This March, watersports fans will see the start of one of their most prestigious competitions: the World Rowing Cup.
Kicking things off in Sydney, Australia, the championship will see teams from countries across the globe battling for top position in the first leg of the competition.
This is the second consecutive year which has seen Sydney host the first part of the race and is only the third instance of the cup being staged outside of Europe.
So, what do fans looking to travel to the three host locations of this year’s tournament need to know?
The tournament
Having won four out of the last five tournaments, Great Britain will be hoping to secure another win at this year’s sporting spectacle.
Main rival Germany ended GB’s winning streak in 2011 and remain a serious threat this year. Their record remains virtually unblemished as the dominant winners of the cup’s early history with nine consecutive wins from 1998-2006 and this could put serious pressure on the British team.
Last year’s winning team saw athletes including Daniel Ritchie, Helen Glover, Jessica Eddie, Andrew Triggs-Hodge and Tom Ransley compete at Sydney – names many fans will recall from the 2012 Olympic Games.
During London’s Olympics, Team GB came out on top in rowing with the most medals across the board. Their final total was nine medals – consisting of four gold, two silver and three bronze.
Andrew Triggs-Hodge was one of the members of the men’s four to take gold at London with Helen Glover part of the pair responsible for Team GB’s win in the women’s pair race.
Of course, teams don’t just need to show their mettle at the first leg of the competition in Sydney – they must carry their success on to two other locations to be crowned the overall winner.
This year, that will take spectators and participants to Aiguebelette (France) and Lucerne (Switzerland).
The hosts
As always, the World Rowing Cup will be staged over three regattas with this year’s hosts Sydney, Aiguebelette and Lucerne.
The picturesque scenery and laid-back lifestyle of Sydney’s Australia make it a top tourist destination in the Southern Hemisphere but the longer travel time does demand a longer holiday for visitors.
Both Aiguebelette and Lucerne are a little closer to home and fantastic lakeside retreats for travellers.
Lucerne excursions to the historical water tower and chapel bridge are ideal for those seeking local attractions when the waters have calmed, while nature trails around Aiguebelette offer visitors to the French lake the chance to discover the finest viewpoints.
Your finances
Using a prepaid card when travelling abroad is a great way of ensuring a holiday stays within budget regardless of where you are heading, as only money on the card can be spent.
Other funds can always be added to the card should people require it while they are away though.
There is also additional protection if the card should be misplaced, as funds can be transferred to a new card with the minimum of fuss.
