DOWN Under it may be, but Australia has long been the
beating heart of the sporting world. And wherever sport is played,
sports fans travel; as shown by the huge numbers who travelled to
Australia for high-profile events like the Sydney Olympics and the
Rugby World Cup. In 2000, an estimated 110,000 international
visitors flew to Australia to watch the Olympics. In the month of
the Games, arrivals in Sydney were up by 15%.
Last year’s Rugby World Cup had a similar effect. A total of
65,000 rugby fans flew to Australia for the tournament, half of
them from Europe. The average fan stayed for 23 nights and spent a
whopping £2,655.
Next summer’s Ashes may be in England, but there’s no
shortage of other events (some of them well known, others more
niche) that can be incorporated into your sport-loving
client’s itinerary. If you know, for example, that the
Melbourne Cup is in the first week of November, you could suggest
clients extend their stay for a week, or travel a week earlier.
Luckily, keeping track should be no worries. All you need do is to
keep an eye on Travel Weekly’s handy Aussie sports calendar
for 2005.
2005
January 17-30
Tennis
The Australian Open, Melbourne (ausopen.org)
This year’s Aussie Open is an extra special one. It’s
the 100th anniversary of the southern hemisphere’s only major
tennis event. Expect to see Tim and Greg in Melbourne, battling it
out with the world’s best.
January 31-February 6
Golf
The Heineken Classic, Melbourne
(heinekenclassic.com)
Australia’s richest golf tournament will be held at the Royal
Melbourne Golf Club. Catch the Antipodean summer and see some of
the world’s best golfers compete for the top prizes.
February 19
Cycling
The Penny Farthing Race, Evandale, Tasmania
(evandalevillagefair.com)
The sleepy village of Evandale comes to life for the National Penny
Farthing Championships. As well as the race itself, there’ll
be market stalls and old-time entertainment. Hard to imagine a
better time to visit the island state ofTassie.
March 3-6
Motor Racing
The Australian Grand Prix, Melbourne
(grandprix.com.au)
This Melbourne event is the traditional curtain-raiser to the
Formula One World Championship season. Will Ferrari maintain its
stranglehold or will one of the other teams overtake them on the
bend? Also look out for Netspace V8 Supercars, the BMW Celebrity
Challenge and other great Aussie racing categories.
March 17-20
Surfing
The Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships, Queensland
(sisa.asn.au)
Think of Baywatch and then add an Aussie accent. Muscular, toned
and tanned lifesavers fight it out among the breakers to discover
this year’s Australian Surf Lifesaving Champion. The girls
will love it.
March 21-April 1
Surfing
The Rip Curl Pro, Bells Beach, Victoria
(surfingaustralia.com)
The Rip Curl Pro is a major world championship tour event that
features the world’s top 44 male surfers. Expect sun, fun and
breathtaking action as the waves roll in on famous Bells Beach.
July 9
Camel Racing
The Voyages Camel Cup Carnival, Alice Springs
(camelcup.com.au)
The Northern Territory’s must-see camel racing event. Camels
and riders converge on Alice Springs for a desert festival of
thrills and spills. In between watching the high-speed race action,
visitors can take in all the fun of the festival, with
entertainment, food and market stalls.
September (Dates to be confirmed)
Aussie Rules Football
The Australian Football League Finals Series, Melbourne
(aft.com.au)
See the top Australian Rules Football teams battle it out to see
who will be top dog in 2005. Close to 100,000 fans pack the
Melbourne Cricket Ground to cheer on their teams.
September 2-3
Horseracing
Birdsville Races (birdsvilleraces.com)
Bumper crowds gather in the tiny Outback town of Birdsville to
experience this traditional horse race that was first run in 1882.
In addition to the races themselves, there’s a carnival and
two nights of live entertainment including whip cracking, sideshows
and a giant auction.
September 3-4
Aerial Skiing
The Mount Butler World Aerials (worldaerials.com)
The world’s finest aerial skiers fly through the air as they
compete in the spectacular Alpine Exposure World Aerials at
Victoria’s snowy Mount Butler.
September 9-11
Lizard Racing
World Lizard Racing Championship, Cunnamulla, Queensland
For a true outback experience go and watch frilled neck,
shingleback and blue-tongued lizards race for honour and glory on
the red-dust Paroo Racetrack at Cunnamulla. The three-day event
also includes a family fun day, Miss Maid and Junior Ambassador
Awards, a baby show and a range of novelty events.
September 17
Boat Racing
Henley-on-Todd Regatta, Alice Springs
(henleyontodd.com.au)
This novelty boat race is Australia’s most comical sporting
event. Teams race bottomless boats along the dry, sandy bed of the
Todd River. Expect outrageous costumes and imaginatively adorned
boats. Hours of fun – and you don’t even have to get
your feet wet.
October 15-17
Motorcycle Racing
The Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix
(grandprix.com.au)
The Grand Prix is held on Philip Island, Victoria and involves
three days of non-stop racing action and off-track entertainment.
Experience the awesome sights and sounds as the world’s best
racers compete for the Grand Prix title.
November (date to be confirmed)
Horseracing
The Melbourne Cup (melbournecup.com)
The Melbourne Cup is more than just a horse race. It’s a
144-year-old social and cultural tradition that brings the whole
country to a standstill. Challengers from the UK, Ireland, America
and Japan, make the race a truly international event. And the
fashion parade is world-class too.
December 26-30
Cricket
Boxing Day Test Match, Melbourne (viccricket.asn.au)
They may have left the Ashes in England over the summer,
but the Australian team is still one of the major draws in world
cricket. The Boxing Day Test Match is one of the most enjoyable
dates on the cricket calendar.
