Speak to any local in Queensland and they’ll tell you that the state is the sporting hub in Australia. While both New South Wales and Victoria might have something to say about this claim, it’s clear that Queensland has had a lot sporting success in recent years – look at State of Origin and the A-League for two classic examples.
That said, it makes sense to use your time in Queensland with a rental vehicle to search for that special sporting talent. Of course, it doesn’t have to be professional sport either, the state has a number of events this summer that make for great entertainment. So, what will you watch first?
Brisbane International (January 1-8 2017)
World tennis continues to be as strong as ever with Novak Djokovic and Angelique Kerber fighting hard to retain their number one ranking spots. In 2017, one of the first opportunities for the world’s top players to challenge Novak and Angelique will be the Brisbane International – hosted at the Queensland Tennis Centre.
As a warmup to the Australian Open in Melbourne in late January, there will be many great matches on court as every player looks for that ideal form. In the men’s draw, the headline players are Stan Wawrinka, Rafael Nadal and Milos Raonic, while Angelique Kerber, Dominika Cibulkova and local Sam Stosur are the favourites in the women’s draw.
Goldfield Ashes (January 20-22 2017)
Forget the Ashes between Australia and England, the Goldfield Ashes are where the real action is – let us explain. The Goldfield Ashes are the largest amateur cricket festival in the southern hemisphere, played out in Charters Towers – a small town southwest of Townsville.
Over the three-day tournament, 58 different playing fields will be used across the town including farmland, let’s hope they cut the grass first! While the cricket on show isn’t international standard, the passion and dedication certainly is. Of course, the friendliness of the hospitality off the green is pretty good too!
Burleigh Pro (January 26-29 2017)
Oct 31, 2016 at 6:50pm PDT
Surfing is almost part of the Australian DNA and you’ll be hard pressed to find a region that doesn’t love the great blue ocean as much as the Gold Coast. In late January, Burleigh Heads hosts the Burleigh Pro, one of the first legs of the 2017 World Surfing League. Expect to see 2016 World Champion John John Florence take to the surf to defend his crown, but he’ll have stiff competition from Gabriel Medina, Adriano de Souza, legend Kelly Slater and all the youngsters looking to make their mark in 2017.
Park up your rental vehicle at one end of Burleigh Heads and enjoy the view of the natural amphitheatre. Of course, as the rounds get serious, grab a spot on the beach to watch the drama in the waves unfold!
The Brisbane Global Rugby Tens (Feb 11-12 2017)
Nov 7, 2016 at 10:22pm PST
Keen sport followers would have loved seeing rugby sevens make its debut at the 2016 Rio Olympics. However, have you heard of rugby tens? The concept is largely similar, but for more players (10) and longer halves (10 minutes) – you see where they get the name tens from!
The inaugural knockout tournament is scheduled for mid-February at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium and will see all 10 (yes, 10) Australian and New Zealand Super Rugby franchises as well as four elite invitational teams from across the world compete. With $1.6 million prize money up for grabs, you’re bound to witness some of the world’s best players showcase the trademark speed and space of sevens, combined with the traditional physicality and athleticism of the 15-a-side game.
If you would like to see more of Queensland this summer, reach out to the team at East Coast Car Rentals and book your vehicle today – you’d hate to miss this action!