18th to 24th October
Yesterday the world discovered a new World Champion in a sport that now has an official World Cup. We have all played it sometime in our lives before and it only requires a balloon. The simple rule is, do not let it touch the floor. The inaugural tournament took place in Tarragona, Spain, with teams from 32 nations going for glory. Peru's Francesco de la Cruz was crowned as the first champion. Moving over to swimming where South Africa's Matthew Sates continues his good form by adding two further gold medals to his tally in Leg 2 of the FINA Swimming World Cup in Budapest. The 18-year-old Sates now leads the overall for the series among the men. Two motor sport seasons came to a close last weekend. In the final race of the FIM Endurance World Championship, 70 milliseconds separated the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team from YART-Yamaha Official EWC Team at Most, Czech Republic, to give them their first win of the season. The overall world champions are French-based Yoshimura Sert Motul. In the Progressive American Flat Track season, the legendary Jared Mees was crowned champion at the final race in Concord, North Carolina. Jonny Clayton from Wales claimed the Professional Darts Corporation World Grand Prix in Leicester beating compatriot Gerwyn Price 5-1 in the final.
In the complicated world of professional boxing, Britain's Tyson Fury completed a knock-out win over USA's Deontay Wilder in a WBC world heavyweight title fight rematch. Fury ended the fight in the 11th round, despite falling twice in the fourth. At the Canoe Polo European Championship held in Catania, Italy, Germany's men and France's women won gold. The FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Finals featured in Cagliari last Sunday. Norway's Anders Mol and Christian Sorum won for the men, while the women's title went to Germany's Karla Borger and Julia Sude. In Shooting Sport, Lima hosted the ISSF Junior World Championship. India topped the medals table with 43 in total (17 gold, 16 silver, 10 bronze), followed by USA and Italy. At the World Surf League Longboard Tour in Malibu, history was made over generations when 45-year-old Joel Tudor and 22-year-old Honolua Blomfield became the oldest and youngest three-time World Champions. In long-distance swimming, Australia's Chloe McCardel broke the record for the most swims across the Channel between England and France. Her record now stands at 44.
Some of the main events to look out for are the ICC Men's T20 World Cup starting tomorrow in the United Arab Emirates and Oman, the World Wheelchair Curling Championships in Beijing, the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Roubaix, the 50th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Kitakyushu, the WAKO Kickboxing Senior and Master World Championship in Jesolo Lido, the 3WallBall World Championships in Las Vegas, and the UWW Wrestling World Championship for Veterans in Loutraki.
Earlier in the week the sports world discovered the sad news that Kenya's Olympic star Agnes Tirop lost her life to crime. She was found dead in her home in Iten, western Kenya. Apart from Olympic medals in the 5,000 metres, the 25-year-old also broke the women-only 10km road race world record last month.
Air Sports
20-27 October - Paragliding World Cup Tour - La Rioja, Argentina
Aquatics
21-23 October - FINA Swimming World Cup 2021 Leg 3 - Doha, Qatar
Armwrestling
23 October to 1 November - European Armwrestling, Para-armwrestling, and Deaf Armwrestling Championships - Vilnius, Lithuania
Artistic Billiards
23-24 October - CIBA Tour 2021/2022 - 2nd Dutch Grand Prix "1st Class" - Capelle aan den Ijssel, The Netherlands
Athletics
22-24 October - Pan-American U20 Championships - Iquique, Chile
24 October - The 33rd Dalian Marathon - Dalian, China; Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon - Hong Kong, China; Volkswagen Ljubljana Marathon - Ljubljana, Slovenia; Medio Maraton Valencia Trinidad Alfonso EDP - Valencia, Spain; World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold - 67 Cross Internacional Zornoza - Amorebieta-Etxano, Spain; NN Marathon Rotterdam - Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Badminton
19-24 October - HSBC BWF World Tour - Victor Denmark Open 2021 - Odense V, Denmark
Basque Pelota
17-23 October - FIVP X U23 World Championship Fronton 36M - Iscar - Vallelado, Spain
Bodybuilding
22-23 October - IFBB Diamond Cup Belgium - Mons, Belgium
Boxing
15-23 October - Youth European Boxing Championships - Budva, Montenegro
24 October to 6 November - AIBA Men's World Boxing Championships - Belgrade, Serbia
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
October 23 - Nashville International Open IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu and Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship 2021 - Franklin, TN, USA
Chess
15-21 October - European Youth Chess Championship 2021 - Various
18-22 October - 3rd ICCD European Individual Deaf Chess Championships 2021 - Amsterdam, The Netherlands
22-31 October - Asian Youth Chess Championships 2021 - Online
Cricket
17 October to 14 November - ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021 - UAE and Oman
18 October - (warm-up matches) Afghanistan v South Africa - Abu Dhabi, UAE; Pakistan v West Indies - Dubai, UAE; New Zealand v Australia - Abu Dhabi, UAE; India v England - Dubai, UA
18 October - Ireland v Netherlands; Sri Lanka v Namibia - Abu Dhabi, UAE
19 October - Scotland v Papua New Guinea; Bangladesh v Oman - Al Amerat, Oman
20 October - (warm-up matches) England v New Zealand - Abu Dhabi, UAE; India v Australia - Dubai, UAE; Pakistan v South Africa - Abu Dhabi, UAE; Afghanistan v West Indies - Dubai, UAE
20 October - Namibia v Netherlands; Sri Lanka v Ireland - Abu Dhabi, UAE
21 October - Bangladesh v Papua New Guinea; Oman v Scotland - Al Amerat, Oman
22 October - Namibia v Ireland; Sri Lanka v Netherlands - Sharjah, UAE
23 October - Australia v South Africa; England v West Indies - Abu Dhabi, UAE
24 October - India v Pakistan - Dubai, UAE
Curling
23-30 October - World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2021 - Beijing, China
Cycling
17-24 October - UCI MTB Marathon Series - ABSA Cape Epic - Cape Town, South Africa
20-24 October - Tissot UCI Track Cycling World Championships - Roubaix, France
23 October - UCI BMX World Cup - Round 5 - Sakarya, Turkey; UCI Artistic Cycling World Cup Final - Albstadt, Germany
24 October - UCI BMX World Cup - Round 6 - Sakarya, Turkey; 2021-2022 UCI Cyclo-Cross World Cup - Zonhoven, Belgium
Dance Sport
22-24 October - WDSF World Championship - Senior III & IV (Standard) - Cagliari, Italy
23 October - WDSF European Championships - Adult Latin - Cagliari, Italy
23-24 October - IDO European Ballet, Jazz, Modern and Contemporary Championships - Online; WRRC Rock 'n' Roll World Championships and European Championships - Kharkiv, Ukraine
Equestrian
11-18 October - 22nd World Military Championship Equestrian - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
21-23 October - Longines Global Champions Tour - Week 2 - Šamorín, Slovakia
22 October - (Group One Racing) Manikato Stakes - Moonee Valley, Australia
23 October - (Group One Racing) Cox Plate - Moonee Valley, Australia; Criterium International; Criterium de Saint-Cloud - Saint Cloud, France; Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes - Doncaster, England
24 October - (Group One Racing) The Kikuka Sho - Hanshin, Japan; Prix Royal-Oak - Saint Cloud, France
Freestyle Football
16 August to 10 November - World Youth Freestyle Football Championship - Online
Golf
21-24 October - BMW Ladies Championship - Busan, South Korea; Zozo Championship - Chiba, Japan; Blair Atholl Championship - Blair Atholl Golf Estate - South Africa; Mallorca Golf Open - Golf Santa Ponsa, Spain
Gymnastics
18-24 October - 50th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships - Kitakyushu, Japan
Judo
21-24 October - IJF World Championships Veterans 2021 - Lisbon, Portugal
23-24 October - Malaga European Open 2021 - Malaga, Spain
Jump Rope
1-31 October - IJRU Virtual World Championship Series
Kickboxing
15-24 October - WAKO Senior and Master World Championship 2021 (All Disciplines) - Jesolo Lido, Italy
Mixed Martial Arts
23 October - Bellator MMA - Fedor Emelianenko v Tim Johnson - Moscow, Russia
October 23 - UFC Main Card - Paulo Costa v Marvin Vettori; Grand Dawson v Ricky Glenn; Jessica-Rose Clark v Joselyne Edwards; Alex Caceres v Seungwoo Choi; Francisco Trinaldo v Dwight Grant; Nicolae Negumereanu v Isaac Villanueva - Las Vegas, NV, USA
Modern Pentathlon
21 October - UIPM Global Laser Run City Tour - Toulouse, France
23 October - UIPM Global Laser Run City Tour - Ormoc, Philippines
24 October - UIPM Global Laser Run City Tour - Chişinău, Moldova; UIPM Global Laser Run City Tour - Alenquer, Portugal
Motorcycling
22-24 October - FIM MotoGP World Championship - San Marino Grand Prix- San Marino
24 October - FIM Motocross World Championship - MXGP of Trentino - Pietramurata, Italy
Motor Racing
October 22-23 - W Series - Round 7 - Circuit of the Americas - Austin, TX, USA
October 22-24 - FIA Formula One World Championship - United States Grand Prix - Circuit of the Americas, TX, USA
October 22-23 - Formula Drift Pro/Prospec - Round * - Irwindale, CA, USA
23-24 October - Extreme E - Island X Prix - Sardinia, Italy; W Series - Round 8 - Circuit of the Americas - Austin, TX, USA
October 24 - 2021 NASCAR Cup Series - Round of 8 - Kansas Speedway, KS, USA
Mountaineering
24 October - 2021 Skyrunner World Series - Skyrace des Matheysins - St Honore, France
Mountain Running
24 October - WMRA 64th Trofeo Vanoni Relay (men) & 38th Vanoni Individual (women) International Races - Morbegno, Italy
Padel
17-24 October - World Padel Tour - Cervezas Victoria Córdoba, Spain
21-24 October - FIP World Tour - Vienna, Austria
Pickleball
October 20-25 - PPA Championship - Las Vegas, NV, USA
Polo
8-19 October - FIP Tour - Tortugas Open - Argentina
22 October to 9 November - FIP Tour - Hurlingham Open - Argentina
Powerlifting
21-31 October - World Open, Sub Junior, Junior & Masters Classic & Equipped Bench Press Championship - Vilnius, Lithuania
23-30 October - IBSA Powerlifting & Bench Press World and European Championship - Tbilisi, Georgia
Racketlon
21-24 October - Racketlon World Tour - FIR World Singles Championship - Zurich, Switzerland
Racquetball
October 20-24 - 2021 3WallBall World Championships - Las Vegas, NV, USA
Rugby Fives
23-24 October - West of England Open Championships 2021 - Sherborne, England
Rugby Union
23 October - USA v New Zealand - Washington D.C., USA; Japan v Australia - Oita, Japan
Running
23 October - Gloucester 23 Hour Elite Track Race - Gloucester, England
Sailing
16-23 October - IODA Optimist Asian & Oceanian American Championship - Royal Varuna Yacht Club, Thailand
October 17-23 - 2021 J/111 World Championship - Hampton Yacht Club, USA
19-23 October - 2021 Swan One Design World Championships - Societée Nautique de Saint Tropez, France
23-27 October - 29er European Championship - Lake Garda, Italy
23-30 October - Techno 293 World Championship - Torbole sul Garda, Italy; Sunfish World Championship - Sarasota, FL, USA
Skating
21-24 October - ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating - Beijing, China; ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating - Las Vegas, NV, USA
Ski & Snowboarding
22 October - FIS World Cup - Freeski Big Air - Chur, Switzerland
23 October - FIS World Cup - Big Air - Chur, Switzerland
23-24 October - FIS World Cup - Giant Slalom - Soelden, Austria
Sled Dog Racing
October 23-24 - IFSS World Cup - Lost Pine Lodge - Harietta, MI, USA
Squash
17-23 October - PSA World Tour - Qatar Q-Terminals Classic 2021 - Doha, Qatar
October 20-24 - PSA World Tour - Canadian Senior Championships 2021 - Toronto, Canada
Table Tennis
18-24 October - 2021 ITTF Pan-American U11 & U13 Championships - Cuenca, Ecuador
Taekwondo
27 September to 31 October - 2021 World Taekwondo Poomsae Open Challenge III - Online
Tennis
18-24 October - Tenerife Ladies Open (WTA) - Tenerife, Spain; VTB Kremlin Cup (WTA/ATP) - Moscow, Russia; European Open (ATP) - Antwerp, Belgium
Tower Running
24 October - ITA Tour 2021 - International Vertical Marathon Pingan Finance Centre - Shenzhen, China
Triathlon
22-23 October - 2021 Americas Triathlon Cup - La Paz, Mexico
23 October - 2021 World Triathlon Cup - Haeundae, South Korea; IRONMAN Portugal - Cascais, Portugal; IRONMAN Waco - TX, USA
October 24 - IRONMAN California - Sacramento, CA, USA
Weightlifting
15-23 October - European Masters Championships - Alkmaar, The Netherlands
17-24 October - Pan-American Junior Championships - Guadalajara, Mexico
Wrestling
19-24 October - UWW World Championship - Veterans (FS, GR) - Loutraki, Greece
22-24 October - U15 Pan-American Championship - Oaxtepec, Mexico
* We have listed the above events based on the best information we can obtain. The current circumstances mean some of these may be postponed or cancelled at the last moment.