Please do not litter SUMMER 2017
| year 03 - issue 06
3 REVIEWS
Find out what our guests have to say about their experiences with Sportsnet Holidays
www.sportsnetholidays.com
10 SUPER BOWL
8 DESTINATION
Take a look at some of the great and not-sogreat halftime shows of the Super Bowl
Find out why a visit to Adelaide should be at the top of your ‘must visit’ list of cities
11 INTERVIEW
He’s the fastest Australian ever to lap the Isle of Man Mountain Course. We chat with David Johnson at TT 2016
16 CALENDAR Find out what’s coming up in sport over the next 6 months
AUSTRALIAN OPEN Summer is back and that means Australian Open 2017 is just around the corner. With new world Nº1’s in both the men’s and women’s competitions, AO 2017 is already shaping up to be a fantastic tournament. Australian Open isn’t just about tennis though and inside, we’ll take a look at just some of the exciting extra-curricular attractions that Australian Open 2017 will have on offer. PAGE 04
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CLIPSAL 500 ADELAIDE
DOWNER NRL AUCKLAND NINES
BRISBANE GLOBAL RUGBY TENS
Adelaide is ready to launch the 2017 Supercars season. Thrilling racing, incredible concerts and much more, make the Clipsal 500 a weekend not to be missed!
We catch up with TRINA TAMATI, General Manager of the Downer NRL Auckland Nines for a behind the scenes peek into ‘The Greatest Weekend’.
The new kid on the block is ready to launch in 2017! We take a look at how the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens works and why you need to be there.
+ SPORTS CRUISING: WE CHAT WITH P&O ABOUT THEIR EXPANSION INTO THE SPORTS MARKET P. 14
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SUMMER 2017
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It is no secret that Australians have a love of sport and an unrelenting desire to travel within Australia and abroad. This sporting culture turned out to be the driving force behind the creation of the Sportsnet Holidays (Sportsnet) brand in August 1998. Right from the start, Sportsnet’s business plan was simple: make it easy for Australians to attend their favourite sporting events (to “see it live!”), no matter where the event or fixture was being staged in the world. By remaining true to its core business strategy of dedication to excellence, Sportsnet has achieved some memorable milestones in its 18 year history. Sportsnet arranges travel for up to 20,000 clients (and growing) to attend sporting events in Australia and around the world each year.
W
ELCOME TO THE SUMMER 2017 edition of the Sports Journal. It feels like we’ve been waiting forever for the warm weather to return (at least in Melbourne) but it’s finally here and with it, some of our biggest events of the year! There’s a real ebb and flow to things here at Sportsnet Holidays. The big events tend to be bunched together, hitting us all at once I suppose as sporting seasons begin and end. The past 3 months have been an absolute blur as a smorgassboard of events have come and gone. In the space of just over a month, we racked up plenty of frequent flyer miles as we were joined by thousands of Sportsnet guests at a plethora of events including: the Formula One Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix; the Formula One Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix; the NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final Sydney; the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000; the Castrol Gold Coast 600; the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix and the Melbourne Cup Carnival! Now we’re getting ready for the next rush of events as we move into 2017! As always, our year starts with a couple of fantastic tennis tournaments, the Brisbane International and the Hopman Cup. They’re the perfect warmup for the first Grand Slam® of the year, Australian Open 2017! With new world number ones in Andy Murray and Angelique Kerber, we can’t wait for the action
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to start. However, inside this issue we’re taking a step away from the tennis to look at some of the other Australian Open attractions at the AO Festival. As soon as Australian Open 2017 wraps up, we’re off to New Zealand for the NRL season opener, the Downer NRL Auckland Nines. On page nine, we catch up with Auckland Nines General Manager, Trina Tamati for a peek behind the scenes at the Nines. Next up, Brisbane and the debut of a brand new event, the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens. Flick through to page fourteen for a breakdown of what the tournament is and how it works. Our focus then turns to South Australia and the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship opener, the Clipsal 500 Adelaide. On page six we take a good look at what you can expect to see both on and off the track at one of the year’s most popular races. If you’re curious to know what else you can do in Adelaide when you’re not immersed in Supercars mayhem, turn over to page eight for our ‘Top Ten Adelaide Experiences’. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the Summer edition of the Sports Journal.
GREG HO media producer
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PHOTO: © SPORTSNET HOLIDAYS AND DIVULGATION
Barbara Anderson documentation manager Emma Philpott documentation executive
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SUMMER 2017
AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2016 I really liked the Middle Weekend package. I thought the service from the people I spoke to was excellent - everything was very straightforward and efficient. I really liked not having to worry about accommodation and knowing that I had good tickets. Jane, NSW We had a great time in Melbourne. Thanks to Ian for taking the time to tailor a travel package to meet our needs. This was not the first time I have booked my travel trough Sportsnet and it won’t be the last. Ann, NSW
DOWNER NRL AUCKLAND NINES 2016
TOURS & PACKAGES NOW AVAILABLE! BOOK NOW AT:
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Booked a weekend holiday for the Auckland Nines and had a ball. Have rebooked again for 2017 and this time by cruise. So many inclusions and the office team always get back to you quickly, even remembered me from a year ago. Highly recommend theses guys! Tina, NSW Sportsnet had EVERYTHING organised for us from the second we landed in Auckland until the moment we took off! Will definitely use the company if we do go again! Lauren, NSW
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Glynn was excellent, it was never too much trouble for him whenever I called with a question or problem...The rooms were lovely and the location was great… [All the] staff were very friendly and helpful! Jennifer, NSW
else was put in place for us. Thanks guys for the great memories. Will definitely book through you again! Claire, NZ
2016 F1® SINGAPORE AIRLINES SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX
Just completed Phillip Island MotoGPTM and Malaysian MotoGPTM back-to-back all organised by Sportsnet. I did the VIP Village in Sepang and it is awesome! The Grand Prix Dinner with a meet and greet was also a highlight. Thanks Sportsnet for making a dream come true! Tim, NSW
Just completed the Singapore F1®. Thanks guys, had a ball! Was a well organised event, no hassles and will be doing more with Sportsnet as it is a “plug and play” deal. Just fill out the paperwork and all the rest is done for you. Great when you are busy and just want things organised on your behalf. Alan, QLD
SUPERCHEAP AUTO BATHURST 1000 2016 I would just like to commend you all on the wonderful service you offered to my husband and I at Bathurst this year. We had a fantastic time and the package we purchased from you was brilliant...The whole process of booking our trip with you was so simple and friendly. We will be highly recommending Sportsnet Holidays to all our family and friends and we will definitely be using you again for our sports holidays in the future! Ingrid, QLD Had the most amazing time at Bathurst thanks to Sportsnet. So easy, just got on the plane in Auckland, NZ and everything
2016 SHELL MALAYSIA MOTORCYCLE GRAND PRIX
2016 MELBOURNE CUP CARNIVAL For our first visit to Melbourne it was just great. We would like to thank Sportsnet for the excellent service which was provided. Will be looking into another for next year. Thanks again for a great time. Kay, NSW A very big thank you to Glynn and the Sportsnet team for putting together such a perfect package. Have highly recommended it to friends and family and will book the exact same package next time I go to the Cup. Amy, NSW O READ MORE REVIEWS, T PLEASE VISIT: sportsnetholidays.com
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SUMMER 2017
FESTIVAL AO Festival
Running throughout Australian Open 2017, will be the AO Festival. Hosted on the banks of the Yarra at Birrarung Marr, the AO Festival will feature great food, drinks, music and entertainment wrapped up in an outdoor party atmosphere.
Summer is fast approaching and with it comes one of Australia’s biggest sporting events, Australian Open 2017. More and more, the year’s first Grand Slam® is becoming about much more than tennis, and 2017 will be no exception to the trend. Here’s a few things to check out around the AO Festival and Melbourne Park when you’re not watching tennis at Australian Open 2017. TEXT: GREG HO
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF AUSTRALIAN OPEN
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SUMMER 2017
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Live Music
The party begins before the tennis this year as Australian Open 2017 is launched by a two-day music festival at Birrarung Marr on the weekend leading into the Open. The best part? Entry is free for Australian Open 2017 ticket holders!
The Open Sessions ©1
Tanderrum Bridge
PHOTOS: ©1 FACEBOOK/TOKYO TINA WINDSOR AND DIVULGATION
The latest way to access Melbourne Park, the new Tanderrum Bridge connects the Melbourne Park precinct to the AO Festival on Birrarung Marr. The new bridge also shaves the travel time from Flinders Street Station to Melbourne Park to a short 10 minute walk.
Food and Drink
Skip the standard sports ground fare and sample some of Melbourne’s favourite dining options including; Hotel Jesus; Jimmy Grants; Tokyo Tina and Huxtaburger at the AO Festival. Need somewhere to relax between matches? Head over to the Canadian Club Racquet Club on the Upper Terrace of Birrarung Marr or the Coopers Beer Garden and Jacob’s Creek Wine Bar on Grand Slam Oval and soak up the sun with a drink in hand.
Shifting location from Grand Slam Oval in the Melbourne Park Precinct to join the AO Festival on the Middle Terrace of Birrarung Marr, the Open Sessions (previously the Entertainment Stage) will be accessible for free to fans holding Australian Open 2017 tickets. Expect another impressive lineup of great Aussie bands and performers to take the stage throughout the Australian Open fortnight.
“We’ve seen that fans flock to the Australian Open not just for the world class tennis but also the fantastic party atmosphere as seen at the AO festival in 2016” - CRAIG TILEY, Australian Open Tournament Director
All About The Kids
There’s no shortage of activities and entertainment for the kids at Australian Open 2017 with the Ballpark; the Open’s new mini theme park. Featuring a LEGO World, Nerf Battlezone, ANZ Tennis Hot Shots Fan Zone, Adventure Park and the Shopkins Swapkins Zone, there’s plenty to keep children entertained when they’re not watching the tennis.
Get Social
Connect with the tennis world at Australian Open 2017 with social media activities and interactions featured throughout the AO precinct. Visit the social megawall and bobblehead studio, interview players and celebrities via Periscope or follow the action via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and YouTube.
Grand Slam Cities 1
F OR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT AUSTRALIAN OPEN PACKAGES, PLEASE VISIT: sportsnetholidays.com
All four Grand Slam cities come together for the first time on Grand Slam Oval, each with their own themed precincts. • Listen to the Gypsy Jazz Ensemble while enjoying crepes, macarons with coffee, cocktails or wine in the Paris Quarter • Enjoy laid-back acoustic performers with strawberries and cream in hand at a typical English Pub or Garden Party in the London precinct • Experience the excitement of the ‘Big Apple’ while tucking into hot dogs, burgers and sweet treats in the streets of New York •A dmire the work of laneway street artists and buskers while dining at iconic Melbourne restaurants, Mamasita and Gazi in the Australiana precinct
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#clipsal500
CONCERTS Friday, 03 March HILLTOP HOODS Hometown heroes and Australia’s most successful hip-hop group, the Hilltop Hoods are set to headline the Friday night concert at the Clipsal 500 in their only Adelaide performance of 2017. SETH SENTRY With his latest offering earning him an ARIA for Best Urban Release, hip-hop phenomenon, Seth Sentry is sure to deliver an impressive show at the Clipsal 500.
Adelaide
SET TO THRILL T
Get set to ‘Unleash Adrenalin’ as Australia’s biggest, most exhilarating motorsport event takes to the streets of Adelaide from March 2-5, 2017. TEXT: LEONIE WATT
HE VIRGIN AUSTRALIA Supercars will take to the world famous street circuit along with seven support categories including the return of the crowdfavourite Stadium Super Trucks from Thursday 2nd March. First seen in Australia at the event in 2015, the Trucks have gone on to become crowd favourites and aren’t afraid to give it their all. Off the track, there will be even more excitement with a worldexclusive, bone crunching collision between Enduro-X and Supercross, with riders from both genres taking on the world’s first hybrid track half Endruo-X, half Supercross. Star attractions will include Australia’s own
THE FUNKOARS Adelaide locals, The Funkoars have been on a non-stop roller coaster, releasing consistent hiphop anthems since 1999.
international superstar, Toby Price, X-Games Gold Medallist Mike Brown (from USA), multi-national Supercross champ, Jay Marmont and 2016 event winner, Mitch Harper. Taking on the boys will be 13-times Women’s World Champion, Laia Sanz. The Clipsal 500 Adelaide will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Chevrolet Camaro with more than 40 vehicles on display representing the American muscle car era, and the 60th Jaguar LeMans Victory Celebration featuring some of the most magnificent Jaguars ever built. The race’s reigning champion, South Australian, Nick Percat said he was ‘really excited for what is
AARADHNA Coming off the back of her critically acclaimed record, Brown Girl, New Zealand born soulstress, Aaradhna is set bring her smooth, urban style to the Clipsal 500.
Saturday, 04 March HUNTERS & COLLECTORS 18 years after the ARIA Hall of Fame inductees hung up their instruments, the iconic Aussie rock band are back for a one-off full-length performance at the 2017 Clipsal 500! BABY ANIMALS With one of Australia’s highest-selling debut rock albums of all time, Baby Animals are ready to deliver a stellar set alongside Hunters & Collectors at the Clipsal 500!
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CLIPSAL 500 WINNERS 1999 - Craig Lowndes 2000 - Garth Tander 2001 - Jason Bright 2002 - Mark Skaife 2003 - Mark Skaife
SUMMER 2017
2004 - Marcos Ambrose 2005 - Marcos Ambrose 2006 - Jamie Whincup 2007 - Rick Kelly 2008 - Jamie Whincup 2009 - Jamie Whincup 2010 - Garth Tander
2011 - Jamie Whincup 2012 - Will Davison 2013 - S hane van Gisbergen 2014 - James Courtney 2015 - James Courtney 2016 - Nick Percat
MOST TEAM WINS Holden Racing Team
2017 RACE STRUCTURE
MOST MANUFACTURER WINS
Race 1 - Saturday: 78 Laps - 250km Race 2 - Sunday: 78 Laps - 250km
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Holden
NICK PERCAT
Nickname: Perdog Team: Brad Jones Racing Clipsal 500 Adelaide Debut : 2014 Clipsal 500 Adelaide Winner: 2016 Hobbies: Go karting, cycling, fitness, playing with my dog, Doug Personal car: HSV VF V8
Touring Car Masters will return to Adelaide for the 10th time
Jamie Whincup pre-race Fans enjoying the evening concert
PHOTOS: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, VUE IMAGES / RED BULL CONTENT POOL AND DIVULGATION
to come at the 2017 Clipsal 500 Adelaide’. ‘Being the first race on the calendar makes it that much more competitive to get your season off to a great start and I’ll be hoping for another win at my hometown event, and one that is arguably the best on the calendar’. The race will revert back to its original twin-race format of a 250 kilometre race on both Saturday and Sunday. Traditionally one of the most gruelling races with the combination of high temperatures and the physical nature of the circuit, the drivers are happy with the return to this format.
Stunt riders show off their skills
“Being the first race on the calendar makes it that much more competitive to get your season off to a great start and I’ll be hoping for another win at my hometown event” - Nick Percat
Adelaide continues to revolutionise motorsport on and off the circuit and was this month named as one of the top five regions in the world to visit by Lonely Planet.
Fans reaching for giveaways at the EnduroX
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Crowds gather for the race action
Stadium Super Trucks Airborne at the EnduroX
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destination PHOTOS: SOUTH AUSTRALIAN TOURISM COMMISSION, © 1 FACEBOOK/RESTAURANT ORANA ADELAIDE, ©2 BIGSTOCK
©1
Mt Lofty Ranges Vineyard, Adelaide Hills
FOOD Adelaide’s city streets are overflowing with world-class restaurants, cool cafes and bustling bars. Some of the best places to grab a bite can be found on Gouger Street, Rundle Street and Peel Street. A number of world-famous chefs have set-up shop in Adelaide, serving unique mouth-watering dishes using pristine local produce.
Adelaide Zoo
WINE TOURS South Australia boasts 18 wine regions and 200 cellar doors only a short drive away from the city centre. From the Barossa’s rich reds, to the Clare Valley’s unrivalled Rieslings, and McLaren Vale’s young guns in wine, allow the tastes of South Australia to steal a little part of your heart.
SHOPPING Adelaide is a shopper’s delight. In the city and surrounding suburbs you’ll find a wonderland of unique boutiques, sprawling shopping malls, department stores and gorgeous heritage arcades. Rundle Mall is the premier shopping precinct with over 700 retailers in one convenient pedestrian-friendly strip, it’s Adelaide’s busiest, most popular shopping destination.
Rundle Mall, Adelaide
NIGHTLIFE Leigh Street, Peel Street and Ebenezer Place are packed with small bars. You’ll find some of our coolest spots in basements, behind secret doors and down unmarked alleyways. Bar owners live and breathe local boutique wines, spirits and cocktails: be adventurous and let us mix you up a South Australian special.
Home to over 1,800 animals including exotic and native mammals, birds, reptiles and fish. Among the residents is the famous panda pair: Wang Wang and Fu Ni, Australia’s only giant pandas. The zoo is adjacent to the famous Adelaide Botanic Garden, which is free to stroll through year-round.
Adelaide
Adelaide is bursting with culture, flavours, events and entertainment. Experience the world-famous wine regions, soak up the sun on one of many picture-perfect beaches or spend the night exploring Adelaide’s thriving restaurant and bar scene. There’s a world of experiences right at your fingertips all in Adelaide.
BEACHES
FESTIVALS
Glenelg Beach, Adelaide
In January, February and March, Adelaide enters party overdrive. In the space of a few months, the capital is host to the massive Adelaide Fringe Festival, Adelaide Festival of Arts, WOMADelaide, Tour Down Under and Clipsal 500 Adelaide. And it doesn’t stop there. The Cabaret Festival and Guitar Festival warm up the winter months, while OzAsia, film festivals and Feast Festival kick-off in spring - just a few reasons Adelaide was awarded Australia’s Best Festival State two years in a row.
ISLAND GETAWAY Refresh your spirit on Kangaroo Island, where wildlife reigns supreme and incredible scenery abounds. Friendly pubs, holiday accommodation and restaurants give-way to teetering cliffs, green planes and impeccably clear waters. Discover unique wildlife, mouth-watering food and wine, breathtaking scenery and a laid-back lifestyle. It’s just off the coast of South Australia, but feels like a world away.
Remarkable Rocks, Kangaroo Island
RoofClimb, Adelaide Oval
ADELAIDE OVAL ROOFCLIMB
EXPERIENCES
©2
Royal Croquet Club, Adelaide
With so many exceptional beaches, so close to the city, Adelaide’s sand and surf are virtually inescapable. From Brighton’s meandering Esplanade to Glenelg’s beachside café culture, you’re never too far from our uncrowded coast. Jump in the car, chuck on your bathers and within the hour you’ll be sprawled on a towel in the sun at Semaphore or perfecting your freestyle at Henley.
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TOP
ADELAIDE ZOO
Take on the Commonwealth Bank Adelaide Oval RoofClimb and discover where they keep the best seats in the house. A jaw dropping 50 metres above the Adelaide Oval, it’s where thrill-seekers climb skywards for Adelaide’s very best view. Clamber over the billowing rooftops of the spectacular grandstands, watch a quarter of a football game and feel the roar of the crowd from the Adelaide Oval’s ultimate vantage point.
South Australian Museum, Adelaide
ART AND CULTURE The South Australian Museum is renowned for its world-class natural history and cultural collections. Learn more about the first life on Earth in the Ediacara Gallery, marvel at ancient Egyptian mummies or get acquainted with a gigantic multi-story giant squid. The Museum also holds the world’s largest collection of Australian Aboriginal material culture. While you’re in the area, take some time to peruse thousands of pieces at the Art Gallery of South Australia, including a vast collection of work from Europe, North America, Australian Aboriginal art and the only dedicated Islamic gallery space in Australia.
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SUMMER 2017
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interview TRINA TAMATI, GENERAL MANAGER, DOWNER NRL AUCKLAND NINES
that could’ve gone right, went right for us, and it was just a really magical way to set the tone for the following years. So we are now heading into year four.
Behind
The Nines
We caught up with TRINA TAMATI, General Manager of the Downer NRL Auckland Nines to chat about the tournament that kicks off the NRL season. TEXT: PETER LAMONT
Q: The Downer NRL Auckland Nines will run for its fourth year in 2017. How did it all start? Trina Tamati: So the evolution of the Nines started with two men in Auckland; David Higgins and Dean Lonergan who are the Directors of Duco Events in Auckland. They had this amazing idea that they could make the Nines happen and bring all 16 clubs into Auckland. And through two and a half years of trying to source funders and get the NRL across the line, in 2013 they signed a contract that enabled us to create the Nines. Q: What was it like to launch a brand new Rugby League Event? TT: I had 96 days in the first year to pull off the February event, and it was absolutely spectacular! It was a sell-out, it was huge, it was sunny, it was gorgeous. Everything
Q: Can you tell us about some of the challenges you face when organising such a massive event? TT: It is a massive event. You know, commercially it’s huge and it takes a lot to stage something like that. You’re bringing in over 300 players across the Tasman, so just the operational logistics of travelling, accommodating, feeding and moving that many boys and ladies around the city - and most of them are in for a good four or five nights is a challenge. And then of course, we’ve got 20 hours of open gates across the two days of the tournament. So you can imagine how many staff, security and traffic management personnel are involved, it’s a huge operation. So yes, there is a challenge to it all. We are only staffed very leanly through the year; there’s only a few of us that work on a team across the entirety of the 12 months prior. And then we start to beef up from January onwards, and around about game day we get to 170 operational staff alone. I think in total there’s about 600 [players and team staff] that travel in with coaches and administrators and CEOs. You’re talking, across the two days, 90-odd plus thousand fans; half are from Auckland, half are from around New Zealand and Australia, so it’s big numbers. Really, really big. And Eden Park packs out and it’s great, but yes it’s huge. Q: While the tournament is running, what are some of your highlights? TT: Definitely seeing all of the colour and the costumes, and people coming in with children and groups of friends and just having a really good time. The city shines from the Thursday prior until everybody leaves on the Sunday. It’s brilliant, it’s absolutely brilliant, we love it. We love seeing them all come in.
Q: How does the Fan Zone work? TT: The Fan Zone is on the Friday prior to the tournament. We get all of the clubs down into one area in Aotea Square in the centre of town, and it’s a really neat day for fans to come in and meet and greet, and have photos and signatures and bits and pieces with the players, in one place. Sportsnet have a great little members’ exclusive area there set up where they can meet and greet people, and we get the guys to have photos and just be themselves really, and have a really nice day. It’s - touch wood - been sunny every year, so that’s also helped. So get on down there on the Friday. Q: Is there much else happening around Auckland during the Downer NRL Auckland Nines? TT: Functions-wise there’s a lot that happens across the week. Obviously we team up with Sportsnet to offer exclusive dinners and events where there are ex-legend players involved, which is lots of fun if you’re a real true sports fan. And there’s VIP functions across the city, there’s launches, there’s racing going on, there’s official racing bits and pieces. There will also be lots of cricket happening that week I understand. So lots going on around the city that the Sportsnet packages can give you exclusive access to. Q: What can we expect to see at the Downer NRL Auckland Nines in 2017? TT: Lots more fun! We are looking at all sorts of different things to change it up, which we have done year on year, to make sure that people are getting even more value for their money and are a lot more engaged. So yes, we’re looking at definitely still having a week long extravaganza across the city. We try and make it the ultimate week. And it really is, it’s coming in and experiencing all that Auckland has to offer as a destination, and also what the two days of the tournament has for you as well. So clubs will be back out in the community, visiting junior teams, playing - you know throwing the ball around, signing signatures and meeting and greeting people at Aotea Square, and of course competing for the two days at Eden Park.
“I had 96 days in the first year to pull off the February event, and it was absolutely spectacular!”
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SUMMER 2017
super bowl Halftime Shows R EGARDED BY MANY as the greatest annual sporting spectacle on the planet, the Super Bowl draws a viewership eclipsing 110 million in the US alone! The match marks the end of the NFL season and sees the top team from the National Football Conference face off against the top team from the American Football Conference to decide
the nation’s greatest team. Almost as great a spectacle as the game itself, the Super Bowl’s commercials and Halftime Shows have become major focal points for the annual event. As you’d expect, the Halftime Shows have had their hits and misses. We’ll be taking a look at some of the great and not-sogreat performances from the past two decades.
Black Eyed Peas: 2011 The Black Eyed Peas made an impressively dramatic entrance for their halftime show performance, being lowered to the stage from the top of Cowboy Stadium. Unfortunately, everything went downhill from there. The lack of movement and off-key vocals from the group were bad enough, then Slash from Guns N’ Roses materialised to perform “Sweet Child O’ Mine” with Fergie. The guitar-great looked like he just wanted to get off the stage as soon as possible. Usher also made a brief appearance, performing a dance routine to “OMG”.
Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake: 2004
U2: 2002
Super Bowl XXXVIII featured undoubtedly the most famous Halftime Show in history, sadly not for the right reasons. Jackson and Timberlake were performing “Rock Your Body” to close out the show when Timberlake ripped the leather cup from Jackson’s breast, exposing her. It was from this moment that the phrase ‘wardrobe malfunction’ was coined.
Only months after the 9/11 bombings, U2 took to the stage at the Halftime Show of Super Bowl XXXVI. The band opened their performance with “Beautiful Day” before an enormous curtain dropped from the top of the stadium. The names of the victims of the 9/11 attack were projected onto it while the band played through “MLK” and “Where The Streets Have No Name”.
GREAT
NOT-SO-GREAT
Prince: 2007 Another legendary performance and one of the few Halftime Shows to fully live up to the hype. Prince’s performance opened with Queen’s “We Will Rock You” which melded into “Let’s Go Crazy”, he also covered a Foo Fighters song and ended with an epic version of Purple Rain, fittingly being played in a Miami thunderstorm.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: 2009 Springsteen opened his performance by telling the audience to step away from the guacamole dip, put down the chicken fingers and turn the tv all the way up! The Boss belted out a fantastic high-energy set with the E Street Band which had fans captivated. He also famously performed a knee slide along the stage to hit a camera crotch-first!
It was the performance that changed the Halftime Show forever. The King of Pop’s legendary performance heralded a shift from marching bands and themed homages into the modern spectacular performances featuring some of the world’s greatest music artists to which we’ve become accustomed.
Beyoncé and Destiny’s Child: 2013 Emerging from a cloud of smoke, Beyoncé put on a powerhouse performance. Accompanied by incredible lighting and animations, Beyoncé controlled the stage like few performers can. Mid-set the pop icon was reunited with fellow Destiny’s Child members, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams for some of the group’s biggest hits.
Indiana Jones: 1995 The Super Bowl XXIX Halftime Show was produced by Disney to promote a new Indiana Jones Disneyland Adventure. The show was a live-action Indiana Jones scene where Indy steals the Vince Lombardi trophy from the “savages” to a live soundtrack performed by Patti LaBelle and Tony Bennett. To cap it off, the pair performed a rendition of “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from the Lion King. A great example of product placement gone wrong.
Phil Collins, Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias: 2000 Another Disney-produced Halftime Show, although this was more subtle in promoting Disney attractions than 1995’s show. The Halftime Show featured quite a few big name performers but none performed their actual hits, instead performing songs presumably written by Disney to the disappointment of viewers. The show was also oddly narrated by Edward James Olmos.
Winter Magic with Gloria Estefan: 1992 Super Bowl XXVI’s theme was “Winter Magic” but is perhaps best described as an infomercial for Minnesota. The show featured ballroom dancers and figure skaters performing to “Walking in a Winter Wonderland” before brightly costumed children rapped a hip-hop rendition of “Frosty the Snowman”. This Halftime Show lost 22 million viewers to the sketch show, “In Living Colour” on rival network, Fox.
PHOTOS: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, BIG STOCK, DIVULGATION AND REPROCUCTION
Michael Jackson: 1993
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SUMMER 2017
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interview We caught up with Aussie racer, DAVID “DAVO” JOHNSON during this year’s Isle of Man TT to find out a little more about the fastest Australian rider ever to lap the Isle of Man. INTERVIEW & PHOTOS: GREG HO
Q: How did you get introduced to bikes? “Davo” Johnson: Well way back, my old man used to race in the early to late 70’s in the Australian Superbikes. He quit when he had me and my sister in the 80’s. Dad got me into BMX racing and when I turned 16, gave me a go out at our local track in Adelaide, Mallala Raceway. From then on that was it, that was all I wanted to do. I did two years in Australia after that, just racing the Australian Championship. Then I got a deal offered out here (England) to race when I was 18 and that was 15 years ago. Q: So you left family and friends behind and moved straight to the UK? DJ: Yep, first time living out of home and everything! Sort of packed my bags, said “See you later Mum, I’m out!” and that was it. Just went to follow my new dream. Q: Looking back now, do you think you made the right decision in relocating so quickly? DJ: It’s not gone too bad, it’s had its ups and downs. There’s a lot of things I would change, particularly some of the decisions I made early on in my career right down to having the right VISA. In my first year out here I was racing against (Cal) Crutchlow, (Tom) Sykes, Craig Jones and other World Championship riders who have since become World Champions. I was second in the championship, beating them all and then frigging got kicked out of the country because my VISA was wrong! Q: What drove you to try your hand at the TT? DJ: I did a couple of years out in the German Superbike and the European Superbike Championships. I was doing okay out there and then I got a deal in the British Superbikes. I couldn’t quite get on a top bike, capable of winning. I was top-ten which is still good but I wanted to win and I couldn’t get on a bike good enough to win. So I was at a bit of a crossroads. I didn’t really want to ride a s**t-box bike again. Then I got an offer to ride the TT, and with a decent team as well. I thought, maybe that’s a backwards way of getting on some factory machinery.
Road
Racer
Q: So you agreed to race the TT to get your hands on better bikes? DJ: Well that was in 2010 and it has worked. Making money out of it is definitely one of the better sides to doing the roads, as well as getting on some better bikes for the short-circuit racing. I spent 15 years racing short-circuit, trying to get to a level. I’ve done okay, never won a British Championship but I’ve come very close to a European Championship and I’ve won lots of races and enjoyed myself. I really want to focus mainly on the roads now though and obviously (standing in the Norton workshop) I’m getting on some good kit now too. I’ve been in factory teams for the last few years - this year with Norton - and it’s just been amazing.
Q: You joined Norton at an ideal time in their development cycle DJ: Yeah, it was good. I mean, it was still going to be a gamble. When I sat down and spoke to them, they said they were going to change things and make it better and I suppose that’s what Cam (Donald) had thought as well. I know it was a long-term project and I only signed for 1 year. They told me what they were going to do and I put faith in them and went with it. There were other deals on the table but it’s pretty iconic - riding for Norton - and the publicity you get is pretty crazy as well. I just fancied a bit of a change and it was an unknown.
Q: And how has the Norton been for you so far? DJ: I didn’t have any idea how the bike was going to perform around here (Isle of Man) and Practice Week was no good. The bike was having little, tiny problems which only allowed us to complete 5 laps before we raced. So we were still massive underdogs when we went into the first race but all of a sudden we got 6 laps clean! 6 laps where the bike was mint and ended up 7th with a nearly 131 mph lap! The guys have just been floating on air really. The boss is mega happy, he owns Norton so he’s over the moon. So we changed the bike a bit more for the 2nd race but we’ve already done our job - we’ve shut a lot of people up. I mean the bike is not guaranteed to work for anybody else but just seems to suit me. The chassis setup is similar to how Cam (Donald) had it but the engine management is different and that’s it. It’s not a massive change but it seems to work. Q: We’ve heard that you like to mentor younger riders when you’re not racing... DJ: Yeah I do. I help some young guys come over from Australia. There’s a couple of guys racing over here that I help out. I like doing that and if I see some talent in people over there (Australia) and if they’re nice kids, I’ll help them out because I know a lot of people in the British Championship. Q: Do you think there are a lot of young Australian riders who would be competitive in European competition? DJ: There’s a lot of guys in Australia that are a bit stuck up their own a**e to be fair. Not naming any names at all but they won’t get help from me. There’s a lot of talent in Australia and I’m looking at the guys who don’t get help from the big teams over there. If I see talent in them, then I’ll help them out rather than the guys who think they’re “all that” and their attitude stinks. I’m not going to help them but I like seeing good kids go far. What’s on for the rest of the year after TT? DJ: I’ll spend a bit more time in England. I just do the ones I enjoy doing; tracks that I’ve won at before and I enjoy riding. I’ve also got the Macau Grand Prix at the end of the year, that’s an awesome one! I’ll just do the ones I want to do and enjoy myself, enjoy life.
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rugby tens Rugby
GROUP A
HEAVEN
1A
GROUP B
2B
Launching in 2017, the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens will see more than 300 star players from all ten Australian and New Zealand Super Rugby clubs and four of the best teams from around the world descend on Brisbane for one glorious weekend of rugby action. TEXT: GREG HO
WHAT IS IT?
1B
SEMI FINAL 1
FINAL
TOURNAMENT STRUCTURE
Brisbane Global Rugby Tens is a two day rugby union tournament which will launch in February 2017 and heralds the beginning of the Super Rugby season in Australia and New Zealand. The Tens will feature all ten Australian and New Zealand Super Rugby clubs as well as four elite invitational teams from across the globe. In 2017, the four invitational teams are France’s RC Toulonnais, South Africa’s Blue Bulls, Samoa and Japan’s Panasonic Wild Knights. The fourteen teams will compete over two days in the second weekend of February for their share of over AU$1.6 million.
The Brisbane Global Rugby Tens is a fourteen team knockout tournament which will feature fifteen games on Day One and thirteen games on Day Two. The fourteen teams are initially split into four pools. Each pool features one of the elite invitational teams with the remaining ten teams divided to create two pools of four (Pools A and B) and two pools of three (Pools C and D). The teams within each pool will play each other once and in addition, the teams in pools C and D will play one team from the opposing pool once. From this point, the tournament follows a knockout format to decide the winner.
TEAMS AUSTRALIA
QUEENSLAND REDS League: Super Rugby Founded: 1892 Championships: 1 Location: Brisbane, QLD
2A
NEW ZEALAND
AQUIS BRUMBIES League: Super Rugby Founded: 1996 Championships: 2 Location: Canberra, ACT
WESTERN FORCE League: Super Rugby Founded: 2005 Championships: 0 Location: Perth, WA
MELBOURNE REBELS League: Super Rugby Founded: 2010 Championships: 0 Location: Melbourne, VIC
NSW WARATAHS League: Super Rugby Founded: 1882 Championships: 1 Location: Sydney, NSW
BLUES League: Super Rugby Founded: 1996 Championships: 3 Location: Auckland
CHIEFS League: Super Rugby Founded: 1996 Championships: 2 Location: Hamilton
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SUMMER 2017
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300+ STAR PLAYERS 14 TEAMS FROM 6 COUNTRIES 10 PLAYERS PER SIDE 10 MINUTES HALVES
PACKAGES NOW AVAILABLE! BOOK NOW: SPORTSNETHOLIDAYS.COM
GROUP C
1C
GROUP D
2D
2C
1D
What the stars think... “It’s a fantastic opportunity to get back to Suncorp. Probably one of a handful of the best stadiums in the world to be honest in any sort of sport. As a player, it’s a great surface, the crowd’s right on top of you but more than anything, it’s great for the fans.” BERRICK BARNES Panasonic Wild Knights “It’s been a long time in the making but it’s finally here, the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens. High intensity running rugby, but still plenty of structure for the boys up-front. I’ll be there. All the stars will be there. It will be like you’re in Rugby Heaven!” ISRAEL DAGG - Crusaders
SEMI FINAL 2
“The great thing about Tens is you’ve got more space and the game is more like fifteens. You’ll see a lot more of the tactical and technical aspects more associated with the fifteens game.” DARYL GIBSON Coach, NSW Waratahs “It’s incredible! Brisbane will be the headquarters for rugby in that one week before Super Rugby starts. And where else would you want it but the best rectangular stadium in the world, Suncorp Stadium.” GREG MARTIN Rugby Commentator “I’ve had the opportunity to play tens rugby in Dubai, Cape Town, Hong Kong and more importantly,
in Brisbane as well in the very early years in my rugby career. It’s a wonderful way to play rugby and it’s a great way to experience entertaining rugby.” TIM HORAN - Rugby Commentator “If you love your fast-paced rugby, if you love your structured, set piece, breakdown orientated rugby, it’s a perfect hybrid.” LIAM GILL - Queensland Reds “I love playing tens. I’ve played in a few tournaments before. I think it’s just a great style of play. There’s a lot more space than in the fifteens game but there’s a lot more nuance to it than the sevens game.” NICK PHIPPS - NSW Waratahs
HOW DOES IT WORK?
THE STADIUM The Brisbane Global Rugby Tens will be played at the famous Suncorp Stadium. Considered to be amongst the greatest rugby stadiums in the world, Suncorp Stadium (AKA “The Cauldron”), is renowned for its atmosphere and quality of viewing for spectators. The stadium has a capacity of just over 52,000 and is located in Milton, just 2km from the Brisbane CBD.
The Brisbane Global Rugby Tens features the fast paced, free-flowing play of rugby sevens while retaining the physical intensity and structure of traditional fifteen-a-side rugby. The rules of the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens are based on World Rugby’s official rugby tens rules.
KEY RULES • Ten players per team on field. • Eight substitutes, with unlimited interchanges. • Ten minute halves. Five minute half-time. • Knockout matches resulting in a draw after regulation time are continued into extra time, in multiple 5-minute periods.
SOUTH AFRICA
HURRICANES League: Super Rugby Founded: 1996 Championships: 1 Location: Wellington
CRUSADERS League: Super Rugby Founded: 1996 Championships: 7 Location: Christchurch
HIGHLANDERS League: Super Rugby Founded: 1996 Championships: 1 Location: Dunedin
BLUE BULLS League: Currie Cup Founded: 1938 Championships: 3 (Super Rugby), 23 (Currie Cup) Location: Pretoria
•A ll conversion attempts must be drop-kicked. •C onversions must be taken within 40 seconds of scoring a try. • Five player scrums. • Scoring team kicks off • Yellow cards net a threeminute suspension. • Referees rule on advantage quickly (where one play usually ends advantage).
FRANCE
SAMOA
JAPAN
RC TOULONNAIS League: Top 14 Founded: 1908 Championships: 4 Location: Toulon
SAMOA ALL-STAR TEAM First International Match: 1924
PANASONIC WILD KNIGHTS League: Top League Founded: 1960 Championships: 5 Location: Ota
14 SUMMER 2017
Sports Cruising Sportsnet sat down to chat with P&O Director of Sales, RYAN TAIBEL, to discuss the Australian cruise line’s expansion into the sports market. INTERVIEW: PETER LAMONT
Q: How did P&O get into the sports cruising market? Ryan Taibel: Many years ago P&O offered a Melbourne Cup cruise. We’ve been around for 85 years and it’s pretty cool when you go through some of our older brochures. We noticed [in an old brochure] that we used to offer a Melbourne Cup cruise in the 1960s, actually travelling from Auckland going to Melbourne. Someone a lot more clever than me thought it’d be a good idea to recreate this but instead of doing it from Auckland, we’ll do it from our home-base in Sydney. We spoke with the Victorian Racing Club and figured out how we could create an optimal experience both at Flemington and on-board the ship, and the rest is history. The first Melbourne Cup cruise in the modern era was in 2007 and in 2017 we’ll have three ships going to the Emirates Melbourne Cup.
Q: And now you have the Downer NRL Auckland Nines Cruise? RT: It started in 2016 and I think that cruise really speaks to the partnership between P&O and Sportsnet. We realised sometime toward the end of 2015 that it just so happened that our repositioning cruise going from Sydney to Auckland at the end of January 2016 coincided exactly inline with the Downer NRL Auckland Nines tournament. It was at that time that we started working together with Sportsnet and I spoke with Daniel (Sportsnet Holidays’ Chief Operating Officer) about whether he would be interested in coming up with an exclusive package for P&O customers and Sportsnet took it and ran with it. It’s a really great evolution in our partnership.
Q: Where is P&O setting its sights for the next major sporting event? RT: Well, it was just announced at the end of October that we are now the exclusive cruise partner of the NRL and inline with that partnership we’ll be offering two State of Originthemed cruises in 2017. Both seven night cruises, one going to Origin Game I as a round trip from Sydney, calling into Brisbane. Everybody on-board gets a ticket to the game at Suncorp and then comes back to Sydney. Origin Game II is just the reverse of that. Guests board in Brisbane come down to Sydney and ANZ Stadium, then cruise back. We have a handful of rugby league legends already signed on; guys like Steve Price, Steve Mortimer and Matt Cooper. We’ll have at least five or six legends on each cruise and then, given our relationship with the NRL we’ll have some other experiences on-board which will really make it a rugby league enthusiast’s paradise. Q: Australian Open is another cruise you offer? RT: So the Australian Open cruise is a similar formula to the Melbourne Cup. Australian Open is truly a world class sporting event, one of the best on our sporting calendar. So we struck an arrangement with Tennis Australia and we did our first Australian Open cruise in 2014. Our 2018 calendar was just released about three weeks ago, we have two cruises from Sydney, both five nights doing the second round. So it’s great for sport enthusiasts and for Sportsnet to introduce people to the joys of cruising and marrying that with iconic sporting events.
Q: Speaking of the joys of cruising, for people who haven’t been on a major cruise ship before, what sorts of things can they expect? RT: On-board a cruise, in general all your main meals, all your entertainment and your accommodation is paid for in your cruise fare. So the things that are additional on-board to pay for are massages, casino, beer, wine, spirits, soft drinks, bottled water and coffee - nice coffee, Australian coffee. If you want Java we give that for free on-board. I think one of the things that we’ve seen change on-board over the past 10 years is the culinary scene. With P&O we actually don’t have a standard buffet anymore, we have what’s called The Pantry. It’s an international food outlet, nine different outlets individually branded, you don’t stand in a queue with a plate and heap your jello on top of your curry, on top of your cornbread, on top of your salad. If you want Mexican you go to the Mexican stand, if you want roast beef you go to the carvery. It really enhances the whole experience on-board. We also have a partnership with Luke Mangan who has about a dozen restaurants around the world now and he has a few of them in and around Australia. On-board each of our ships is a Luke Mangan Salt Grill which for a very low price of $39 for lunch or $49 for dinner you get a truly exquisite three course meal. If you go to one of his restaurants on land you would pay at least $150 for the same meal. We also offer some pretty good delivery pizza on-board. We have tons of live music, we’ve all kind of things that you would expect to see on a cruise. But for those who don’t want to participate there’s plenty of little nooks around the ship where you can take a book, find some quiet time and relax. You can do as much or as little as you want, it’s really up to you. I know it’s a bit of a mouthful but I’m passionate about the industry, about cruising and about P&O and it is the absolute best kept secret in tourism in Australia so you’ve got to give it a try.
PHOTOS: PETER LAMONT AND DIVULGATION
interview
www.sportsnetholidays.com
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tent city Q: So how did you come across the idea for Tent City? A: We were engaged by the QLD State Government to co-ordinate the Waltzing Matilda Centenary back in 1995. It was short notice and when we got out there, we found there was no accommodation at all. So we came up with the idea of accommodating people in tents. We couldn’t hire them anywhere, so on a short-term basis we bought some tents with the thought that we’d be able to sell them after. After we had them up there, someone else wanted to use the tents and it went on from there. So this actually happened by accident. That was 20 years ago and Tent City’s still going strong. Q: So what sorts of events do you cover? A: Events and festivals mainly. We’ve certainly done some really good corporate events at times. I guess there’s two reasons we get used; the main reason is where towns and events haven’t got enough traditional accommodation like hotels and motels; the other is places where they really want their people all in one location and I think it works very well for those situations.
With a new race format on the way, fans are already clambering to book their spot at the 2017 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, we took a few minutes to chat with Brian and Shaun, the men behind Tent City, our latest Bathurst accommodation option. TEXT & PHOTO: GREG HO
lot of people elect to bring their own linen but there’s sheets, blankets, doona’s and doona covers. We make all the beds for the patrons. The tents have also got 12-volt lights in them and there are external lights which put a golden glow over the walkways at night. It all does take time though. The team spends close to two weeks setting up here for Bathurst for 350 tents. The tents hold between 2 and 3 people so on an average, we’re looking at close to 700 people.
Q: What about security and the other amenities you’ve got? A: We hire toilet and shower blocks, they’re excellent units. Here at Bathurst, we provide a hot breakfast, so we’ve got quite a large pavilion where we prepare everything. It doubles as a recreation area in the evenings for our patrons and they can actually use our facilities to cook their own meal of an evening. Otherwise, it’s only a short walk down to the main street of Bathurst for the restaurants and take-away-food areas. Regarding security, we really have a good crowd here at Bathurst but as a precaution we do have security during the evening. They just wander through the tents and look after the area. We have a
rule that if people do want to have an evening drink or a bit of a chat, that they do use our pavilion. That way, other people who want to have an early night can do it without being disturbed. Security just ensure that happens. So they have a fairly easy job but that’s what their role is. Q: There seems to be a real sense of community here at Tent City. A: That’s something that Tent City has generated over the years. People quite often can’t get into a hotel or a motel, so elect to come to Tent City for their accommodation, but they find after being here that they immediately make friends because for some reason, when you go to a hotel or motel you don’t necessarily talk to the people in the next room. You come to Tent City though and you meet the person next door, shake their hand, get talking and you get to know them. Over the years, we’ve had people asking to be next to the person they met last year. So they make friends and they meet people and It becomes a real social atmosphere. That’s a real plus that I think Tent City does provide. OR MORE INFORMATION F ABOUT THE SUPERCHEAP AUTO BATHURST 1000, PLEASE VISIT: sportsnetholidays.com
Q: There’s a lot of infrastructure here. What do patrons get with their tent hire? A: All the tents have got carpet in them. They’ve got beds and mattresses. A
what’s on now! HOPMAN CUP 2017 01 - 07 Jan, 2017 Perth, AUS
Super Bowl LI
SUPER BOWL, LI 05 Feb, 2017 Texas, US
Hopman Cup
The summer of tennis starts with a bang at Perth’s Hopman Cup! Named in honour of legendary tennis player and coach, Harry Hopman, who guided Australia to 15 Davis Cup titles between 1938 and 1969, the Hopman Cup is the most prestigious mixed-gender tennis
tournament in the world! The Hopman Cup is the only major tournament in which male and female players are on combined teams representing their countries. As a result of this format, individual player results are not included in the calculation of the tennis world rankings.
It is regarded by many as the greatest annual sporting spectacle on the planet! The Super Bowl marks the end of the NFL season and sees the top team from the National Football Conference (NFC) face off against the top team from the American Football Conference (AFC) to decide the nation’s greatest team. To date, the NFC lead the AFC 26 - 24 in Super Bowl victories.
MOTUL FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 24 - 26 Feb, 2017 Phillip Island, AUS
2017 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship, Yamaha Finance Australian Round
The Australian round of the Superbike World Championship (WSBK) is staged at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, one of the fastest and most challenging motorcycle tracks in the world. One of the most exciting races on the WSBK calendar, Phillip
Island also holds the record for the fastest average speeds on the Superbike World Championship calendar. As opposed to MotoGPTM, the motorcycles used are highly-tuned versions of commercially available machines rather than prototype designs. In addition, each race round features two races, with the results of each race contributing to championship points.
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The Downer NRL Auckland Nines brings all 16 NRL clubs and over 288 players together for an incredible weekend tournament that heralds the beginning of the NRL season. This unique tournament features nine-a-side teams, nine-minute halves, a full sized field and over $2 million in prize money. 04 - 05 FEB | MORE INFO: sportsnetholidays.com/events/ rugby-league/nrl-auckland-nines-2017/
11 - 12 FEB | MORE INFO: sportsnetholidays.com/events/ rugby/brisbane-global-tens-2017/
It’s the first major tennis tournament of the year and is a favourite for many players. For two weeks during Summer there is no better place on Earth than courtside at the world-famous Melbourne Park, to share in all the action and exhilaration of Grand Slam® tennis! 16 - 29 JAN | MORE INFO: sportsnetholidays.com/ events/tennis/australian-open-2017-packages/
02 - 05 MAR | MORE INFO: sportsnetholidays.com/events/ v8-supercars/clipsal-500-2017/ ©2
5. 2017 FORMULA 1® AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX
7. 2017 ISLE OF MAN TT
The opener to the world’s premiere race series is in our own backyard! The Formula 1® Australian Grand Prix, held at the beautiful Albert Park Circuit against a Melbourne CBD backdrop is arguably the most popular event on the Australian racing calendar!
With a racing history stretching back more than 100 years, the Isle of Man TT (Tourist Trophy) is regarded as the oldest, most dangerous and most prestigious motorcycle race in the world. The event features some of the world’s bravest riders hurtling around the 60.7km circuit at an average speed of over 210km/h with top speeds in excess of 320km/h!
23 - 26 MAR | MORE INFO: sportsnetholidays.com/events/ formula-one/australian-grand-prix-2017/
27 MAY - 09 JUN 2017 | MORE INFO: sportsnetholidays. com/events/motorsport/isle-of-man-tt-2017/
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6. 2017 US MASTERS
Scheduled for the first full week of April, the Masters Golf Tournament (otherwise known as the US Masters) is the first of the four majors to be played each year. Unlike the other major championships, the US Masters is held each year at the same location, Augusta National Golf Club. 03 - 09 APR | MORE INFO: sportsnetholidays.com/events/ golf/masters-2017/
SPORTSNET ARE PROUD TO BE OFFICIALLY ASSOCIATED WITH:
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PHOTOS: ©1 PAUL SEISER / PHOTOSPORT, ©2 FLICKR / RYAN SCHREIBER, ©3 GREG HO / SPORTSNETCORP AND DIVULGATION
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4. CLIPSAL 500 ADELAIDE 2017
It’s been described as “the best touring car event in the world”, and with good reason! The Clipsal 500 Adelaide is four days of roaring Supercar action. With fantastic concerts, Enduro-X, fireworks and more, you’re guaranteed a weekend of excitement and entertainment. Australia’s largest domestic motorsport event, the Clipsal 500 draws massive crowds in excess of 270,000 every year!
1. AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2017
3. BRISBANE GLOBAL RUGBY TENS 2017 Making its debut in 2017 is the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens tournament. A perfect hybrid of the fast-flowing nature of rugby sevens and the structured nuance of traditional fifteen-a-side rugby, the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens is a twoday tournament featuring all 10 Australian and New Zealand Super Rugby teams as well as 4 elite invitational squads from around the globe!
2. 2017 DOWNER NRL AUCKLAND NINES
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