What to look out for this year

Sport stars are busy this year, travelling all around the world to compete in many events, some of which stand out a bit more than others, like the football World Cup hosted in South Africa. Kicking off on 11 June with a match between the host nation and Mexico (England take on America the following day), the event is set to be one of the highlights of the 2010 schedule especially when it comes to global sports.

Though football has naughty sports stars, it seems the more gentlemanly game of golf has started to acquire its own bad boy in Tiger Woods. All eyes will be on Tiger Woods’ swing – on the golf course of course, not at the parties, because all signs show he’s back on his game. It’s a big year for golf with: The Masters Cup in Augusta in April; The Players Championship in Sawgrass in May; The US Open in Pebble Beach; The British Open in St. Andrews in July; The PGA Championship at Whistle Straights in August; The Fed Ex Cup playoffs in August and of course the much anticipated Ryder’s Cup in October.

This year’s BT Paralympic World Cup in May has introduced a new sport to its predominantly swimming, wheelchair, basketball and athletic disciplines. This year 7-a side football will also be on the cards at the event taking place at Manchester Regional Arena and Manchester Aquatic Centre.

Then on top of that there’s the Cricket World twenty20 among others, Champion’s League football, the Common Wealth games in New Dehli, India, and the WBC super middle weight title fight between Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler with plenty more.

Cheering for victory

England Captain Johnny Wilkinson has a lot to prove after his gut wrenching defeat at Muarrayfield two years ago. England fans, however, are supportive, and will be cheering for the team to lead in victory against their opponents at the finals.

For every fan

To make sure that English rugby fans remain happy, upbeat and positive, there are a few essentials for every English rugby fan.

Finding a place to relax and get together with people who are as fanatic about the game as you are is important. Whether it is at a house, a pub, or if you have been lucky enough to have scored tickets to a match, being with like minded people makes all the difference in the world.

Rugby fans travelling abroad may need to brush up on their foreign language skills, as well as their knowledge of cultures and customs of the countries they will be visiting. And if you are one of the lucky ones watching the game abroad, be sure to get hold of some rugby gear to let your team know you’re rooting for them.

On the web

For die-hard rugby fans who are following more than the Six Nations Tournament, but don’t have to time to catch all the games, websites like SCRUM .com keep score of all the matches, so rugby fans can have their finger on the pulse, no matter which team is playing on either side of the globe.

Six Nations Rugby tickets are selling fast, so be sure to get yours for the final game as soon as possible.

Motorsport maestro revealed

Jenson Button’s inaugural Formula One title came as a surprise to the racing world. Button, seen as an outsider for the title spot at the start of the season, seized the podium an astonishing six times in the first seven championship races. The technical prowess of his Brawn team certainly aided the British driver and it was this advantage that proved to be decisive throughout the season.

Consistence was essential, and throughout the season the steely competitor captured key points as the title race developed. The Constructers Championship Title was added to his individual triumph but, could not stop Button’s move to McLaren at the end of the year. As his performances proved, this young man is willing to experiment in his quest for further F1 glory.

Sports moments of 2009 – highlighting some of the best action

UEFA Cup glory

The football field delivered up its fair share of ups and downs, but the prestigious UEFA Champions League once again topped its rivals in bringing together the best clubs, footballers and match ups in world soccer to produce classic sports moments.

The 2009 Final was no exception, with a build-up as memorable as any other, Manchester United and Barcelona having battled their way to the deciding round. Barcelona beat Chelsea, firm favourites, in their semi-final tie. Barcelona in the end just had too much star power for United in Rome, Lionel Messi being instrumental in their 2-0 victory.

Marathon match on grass

Wimbledon was stage for one of the most closely fought tennis matches of the last decade. Once again Roger Federer was present, his opponent hard-working Andy Roddick. 2009 proved to be the year Federer reasserted his dominance at the top of the WTA after briefly losing his number one spot to Rafael Nadal the previous season. A marathon battle ensued, with Roddick pushing Federer to the end. The match ended in the fifth set, with Federer edging ahead 16-14. A record fifteenth Grand Slam for Federer added to his French Open title earlier in the season.

100m star smashes world record

Our top spot goes to an unlikely disciple – athletics and the sprinting magic of Jamaican born Usain Bolt. Now a household name after the Beijing Olympics, Bolt went one step further at the twelfth World Athletics Championships in Berlin. The young man secured his place in both the 100m and 200m finals and produced a perfect performance to beat the best line up in sprinting with ease. Sheer sprinting elegance put him metres ahead of rival Tyson Gay and under the world record mark by 0.11 seconds, running a phenomenal 9.58 seconds in the 100m.

2010 promises to be just as exciting for sports fans as 2009 was, with loads of exciting sports moments. Events to look forward to this summer include Wimbledon, the Commonwealth Games in India, The Formula One Grand Prix and, of course, the Fifa world cup in South Africa.

March 16 – March 19

The Cheltenham Festival schedule shows the tournament starts on Tuesday, 16 March until 19 March. The weeklong festival is expected to attract over 200,000 attendees from around the globe. Attendees will see over 25 of the best steeplechase and hurdle horse racing on the planet.

The 2010 Cheltenham Festival will feature around 500 horses competing for prize money that exceeds £3.4 million. The big bucks, however, is expected to be spent by pundits with bookies expected over £500 million in bets to be placed.

St. Patrick’s Day

Cheltenham racecourse will play host to alcohol distributors, too, who make a pretty penny during the festival. In this regard, one of the major dates is Wednesday, 17 March, which coincides with St. Patrick’s Day, means the festival will have an added celebratory atmosphere because of the large Irish contingency at Cheltenham.

For fans and purists alike

While its high-rolling attendees finance the 2010 Cheltenham Festival, it is also a major attraction for equestrians and aspirational riders as well. The prize money guarantees the UK and greater Europe’s best riders compete, which makes the festival a hotbed for the world’s most accomplished jockeys. This collection of riding talent on display on the Cheltenham racecourse, coupled with ambitious upcomers makes the 2010 Cheltenham Festival particularly important for riding equipment companies like Charles Owen a key platform for promoting their goods, too.

The Gold Cup

The ultimate goal, of course, is the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the most sought after trophy in world jumps racing. With Gold Cup winner Sam Thomas ruled out through injury, the focus has shifted to stable mates and former winners Ruby Walsh-ridden Kauto Starr and AP McCoy-ridden Denman. What adds a bit of sizzle to this rivalry is the Irish-English faceoff between Walsh and McCoy.

Bookies, gamblers, enthusiasts and riders have less than a week to wait until the big event, and the high paced action on Cheltenham racecourse is sure to be matched by the fun in the bleachers, too.