The world’s biggest sporting event is starting to wind down in South Africa, so I thought I’d mention a few lesser-known sports this week.
Unlike soccer, most sports are not played, or even well-known, in every country around the world.
Take rodeo as an example – its status in some parts of North America is remarkable. Elsewhere in the world, someone might ask ‘they do what with a calf?’ or ‘someone actually willingly rides a bull?’ but here in Alberta it’s seen as a pastime and also as big business.
The Airdrie Pro Rodeo runs this week and into the weekend, with many local athletes set to compete including Airdrie’s Jeff Robson, Duane Gervais, Geraldine Metcalfe, Carolyn Metcalfe, Jeffrey Quam, Cochrane’s Straws Milan, Tanner Milan, Baillie Milan, Val Nelson, Brooke Ramsey, Carlee Jo Edge, Steven Turner and Crossfield’s Kevin Taks.
The Calgary Stampede then begins on July 9, and although it is one of the biggest rodeos in the world, and attracts thousands of people to the area, many people in Calgary and its vicinity also use it as an excuse to drink during the day for 10 days in July. I’m alright with that.
One of the biggest sporting events in Europe begins this weekend, as the 97th Tour de France bicycle race begins on July 3.
The race will cover more than 3,600 kilometres during the next three weeks and should allow French supporters opportunities to forget all about their soccer team’s embarrassing showing at the World Cup.
The Tour, as it’s known, has been tainted by doping, alleged or proven, for as long as I can remember.
But for the clean racers, the feat of covering the distance in 20 stages is nothing short of phenomenal. So is the French scenery for the casual viewer.
I’ve had the chance to drive several of the well-known and often-featured mountain roads through the French Alps and let me tell you this: driving a manual transmission on some of these routes was an incredible workout, so I couldn’t even fathom riding a bike on them.
Seven-time winner Lance Armstrong is back again and should have a good chance this year, assuming the powers that be in cycling still can’t find any evidence to back their doping claims against him.
Also going on this weekend is one of the greatest rivalries in modern sport, as the annual Nathan’s hot dog eating contest takes place in New York, July 4. The event draws 40,000 people to Coney Island and has been broadcast live on ESPN for several years.
Joey Chestnut, three-time defending champion and arguably the greatest athlete in the world, set a new world record by eating 68 hot dogs in 10 minutes last year.
He has to be seen as the favourite again, as the career of his main rival Kobayashi, the six-time winner from Japan, seems to be winding down.
Someone in Alberta might read that and say ‘a hot dog eating contest isn’t a sport’. But someone in New York might also read this and remark the same thing about rodeo.
It’s all about regional and national differences.
Unfortunately for Italian supporters, all of the country’s other favoured athletic events take place in the winter.
They do, however, have one thing to look forward to: season two of Jersey Shore starts in a few weeks.
