12 - 18 February
Monday and Tuesday are quiet for any World Cup or World Championship events, so we jump straight to Wednesday and to Switzerland's Crans-Montana for an FIS Women's Alpine World Cup until the end of the week.
Dubai is all set to welcome the best beach footballers from around the world to the FIFA Beach Football World Cup 2024 opening on Thursday. The major FIFA competition runs until the following Sunday. Forming part of an all-important Paris 2024 Qualifying Event, the FIG Apparatus World Cup in Cairo is the next stop for gymnasts. The natural track in Romania's Vatra Dornei hosts the 5th and 6th FIL Luge World Cups. The city of Neumünster in Germany's Schleswig-Holstein region becomes the home of the week's main equestrian event. The FEI Dressage World Cup features over four days. The WRC Rally Sweden takes us to the snow-covered region of Umeå for round two of the FIA World Rally Championship. Norway's Kvitfjell entertains the men in an FIS Alpine World Cup Tour with Downhill and Super G as the disciplines. Canada's Calgary becomes the centre of attention for two major competitions. Freestyle skiers compete in the FIS Freeski Halfpipe World Cup, while speed skaters feature in the ISU World Speed Skating Single Distances Championships.
There are two FIS Ski Jumping World Cup competitions beginning on Friday. The men are in Japan's Sapporo, while Romania's Râșnov hosts the women. South Korea's Busan will have the best table tennis players on display in the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Finals. The second speed skating event of the week takes us to Poland's Gdańsk as part of the ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating tour. Leading up to the World Championships in Winterberg, there is first another International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation World Cup in Germany's Altenberg. The future stars of luge compete in Norway's Lillehammer in the FIL World Championships over two days. We remain in Norway as Sprint and Classic are the disciplines in Ål at the FIS Telemark World Cup. Largely an unpopulated island of Cape Verde, Sal is also known for great beaches and diving spots. Forming part of the Global Wingsports Association and the Global Kitesports Association World Cup tours, wingfoiling and kitesurfing will become the main focus over the next ten days. Friday's main events close in Canada's Edmonton where we will have the UIAA Ice Climbing World Championships and UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup.
The best students compete in Oman's Muscat in the FISU World University Championships Cross Country over the weekend. Lohja in Finland is a favourite location for curling. From Saturday the juniors compete in the World Curling Championships 2024. There are four FIE Junior Fencing World Cup competitions. These feature in Serbia's Vršac, France's Beauvais and Dourdan, and Spain's Sabadell. Mushers and their teams compete in three IFSS Sled Dog World Cup races. Sweden's Mora and France's Les Fourgs host snow races, while a dryland race features in England's Christchurch. The youth head to Germany's Berchtesgaden for one day of an International Ski Mountaineering Federation World Cup. The third major luge event is the next round of the EBERSPÄCHER World Cup and Sprint World Cup in Germany's Oberhof. At the home of some of the world's best speed skaters, Heerenveen in the Netherlands hosts the ISU Junior World Cup Short Track Speed Skating. The third round of the ATSX Ice Cross World Championship moves to Canada's Sainte-Angèle-de-Mérici in Quebec. We then go further west to Gatineau near the city of Ottawa for the first of two Worldloppet Ski Federation 50km cross country races. Forming part of the FIS Cross-Country World Cup tour, Theodore Wirth Park in Maine hosts the next big event. With the Asian Cup and African Cup of Nations now completed, our major football tournament of the month heads to Los Angeles for the Concacaf Women's Gold Cup.
Sunday has two Worldloppet ski marathon races. The first is in Estonia's Tartu over 63km, while the second is back in Gatineau for the second 50km of the weekend.
For more information, purchase tickets, and to plan your trip, visit UCOLOURS Premier Events.
Until next time, have a great week of sport.