16 IN '16: SIGNATURE SPORTING EVENTS IN MASSACHUSETTS

For immediate release: 04/03/2015

Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism is delighted to announce a celebration of sports and outdoor activities in 2016.  This year Massachusetts is inviting visitors from the UK to get involved in sports throughout the state.  Visitors can enjoy watching classic American sports such as baseball, American Football, basketball and ice hockey as the state boasts big name teams like the Red Sox, The Patriots, The Bruins and The Celtics. Beyond Boston visitors can watch local games along the Cape and in towns from Salem to Stockbridge. 

Massachusetts is home to iconic sporting events such as the Boston Marathon and the Head of the Charles Regatta.  For visitors who prefer to experience the adrenaline rush rather than watching and cheering there is a wealth of experiences to choose from including kayaking, mountain biking, ziplines, hot air ballooning, hiking, horse-riding and more.  To get the year of sports started, below is a round-up of this year's top 16 events.

March 28-April 3: ISU World Figure Skating Championships, TD Garden, Boston

The most prestigious figure skating competition in the world that draws top skaters from countries worldwide.

March 25-26: NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Northeast, DCU Center, Worcester

Four of the best college teams in the northeast play elimination hockey, with the winner advancing to the NCAA Frozen Four National Championships.

April 9: The Boston Bruins, TD Garden Boston

Enjoy the last ice hockey home game of the season against Ottawa Senators at 12:30pm.

April 11: Boston Red Sox Opening Day, Fenway Park, Boston

Boston Red Sox opening day at Fenway Park is one of the city's great traditions, dating back to 1913. This year, the Red Sox play the Baltimore Orioles.

April 18: Boston Marathon, Hopkinton to Boston

The world's oldest marathon, established in 1897, draws elite runners from around the world and is considered one of the best sporting events anywhere. 2016 marks the 120th annual race.

June 10, 12, 18: Copa America Centenario, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough

The biggest soccer event in South America, will be held outside of South America for the first time. Gillette Stadium, Boston welcomes the soccer event.

August 6-7: Pan-Mass Challenge, Statewide

Since 1980, the Pan-Mass Challenge has raised over half a billion dollars for cancer research at Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and teams bicycle all across Massachusetts.

August 9-18: Babe Ruth Baseball World Series, Bullens Field, Westfield

Top baseball players from across the USA, Canada, Bermuda and the Bahamas come to western Massachusetts this summer to compete at the 2016 Babe Ruth World Series.

August 18-21: US Rowing Masters National Championship, Lake Quinsigamond, Worcester

The world's top rowers, 21 and older, compete in 202 categories at Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester which has been hosting regattas since the 1850s.

August 21: Falmouth Road Race, Woods Hole to Falmouth, Cape Cod

The 44th annual Falmouth Road Race attracts 12,000+ Olympians, elite and recreational runners compete along a seven mile scenic stretch of Cape Cod.

August 26-28: One offshore New England Championships

Off Marblehead, MA visitors can enjoy can enjoy New England's premier large boat sailing competition called One offshore New England Championships a.k.a. ONE Regatta from 26-28 August 2016.

September 2-5: Indy Grand Prix, Seaport District, Boston

Twenty of the world's top race car drivers compete in this fast paced, multi-sport racing event with contestants using single-seat, open-cockpit and twin-turbocharged cars over Labor Day weekend.

September 2-5: Deutsche Bank Golf Championship, TCP Boston Golf Course, Norton

The world's best golfers play here each Labor Day weekend this wonderful par 71 course originally crafted by golfing great Arnold Palmer.

October 15-16: Gran Prix of Gloucester, Stage Fort Park, Gloucester

Known as the 'steeplechase of bicycle racing,' the Gloucester race draws competitors from US, Canada and Europe, racing over an obstacle course overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

October 22-23: Head of the Charles Regatta, The Charles River, between Boston and Cambridge

Launched in 1965, Head of the Charles draws 11,000 athletes from the world's best crew teams to compete on the Charles River, cheered by 400,000+ spectators.

November 19: Harvard-Yale Football Game, Harvard Stadium, Cambridge

One of the oldest rivalries in college football, these two ivy-league colleges have been battling each other on the gridiron since 1875. This is the 133rd game between Harvard and Yale.

For more information please visit www.massholiday.co.uk. To keep up-to-date on happenings in Massachusetts please follow www.facebook.com/VisitMassachusetts/ on Facebook and @VisitMA on Twitter.

ENDS

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