International Sporting Events
Golf
Motor Sports
Cycling
Football
Tennis
Horseback Riding
Athletics
Boating
Surfing and Other Water Sports
Golf
Since the late Sir Henry Cotton designed the
Algarve�s first golf course at Penina during the 1960s, the region has rapidly developed into one of the foremost golfing destinations in the world. The Algarve boasts more than 33 separate courses featuring 550 widely differing holes along the picturesque south coast. For the spectator the latest top attraction is the PGA European Tour
Portugal Masters, which celebrated its debut in Vilamoura in 2007. Held at the Arnold Palmer-designed Oceanico Victoria Club, this prestigious end-of-season �3 million tournament attracts many of the world�s top players still hoping to qualify for the closing Tour highlight. The Volvo Masters at Spain�s Valderrama in 2008, the second edition, will take place in November. Mainland
Portugal�s only other European Tour event, the Portuguese Open, takes place in Estoril at the beginning of April, but will return to its traditional Penina home in the near future.
Motor Sports
The tone for the rest of 2008 is set as early as the first week of January, when the city of
Portimao hosts the first stage of the world famous
Dakar Rally for the third time in succession. Over 500 cars, motorbikes and custom-built lorries will be arriving from
Lisbon on their way to
Spain and then
Africa, an exciting spectacle which involves a time-trial amongst the nearby Monchique mountains and rural Silves countryside. Accompanied by global television coverage as well as enthusiastic local support, the event is an absolute must for all motor sport fans. A few months later, in May the Rally of Portugal, which has been re-introduced to the discipline�s World Championship calendar, will take place almost exclusively on Algarve territory, and sees the return of top competitors such as Sebastien Loeb and Marcus Gronholm in 2009, 2011 and 2013. In addition, the already under construction International Autodrome of the Algarve between Portimao and Lagos, a �100 million project to rival the established Estoril racing circuit near Lisbon, is set to attract winter Formula One testing as well as touring car and Superbike races in the near future. The International Automobile Federation and its motorcycle counterpart have already pencilled in provisional dates for October on their 2008 schedules.
Cycling
Still on the road, albeit less noisy, cycling�s Tour of the Algarve provides an important early season test for many top international teams at the beginning of March, even attracting such renown competitors such as record Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong in the past. In August Portimao provides both the prologue and starting point for the sport�s annual national highlight, the Tour of Portugal, which has enjoyed a rich history since the beginning of the last century.
Football
Although currently not represented in
Portugal�s top football league, the
Algarve does have two clubs in Portimao and Olhao which are fighting for promotion from the country�s equivalent of
England�s Coca-Cola Championship, the Liga Vitalis. Home matches can be watched at either end of the region on alternate Sundays during the regular season. The purpose-built Euro�2004 Stadium of the
Algarve between Faro and Loule also attracts regular international friendly action as well as hosting important Portuguese Cup matches, and forms the focal point of the
Algarveth year, this annual women�s football tournament is held in mid-March and is regarded as the most important of the game outside the Olympics and World Cup proper, regularly featuring top sides from the
USA,
Germany and
China. During European club football�s winter break, don�t be surprised to see the likes of
Liverpool, Dynamo Kiev or Hamburg SV training in the
Algarve sunshine.
Tennis
Tennis fans are treated to a series of ATP Satelite tournaments throughout the region during the early part of the year, offering the opportunity to observe many of the up-and-coming stars still outside the world�s top 100 at close quarters. In August the Vale de Lobo Senior Tour Masters provides the unquestioned highlight, bringing together former greats which regularly include John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jim Courier and Pat Cash amongst many others.
Horseback riding
On horseback the Algarve hosts a number of top international show jumping events from Vilamoura to Portimao at various times of the year.
Athletics
Albufeira and Vila Real de Santo Antonio stage important athletics meetings such as the European Club Championships in February and September, Lagos is an international handball centre, and Portimao�s water polo team is this year represented at European level for the first time ever while the city has also become a leading international rhythmic gymnastics venue. Meanwhile the Microlight World Cup will give its premiere in the skies above
Lagos and Portimao in February.
Boating
The long-standing Formula One powerboat world championship stage held on Portimao�s river estuary in the middle of May was joined by its open seas equivalent, the P1 version, last October. Both events provide high-octane racing weekends featuring the worlds fastest and most powerful sea-going craft. Somewhat more sedate but no less exciting has been the recent addition of the Breitling Cup to the region�s nautical calendar. Last August�s inaugural Portuguese stage of
Europe�s most glamorous yachting race, which will again take place during the summer of 2008, brought together some of the world�s best sailors, many enjoying international fame through their previous Americas Cup exploits.
Surfing and Other Water Sports
Outside these three showcase events, the Algarve furthermore boasts the European kite-surfing championships in Alvor, international longboard surfing tour stages from Aljezur on the west coast to Sagres and Faro, international windsurfing and jet-ski championships. European and world Big Game Fishing Tournaments, as well as volleyball, foot-volley and mini-World Cup beach football competitions on its sandy fringes throughout June, July and August.
The latter enjoys comprehensive television coverage, providing the decisive stages of both the sport�s Portuguese club and European national championships. A mini-World Cup, regarded as an important preparatory tournament ahead of November�s FIFA beach football World Cup proper in
Brazil
, is held in conjunction with the other competitions in mid-August.
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