Your top ten North East sporting experiences

May 22 2009 The Journal

OK, so it might not have been a great year for the North East's football teams, but it's not been all doom and gloom on the sports pitch.

Durham's cricketers have just begun their defence of the County Championship and Newcastle's basketball team, The Eagles, go from strength to strenght. Here's a few of our favourite ways in which you can get sporty as you Think North East First.

Tyne-Wear derby

ONE of the fiercest rivalries in football makes the Tyne-Wear derby an unforgettable occasion for players and spectators alike.

Since the first meeting between the two clubs in 1883 there have been 140 games between Newcastle and Sunderland, with the Magpies having 51 wins to the Black Cats’ 45.

With both clubs battling relegation, fans will be holding out hope that they don’t meet next year in the Championship.

Great North Run

OVER its 28-year history, the Great North Run has become the world’s most popular half- marathon.

Run between Newcastle and South Shields, the race was devised by Olympic medallist Brendan Foster after he competed in the Round the Bays event in New Zealand.

As well as a top athletics race, the run has attracted tens of thousands of ordinary people to raise millions of pounds for charity.

Blaydon Race

THE Blaydon Race is equal parts an athletics race and a celebration of local history.

Run over a six-mile course from Newcastle to Blaydon, the race takes its inspiration from the song made famous by Newcastle United fans.

It began in 1981 as the brainchild of Blaydon Harriers Jim Dewar and now attracts 4,000 entrants each year.

Northumberland Plate

THE Northumberland Plate is the centrepiece of a three-day festival run at Newcastle Racecourse on the last weekend in June.

One of the richest two-mile handicaps in the world, it was first run in 1833 and is contested by horses that are three years old and
upwards.

Known locally as the Pitmens’ Derby, it is one of the key fixtures in the North East social calendar.

Alnwick Shrove Tuesday football match

ONE of the fixtures in Alnwick’s calendar is its Shrove Tuesday football match.

Played between the parishes of St Paul and St Michael’s, it follows a procession from Alnwick Castle and is started by the Duke of Northumberland.

The game is won by whichever team is first to score two goals.

Boat Race

ROWERS from Durham and Newcastle University now contest the North East’s own version of the Cambridge-Oxford boat race.

The event has competitions between men’s, women’s and novice teams rowing over a 1,800-metre course on the River Tyne.

Its 13-year history has mostly seen victories for Durham, but this year Newcastle won the men’s race for the first time.

Test Match cricket at the Riverside

WITH the backdrop of Lumley Castle, the Riverside can easily compete with the most scenic grounds in the world.

The ground has staged a number of one-day internationals and held its first test – against Zimbabwe – in 2003.

The fourth test to be staged at the Riverside – England against the West Indies – took place last week.

Northumberland Rugby Union Senior Cup

THE premier club competition between clubs in the North East, the Senior Cup has a long and illustrious history. This year the cup was won by Corbridge-based Tynedale, who beat Gosforth 74-3 in the final.

Journal Champion of Champions

THE Journal Champion of Champions trophy is the leading event for club golfers in the North East. Club champions come together to compete against each other over 18 holes.

This year the event took place at Slaley Hall in Northumberland and was won by Simon Lee, from the City of Newcastle club.

Darlington vs. Hartlepool

THOUGH less stellar than some of the higher league clashes between North East teams, the derby between Darlington and Hartlepool has just as much fervour.

Fans are currently unable to renew that rivalry, however, with the two clubs in different divisions.