AD: Combine Sport and Travel with Your Next Trip
I love any excuse to travel and one of my favourite ways to squeeze in extra breaks is to combine an event in my diary with a trip away. Recently, I headed to the Red Bull Soapbox Race and turned our visit into a weekend away in London. Although I am based just an hour from London, it was so much easier to attend the race as part of a weekend away and gave us time to explore more of the city than just the sporting venue Alexandra Palace. As a result, I’ve been researching other sporting events taking place around the UK and further afield and wanted to share some amazing upcoming sporting events which you could turn into a trip!
AD: This post is a paid partnership with Keith Prowse
The Ashes
The Cricket World Cup gripped the country thanks to that incredible final and as a result, everyone seems to now be a fan of cricket! The Ashes takes place at the Kia Oval in September and is the perfect opportunity for an off-peak weekend in London. Use the extra time to explore the capital, whether that’s heading to a West End show, trying new dishes at the city’s best restaurants or squeezing in a trip to visit Shoreditch, one of my favourite parts of the city. If you prefer other sports, London has some of the best sporting facilities in the world thanks to the investment made in the Olympics and I’ve seen lots of brilliant events in the capital, including the Anniversary Games at the London Stadium and the World Cycling Championships at the Lee Valley VeloPark.
Ely Eel Throwing Championships
If you’re looking for a more niche sporting event, it’s definitely worth researching unusual local traditions. One of the more unusual local sporting events near Cambridge is the World Eel Throwing Championships, part of the Ely Eel Festival. Don’t worry, participants don’t throw real eels but why did this tradition start? Well Ely used to be known as the “Isle of Eels” as it used to be an island surrounded by marshland called the Fens. Although the Fens have now been drained and Ely is no longer an island, the town still celebrates the eels which brought so much food and wealth to their town with this annual quirky festival. It’s a great day out and definitely something unusual to experience!
Red Bull Soapbox Derby
Red Bull are almost as well known for their sporting events as for their energy drink, and perhaps the most iconic is the Red Bull Soapbox Derby. Every year, participants create their own soapbox which they attempt to propel down an obstacle course, using simply the power of gravity. It is broadcast on Dave but you can also watch it live – and this year, the event was in London. Twenty thousand people lined the bonkers obstacle course to watch the participants hurtle down the course and be scored on both their theme and time. The soapboxes included a Mr Bean car, an incredible Bumblebee Transformer and an luxurious £2000 soapbox – the most expensive soapbox ever, which didn’t even make it to the finish line!
Olympics and Paralympics 2020
Back in 2012, I was lucky enough to bag some tickets to the Paralympic Games in London and I’d love to attend another Olympics and Paralympics. Next year, this incredible sporting event takes place in Toyko, one of the many places which I’m desperate to visit. So what better excuse to visit a country on your bucket list than an international sporting event? I love the idea of combining tickets to the Olympics and Paralympics with a trip around Japan, exploring Toyko, Kyoto and Mount Fuji.
Cambridge Cardboard Boat Race
Forget the official Boat Race, come to Cambridge itself for a slightly more bonkers version… the Cambridge Cardboard Boat Race. This event is an annual tradition to celebrate the end of exams, and of course the University of Cambridge has to be unique! Students are challenged to create a boat from only cardboard and duct tape and successfully ride it down the River Cam. Much like the Red Bull Soapbox, there are always a huge variety of designs (this year featured a certain red Brexit bus) and it’s a fun event to be a spectator of. You can watch the carnage from Jesus Green, one of the many parks in the city, for free, accompanied by a picnic and beers if you wish!
As you can see, there are a huge amount of sporting events, from classic to quirky, around the world and they are the perfect opportunity to create a trip away. I’m always willing to use any opportunity as an excuse for more travel! Which sporting event would you like to visit – or is there another I need to add to my list?
