Croatia is a small country in terms of geography, but it seems like a
huge one when it comes to sports. There are some world known athletes amidst our ranks, such as Janica and Ivica Kostelic, Luka Modric, Goran Ivanisevic, Ivano Balic…
Since we like to compete in all kinds of sport, it´s only logical, that we also host some
significant sports contests in our beautiful country. Pick the sport you like the most and come support your favourite athletes!
1. Snow Queen Trophy (Snjezna kraljica) and Snow King Trophy (Snjezni kralj)
The Snow Queen/King Trophy is a
Ski World Cup slalom race that has been taking place for more than 15 year now, since 2005. It takes place every January on the highest peak of
Medvednica mountain in Zagreb,
Sljeme. This is also the only skiing race where the winners are crowned as Snow King and Snow Queen. Our famous skiers, Janica Kostelic and her brother, Ivica Kostelic, as well as Ana Jelusic, drove some of the best slalom races in their careers right here in Zagreb.
2. 2022 World Rally Championship
What connects Croatia with Sweden, Portugal, Kenya, New Zealand, Japan? For all car race enthusiasts, it´s definitely the
World Rally Championship! The World Rally Championship, which takes place throughout the year, from the 20th of January until the 13th of November, is celebrating its 50th birthday this year. The Croatian part of the race lasts for 4 days, starting on the 20th and ending on the 24th of April. More than 100 competitors will do their best to win this more than 300km long
race on Croatia´s winding roads.
3. Croatia Open ATP Tournament
Are you looking for a sports event you can casually visit during your holiday on our stunning coast? In that case,
Croatia Open ATP Tournament is the right choice for you! This tennis tournament takes place on the courts of
Stella Maris Resort Plava Laguna in Umag, one of the loveliest Istrian coastal towns. Entering its 32 anniversary in 2022, throughout the years this event has brought many famous names to Croatia, however the Spaniard Carlos Moya bears the title ''
King of Umag'' and is even an honorary citizen of the city of Umag. In 2022, the tournament will be held from the 22nd until the 31st of July.
4. Wings for Life
The Wings for Life World Run is a truly unique race that starts at the exactly same time and
takes place worldwide. It´s meant for anyone and everyone - from professional athletes and runners, to people with disabilities and to just regular pople that one to try out something new. But there is a twist - everyone competes against a Cather Car! The race has a
humanitarian purpose - all the income from the fees and other donations is meant for spinal cord research in order to try to find a cure for spinal cord injuries. In Croatia, the race takes place in
Zadar,
a stunning coastal town in Dalmatia. This year, the race takes place on the 8th of May.
5. Zagreb Meeting - Boris Hanzekovic Memorial
The
Boris Hanzekovic Memorial is the oldest sports meeting in Croatia, held since 1951
in the capital, Zagreb. In case you are wondering who is Boris Hanzekovic, let us help you - he was
one of Croatia´s best athletes who was sadly killed in WWII, while trying to escape from a concentration camp. At the begining, the memorial was an inter-club duel between Mladost and Dinamo, that later evolved into an
international event. Croatia´s best female athletes, Blanka Vlasic and Sandra Perkovic, got some of their best results here. The memorial also featured almost all Olympic and world champions throughout the last decades competing in the 110m Hurdles Memorial Race.
These are just some of the sports event held in Croatia, all of them definitely worth visiting. There is something for everyone so make sure to visit and
enjoy the electric atmosphere!
Marija Kancir
16.8.2022
MY ISTRIA GUIDE
