia will host the UCI Road World Championships. This year will be it’s 94th year and will see almost half a million spectators attending the event. The Elite Men Road Circuit sees the challengers take on a gruelling 50 mile trail, including several punishing hills and elevations.
Bathurst 1000
Oct 8 - 11, Bathurst, Sydney Holidays
The Bathurst 1000 is the Australian racing event of the year. Held in Bathurst NSW, the course takes place in the Mount Panorama mountainside and has numerous races throughout the event. The most watched event is the V8 race, which pits the infamous Holden Vs Ford match-up that keep the Australian rivalry hot and fiery. The 1000km touring race sees almost 200,000 spectators crowd Mount Panorama and many viewers nation and world-wide.
Rugby Super League Grand Final
Oct 10th, Manchester, UK
The Rugby Super League, Europe’s top-level rugby competition, plays the Grand Final every year at the Manchester Stadium, Old Trafford. The game gives the highest-performing rugby team the chance to compete for the Super League’s prestigious League Championship. The winner also gets the chance to play the NRL champion in the Probiz World Cup Challenge. St Helen’s won the trophy for the first time in nine years against Wigan last year in a tight 6-point difference.
AFL Grand Final
Oct 3, Melbourne Holidays
Although commonly referred to as Victoria’s Game, the sport of AFL has spread to nearly every state with games being held at major venues in all the states and territories. The one event in the calendar not to miss is the AFL Grand Final, held at the historic Melbourne Cricket Grounds,1 holding upwards of 100,000 fans. The event is not just a game, but an entire day with a breakfast gala, a parade with the Cup and an entire city and state pausing for this momentous event. Although normally played in September, this year’s Cricket World Cup delayed the AFL season for a week.
NRL Grand Final
Oct 4, Sydney Holidays
The National Rugby League’s biggest night is the Grand Final, held the first Sunday in October. The contest is always played out at the ANZ Stadium Australia, which can boast a crowd of over 100,000 for this major event. Last year’s champions, the South Sydney Rabbitohs won their 21st championship, and will look to retain that title.
Golf Australian Open
Nov 26 - 29, Sydney Holidays
The Australia Open is played at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney, with prize money of $1.25 million. Past winners are Australian in majority, although the US and South Africa have also had a winner in this event. The Australian Open is considered minor in comparison with other PGA events, but it holds a prestigious place with an equal number of points being awarded to the winner.
Melbourne Cup
Nov 3, Melbourne Holidays
The Race that Stops The Nation is the famed Melbourne Cup, the sport’s most sought-after prize in Australia. The Flemington Race Course turns into a small town with marquees and tents filled with crowds who come to enjoy the races, the fashion and the atmosphere. The prize was originally a gold watch, but last year’s winner, Protectionist won $6.4 million for the first place finish.
IPL Cricket
Final on May 29th, India
For cricket fans, the Indian Premier League (or IPL) is one of the most watched Twenty20 tournaments. Although entirely based in venues around India, the teams are made up of the best cricket players from around the world. Captained by Indians, Australians, Englishmen and West Indians alike, the games are fast paced, quick and very, very popular in the nation that simply adores the sport. Mumbai won last year’s tournament and earned the right to hold this year’s final.
ICC World Twenty20
March 11-April 3 - Venue TBC
This year, the World Twenty20 has been selected to play in the world’s most cricket fanatical country, India. Across several different venues, the competition brings in the world’s best Twenty20 teams to compete for the Twenty20 championship. This brand new tournament has only been played 4 times before, with Sri Lanka last taking out the title in 2014. They have been the team to beat with their appearance in the last three finals in a row.
Australian Open
Jan 18 - 31, Melbourne Holidays
In the debut of the tennis season, the Australian Open is a highly anticipated event seen by millions world-wide. Played at the Rod Laver arena in Melbourne, this event is attended by over 700,000 people over the two week event. The reigning champions Djokovic and Williams will be the highly sought-after prize to conquer as 256 men and women compete for the over $40 million in prize money.
Boxing Day Test – MCG
Dec 26-Dec 31, Melbourne Holidays
This year’s Boxing Day Test match will see another of Cricket’s greatest match ups. Last year’s draw finish against India only goes to show just how hotly contested this match is. This year will see Australia take on the West Indies as a part of their summer series. The crowd is always over 200,000 in attendance over the test’s duration with often a sell-out crowd on the Boxing Day opening at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Broome Cup – Horse Racing
August 15, Broome, Western Australia
In what some would consider the racing off season, the Broome Cup has come to be known as the Winter Racing Carnival. Held annually in Broome, Western Australia, the $100,000 prize money brings in the horses, while the fashion on the field will bring in the crowds. In a region that can support the race at this time of year, the race has been dominated by Jockey Peter Hall, deemed the Broome Cup Master.
Netball World Cup –Sydney
August 7 -16 Sydney, Australia, Sydney Holidays
Every 4 years, the Netballl World Cup brings together the top Netball teams across the world, and has 16 nations each vying for the top prize. This year is Sydney’s turn to host the event at the 18,000 seat capacity Sydney Super Dome. The Australian host team, the Diamonds will be captained by Laura Geitz, Gold Medal Winner at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow last year.
Ashes: Australia vs England
The Tests start July 8th, 16th, 29th, Aug 6th and Aug 20th
Australia and England set to meet again to duel over the acclaimed Ashes title. The Australian defending champions are heading to England to play 5 matches in various venues over the English countryside. The Australians are coming from their 5-0 Ashes victory from 2013-14 in Australia, and fresh off a World Cup win this year.
