Weekly sports agenda: Caribbean Games, Japanese Birdman Rally, Nettle Warrior

(AFP PHOTO/Luis Acosta)

Among major upcoming sporting events: Central America's regional sports multi-disciplinary is held in Puerto Rico, Japan's International Birdman Rally urges participants to cross Lake Biwa in Kyoto, and Nettle Warrior in the UK is the summer version of Tough Guy, said to be the world's toughest obstacle course race.

40th Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship
July 8-17
Istanbul, Turkey

Taking place at the Turkish city's Atakoy Marina on the Sea of Marmara, the Youth Worlds are set to welcome 344 sailors from 63 countries. There are boys and girls races for one- and two-person dinghies, windsurfers, and then an open class for multi-hull and high performance dinghies.
http://www.isafyouthworlds.com

97th Tour de France
July 3-25
Netherlands, Belgium, France

This year, the 20-stage tour started in the Netherlands and Belgium before crossing into northeast France. Descending into more central areas and the famous Burgundy region, it then traces a route around the Alps, southern France, and the Pyrenees before the penultimate stages in and around Bordeaux. As is tradition, the final stage finishes in Paris, on the Champs Élysées. There are no admission fees, so arrive early to snag a good spot - seasoned spectators bring stepladders.
http://www.letour.com

Rugby Union Tri-Nations
Saturdays, July 10 - September 11
Australia, New Zealand and South Africa

A round-robin competition organized by the Australian, New Zealand, and South African Rugby Unions, the Tri Nations matches also play a part in deciding who wins three separate challenge trophies: Australia and New Zealand contest the Bledisloe Cup, Australia and South Africa tussle for the Mandela Challenge Plate, New Zealand and South Africa vie for ownership of the Freedom Cup.
http://www.sarugby.co.za

Almabtreib Downhill Racing
July 15-18
Hungerszell, Germany

The IGSA World Cup heads to Hungerszell, an area of natural beauty close to Nuremberg, Munich, and the border with the Czech Republic and Austria, for the Almabtreib - "The Cattle Drive." The entire downhill route is closed off to traffic for the four-day contest and around 2,000 bales of hay line the course for the safety of spectators and riders hurtling past at up to 95 km/h. Training, time trials and qualifications occur in the lead-up to Race Day on the 18th.
http://www.almabtrieb-downhill.com

FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships
July 15-23
Roberval, Quebec, Canada

The Championships come to Canada for the first time, located in a closed loop circuit on Lac Saint-Jean, as featured in Louis Hémon's novel Maria Chapdelaine. The World Open Water Swimming Championships also precede the Traversée Internationale du Lac Saint-Jean swimming gala, July 24 - August 1.
http://www.roberval2010.com

Golf: The Open Championship
July 15-18
St Andrews, UK

The third of four majors, the British Open returns to the famous Old St Andrews course in Fife, Scotland. Club and Grandstand tickets are sold out; a 7-day course pass is £240 (€284), day tickets are £60 (€71) each, less for practice days. Reductions are available for children and seniors.
http://www.opengolf.com or http://tickets.randa.org

Class 1 World Powerboat Championship
July 16-18
Arendal, Norway

The glamorous World Powerboat Championship's second race of the 2010 season is in Arendal, on the southern coast of Norway. Spectators may view the racing for free while VIP hospitality packages are also available. The next WPC race is also in Scandinavia, relocating to Sweden for early August.
http://www.class-1.com

XXI Central American and Caribbean Sports Games
July 17 - August 1
Mayagüez, Puerto Rico

Nearly 40 different sports will be given the run-out during this regional Olympiad, with venues not only in host country Puerto Rico but also in Colombia, Guatemala and Guyana on the mainland. Bowling and racquetball are to be included alongside athletics, boxing, equestrian, water polo and so on.
http://www.mayaguez2010.com

German MotoGP
July 18
Chemnitz, Germany

The 2010 MotoGP heads to the Sachsenring circuit, halfway between Leipzig and Dresden. Race-day tickets bought from the circuit's website are €85 to €110, or €99 to €165 for a three-day pass, and slightly more via MotoGP.
http://www.motogp.com or http://www.sachsenring-circuit.com

Athletics: 13th World Junior Championships
July 19-25
Moncton, Canada

The IAAF's multidisciplinary championship platform comes to Canada, accommodating the world's best under-19 athletes in track and field.
http://www.iaaf.org/wjc10

Youth World Beach Volleyball Championships
July 27 - August 1
Porto, Portugal

Under-19's from around the world gather in Porto to compete for the title of Men's and Women's Youth Champions. The winning teams are also rewarded with a wild card entry to the main draw of a beach volleyball World Tour event in 2010/11.
http://www.fivb.org

World University Rugby Sevens
July 21-24
Porto, Portugal

The WURS has both men's and women's tournaments contained within its boundaries, and representation from a good variety of nations with teams from Russia, Brazil, Kenya, Guam, Australia and China joining Great Britain, Portugal, France, Norway, Spain and Canada at the University of Porto for four days in July.
http://www.rugby2010.up.pt

Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour, Spain
July 22-23
Madrid, Spain

The six touring freestyle motocross stuntmen return to the Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas bullring, though bovines are replaced with ramps, and last year's hometown hero Dany Torres has some work to do to catch the 2010 tour leaders. Tickets for the show on June 23 are from €39, two-day passes from €65.
http://www.redbullxfighters.com

Dew Tour: Nike 6.0 BMX Open
July 23-24
Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Stage two of the Dew Tour's five-event, five-month series covering skateboard, motocross and BMX in the USA. The Boston stop-off is for BMX tricksters. Reserved seating is $35 per day, ground passes $15, and the VIP experience costs $75. TV broadcasts in the United States are split across NBC, MTV2 and the USA channel.
http://www.allisports.com/tours/dew-tour

Japan International Birdman Rally
July 24-25
Lake Biwa, Kyoto, Japan

An annual contest challenging inventors and pranksters alike to see whose homemade contraption can fly the furthest across Kyoto's Lake Biwa.
http://www.ytv.co.jp/birdman

Speedway: World Cup semi finals
July 24 & 26
Edward Jancarz Stadium, Gorzow, Poland
Norfolk Arena, King's Lynn, UK

Two events in different parts of Europe prove critical in the lead-up to the World Cup Finals on July 31 in Denmark. Tickets for the UK event cost £35 (€41) seated or £20 (€24) standing, less for under 15s.
http://www.speedwaygp.com

Nettle Warrior
July 25
Perton, near Birmingham, UK

A summer version of Tough Guy, the world's toughest survival event. Broken bones and serious injuries are common amongst participants as, through herculean effort, they try to overcome the ultimate assault course. Entrance costs are from £117 (€138). Spectators are allowed, but only if they accompany an entrant.
http://www.toughguy.co.uk

F1 German Grand Prix
July 25, 12:00 GMT
Hockenheim, Germany

Six Formula One drivers will be backed by a home crowd - podium hopeful Sebastian Vettel is joined by Nicoi Rosberg, Michael Schumacher, Adrian Sutil, Nico Hülkenberg and Timo Glock. Three-day passes are €199 to €499 from Hockenheim's website.
http://www.hockenheimring.net or http://www.formula1.com

Summer X-Games
July 29 - August 1
Los Angeles, California, USA

Three days of extreme sports action at the biggest extreme sports event: BMX, skateboarding, motocross, and even rally car racing. Action starts at 2pm EST (5pm PST, 10pm BST, 6am Japan) and continues until around midnight each day. Tickets are between $9 and $40 per event.
http://espn.go.com/action/xgames

Ultraman Canada
July 30 - August 3 2010
Penticton, British Columbia, Canada

This is what happens when Ironman endurance athletes need a new challenge. The Ultraman Canada comprises a 10km swim, 418.3km cycle, topped off with 84.3km of running (6, 260, and 52 miles). Entry is by invite only - there's a reason the grueling schedule stretches over five days.
http://www.ultramancanada.com

Speedway World Cup Finals
July 29 & 31
Vojens, Denmark

There's a qualifying knock-out race on July 29 giving a last-gasp chance for any few remaining hopefuls, but it's Saturday, July 31 which is the main draw here. Tickets for the final bought on the day are from 325 DKK seated (€44), discounts for standing areas and accompanying passes to the race-off on July 29.
http://speedwaygp.com/en/swc2010

F1 Hungarian Grand Prix
August 1
Mogyorod, Budapest, Hungary

70 laps of the Hungaroring await the Formula 1 drivers and teams. Practice laps are at 10am and 2pm local time (BST+1) on Friday 30 and 11am on Saturday 31. Qualifying starts at 2pm on the Saturday and the race itself at the same time on Sunday. Grandstand tickets are from €149 from the Hungaroring website, though most are between €220 and €450 for the whole weekend.
http://www.formula1.com or http://www.hungaroring.hu

Micronesian Games
August 1-10
Republic of Palau

Welcoming athletes from ten territories within the Micronesian island region, the Games mix local sports with more global activities such as volleyball, weightlifting, and track & field. The Micro All Around is a Micronesian style quintathlon (Coconut climbing, coconut husking and grating, spear throwing, the run and swim, and diving). Fast Pitch is a softball variant and Spearfishing is self-evident.
http://www.visit-palau.com/7thMicroGames

7th Annual Wild West Relay
August 6-7
Colorado, USA

The Wild West Relay is a 200-mile (km) relay race for runners of all abilities. Starting at Fort Collins at the foot of the Rockies and finishing at the Steamboat Springs resort, it can get competitive, but with relay teams of up to 12 people, the emphasis is on fun and adventure.
http://www.wildwestrelay.com

Class 1 World Powerboat Championship
August 6-8
Uddevalla, Sweden

The WPC heads to Sweden for the second Scandinavian stop, after Norway's leg in July. Racing on Saturday August 7 starts at 5pm local time (BST+1) and 3.30pm on the Sunday.
http://www.class-1.com