MADRID, 24 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Christmas holidays are here and some lucky people can even take vacations to enjoy them. What does not stop is the sporting activity and here we leave you a small guide on the competitions and events that will be held during these last days of 2022 and first of 2023.
1. Soccer. As usual, in this final stretch of 2023, it is England who, as usual, attracts the most attention with their traditional Premier 'Boxing Day' on the 26th with five matches, including Manchester United-Aston Villa. The English league will play almost non-stop until January 2, the date on which LaLiga EA Sports resumes, while in Italy there will also be football to say goodbye to the year.
For the Three Kings weekend, the 1/16 of the Copa del Rey will begin in Spain. In addition, the little ones will also focus attention with the LaLiga FC Futures International Tournament for Under-12 teams, on December 27, 28 and 29 in Maspalomas (Gran Canaria).
2.Christmas Day. The NBA, a league that perfectly handles the issue of marketing and the situation of some of its best games on specific dates, takes advantage of the 25th to place a succulent Christmas menu. After a break to celebrate Christmas Eve, there will be five games, including a Lakers-Celtics and a Nuggets-Warriors.
3. Euroleague and Endesa League. The best continental basketball does not take vacations at Christmas either and its maximum club competition will also have one day before the end of the year, on December 28 and 29, and a double one to open the year between January 2 and 5 , with Clásico at the Palau Blaugrana on January 3. The Endesa League will have a day between December 27 and 31, with a Real Madrid-Valencia Basket to say goodbye to the year.
4. The Four Springboards. Who hasn't woken up after a New Year's Eve party and found daring skiers jumping into the void from a huge trampoline? The Four Springboards tournament, part of the Ski Jumping World Cup, is probably one of the most followed events at Christmas. Oberstdorf (December 29), Garmisch-Partenkirchen (January 1), Innsbruck (January 3), and Bischofshofen (January 6) are looking for their king in this edition. There will also be World Cup events in other sports for all lovers of the 'great circus' of snow.
5. Nadal Cup. Swimming also has a special event this Christmas in Barcelona. This is this Christmas Cup, a classic event that will celebrate its 113th edition this December 25 starting at 11:00 a.m. where competitors challenge the cold and temperature of the waters of the Port of Barcelona during a 200-meter course.
6. Saint Sylvester. Surely for many, the one that closes the year through the streets of Madrid before going to dinner and drinking grapes is the most symbolic at a national level these days. The capital will be filled with thousands of runners who want to say goodbye to 2023 by running and doing sports first with the popular version and then with the international version.
7. NFL. American football does not stop either and these Christmas days take the opportunity to conclude its Regular Phase and design the final path to the Super Bowl on February 11. Unlike in the NBA, he does play on Christmas Eve, and also on Christmas.
8. Tennis. Racquet sport also returns to action before the end of the year and will do so with the team and mixed tournament, the United Cup, which will be held in Australia starting December 29 and with the presence of Spain with Alejandro Davidovich and Sara Sorribes as numbers one, and also with the Brisbane tournament, which will start on December 31 and which marks the return, almost a year later, of Rafa Nadal. There will also be an ATP event in Hong Kong, while the WTA will start in Brisbane, Canberra and Auckland.
9. The Dakar Rally. The considered toughest 'raid' in the world will also focus sporting activity these days with a new edition in the desert of Saudi Arabia that this time will begin well into 2024, starting on January 5 and ending on the 19th.
10. Candle. Sailing lovers also have a very traditional event around this time, such as the demanding and tough Sydney-Hobart regatta, which begins on December 26.
11. Handball. In Spain, the men's team will begin preparing for the European Championship in early 2024 and will hold its traditional International Tournament (TIE) from January 4 to 7 in Granollers and with Poland, Slovakia and Serbia as rivals.
12. Cycling. The world of road cycling is stopping and fine-tuning its setup for 2024, but cyclocross lovers can enjoy the World Cup events and the exhibitions of Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel and Tom Pidcock.