2014 major sporting events

As usual, a number of mouthwatering sporting events will take place this year. City Press previews you some of the events to look forward to:

Soccer
African Nations Championship January 11 to February 1 (South Africa) 2014 Fifa World Cup June 12 to July 13 (Brazil) 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualiers Begins in September (Morocco)
Brazil, spearheaded by Neymar, are the favourites to win the 2014 Fifa World Cup

Rugby
Super Rugby February 15 to August 2 Castle Lager Incoming Series South Africa vs Wales Saturday, June 14 (Durban) South Africa vs Wales Saturday, June 21 (Nelspruit) South Africa vs Scotland Saturday, June 28 (Port Elizabeth)

Cricket
Australia tour of South Africa
3rd test March 1-5 (Newlands, Cape Town) 1st test February 12-16 (SuperSport Park, Centurion) 3rd T20 March 14 (SuperSport Park, Centurion) 2nd T20 March 12 (Kingsmead, Durban)
AB de Villiers, currently the top ranked test and ODI batsman, will lead the Proteas charge against the Aussies

Under-19 World Cup February 14 to March 1 (Dubai, UAE)

Castle Lager Rugby Championship August 16 to October 4 (South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina)

End of year tests October 18 to November 29, involving: Argentina Australia Fiji Tonga England France Ireland Italy Wales

1st T20 March 9 (St Georges Park, Port Elizabeth) 2nd test February 20-24 (St Georges Park, Port Elizabeth)

ICC T20 World Cup March 16 to April 6 (Bangladesh)

Much will be expected from Eben Etzebeth, who was nominated for the IRB World Player of the Year award for 2013

New Zealand Samoa South Africa

Athletics
IAAF World Indoor Championships March 7-9 (Poland) IAAF World Junior Championships July 22-27 (US) Commonwealth Games July 23 to August 3 (Glasgow, Scotland) Africa Athletics Championships August 10-14 (Morocco) 2nd Summer Youth Olympic Games August 16-28 (Nanjing, China)
Simon Magakwe of South Africa won the 100m for men in the 2012 Africa Athletics Championships in Benin

Golf
PGA Tour events (majors)
Masters April 10-13 (Augusta National Country Club, Georgia, US) US Open June 12-15 (Pinehurst, North Carolina, US)

World number one, Tiger Woods, will be hoping to break his majors drought since the US Open in 2008

The Open Championship July 17-20 (Royal Liverpool Golf Club, England) PGA Championship August 4-10 (Valhalla Golf Club, Louisville, Kentucky, US)

Sunshine Tour events

Tshwane Open February 27 to March 2 (The Els Club at Copperleaf, Centurion) Joburg Open February 6-9 (Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club) Telkom PGA Championship March 6-9 (Johannesburg Country Club) Africa Open February 13-16 (East London) Nedbank Golf Challenge December 4-7 (Gary Player Country Club, Sun City) Alfred Dunhill Championship November, exact dates still to be announced (Leopard Creek Golf Club, Malelane, Mpumalanga) SA Open November, exact dates still to be announced (Glendower Golf Club) Zambia Sugar Open April 24-27 (Lusaka Golf Club)

Tennis
Grand slams
Australian Open January 13-26 (Melbourne, Australia) Wimbledon June 23 to July 6 (London, UK) French Open May 25 to June 8 (Paris, France) US Open August 25 to September 8 (New York, US)
Rafael Nadal will be looking to defend his French and US Open titles

Formula 1
The Russian Grand Prix will be held for the rst time at the Sochi International Street Circuit and the Austrian Grand Prix will be revived, with the race to be held at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg
1

Australia

Malaysia

Bahrain

China

Spain

Monaco

Canada

Austria

Britain

Albert Park, Melbourne March 14-16

Sepang, Kuala Lumpur March 28-30

Sakhir April 4-6

Shanghai April 18-20

Catalunya, Barcelona May 9-11

Monte Carlo May 22-25

Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal June 6-8

Spielberg July 20-22

Silverstone June 4-6

Length: 5.3km Laps: 58 10

Length: 5.54km Laps: 56 12

Length: 5.41km Laps: 57 13

Length: 5.45km Laps: 56 14

Length: 4.66km Laps: 66 15

Length: 3.34km Laps: 78 16

Length: 4.36km Laps: 70 17

Length: 4.32km Laps: 71 18

Length: 5.89km Laps: 51 19

Germany

11

Hungary

Belgium

Italy

Singapore

Japan

Russia

USA

Brazil

Abu Dhabi

Hockenheim July 18-20

Hungaroring, Budapest July 25-27

SpaFrancorchamps August 22-24

Monza September 5-7

Marina Bay September 19-21

Suzuka October 3-5

Sochi October 10-12

Austin, Texas Oct 31-Nov 2

Interlagos, Sao Paulo November 7-9

Yas Marina November 21-23

Length: 4.57km Laps: 67

Photos: BackpagePix, Getty Images

Length: 4.38km Laps: 70

Length: 7km Laps: 44

Length: 5.79km Laps: 53

Length: 5.07km Laps: 61

Length: 5.45km Laps: 53

Length: 5.8km Laps: 53

Length: 5.47km Laps: 59

Length: 4.31km Laps: 71

Length: 5.55km Laps: 55

JACO GROBBELAAR, Graphics24