Category Archives: Sports

A local’s guide to Australia’s Gold Coast: 10 top tips

As the Commonwealth Games get under way in this sunny Queensland city, an insider offers tips on what to see and do – and where to eat and drink – away from the sporting action

A little piste of Christmas in the Austrian Alps

The high Alpine resort of Katschberg proves perfect for a family of mixed abilities, and December’s lantern-lit advent trail leaves everyone feeling festive

10 of the best winter sports resorts in Europe for skiing and more

Not everyone is thrilled by the idea of a week’s skiing and little else; here are ski bases with the full St Moritz array of winter fun but without the Swiss original’s steep prices

Thrills and spills: Melbourne gets serious in bid for Australia’s sporting capital title

There’s plenty for both local and visiting sport fans to enjoy in the Victorian capital, such as the grand prix, Asian fusion food and the 2017 AFL season

Giampaolo Pazzini, new Wembley’s first goalscorer, feels the emotions 10 years on

The striker took only 30 seconds to register the rebuilt stadium’s first goal for Italy Under-21s, ended with a hat-trick and is still moved by a standing ovation from England’s fans when he was substituted

Making a splash: cold water swimming

There’s something for everyone at the cold water swimming championships at the lido in Tooting, south London: medals for the fastest, an award for the best hat and a mass jump-in in aid of Crisis, the homelessness charity

Sports the Olympics Forgot – Donkey Jousting

This is an excerpt from the Donkey Jousting story in the book, Sports the Olympics Forgot The sport of Donkey Jousting has taken place under the walls of Caernarvon Castle in North-West Wales since 1300 when King Edward I was building the castle that’s seen today by thousands of visitors. The original jousters were Welsh soldiers who wereContinue reading “Sports the Olympics Forgot – Donkey Jousting”

Mad Paddling from Hobart, Australia

This excerpt is from Sports the Olympics Forgot Hobart on the island of Tasmania is home to the greatest paddling sports event in the world. Kayakers, canoeists, and rowers from all over the world descend on Hobart in the last week of January to celebrate the sea and all those who seek to skim acrossContinue reading “Mad Paddling from Hobart, Australia”

Sports the Olympics Forgot – Snowshoe Snowball

The biggest event of the sports calendar in Revelstoke is the Snowshoe Snowball Contest held on Valentine’s Day since 1872. This event combines the stamina required to snowshoe 10 kilometers over hilly terrain with the accuracy of a marksman. During the snowshoe, the participants have to knock over 10 bottles of Kootenay beer with 10 snowballs that they makeContinue reading “Sports the Olympics Forgot – Snowshoe Snowball”

Sports the Olympics Forgot – The Anti-Pope Games from Avignon

This is an excerpt from the Anti-pope Games story in my book, Sports the Olympics Forgot The next oldest race is the Greyhound Race that dates from 1621. Here the artificial hare is chased around three laps of the track by greyhounds dressed in monk’s costumes. The hare wears a Papal Crown and carries a Papal Staff.Continue reading “Sports the Olympics Forgot – The Anti-Pope Games from Avignon”