Major sporting events on Oahu calendar

With its ideal year-round climate and diverse environments, the Hawaiian Islands have become home to many world-class sporting events. Winter kicks off a season of high calibre participatory sports like the Xterra Trail Run World Championships and the Honolulu Marathon, plus spectator sports like the Sony Open and the Pro Bowl. These winter sports attract more than 59,000 visitors and resident attendees and generate about $100 million in expenditures. For instance, upcoming is the 2012 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, to Dec. 20 on the North Shore of Oahu; the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl on Dec. 24 at the Aloha Stadium, Oahu; and 2013 Pro Bowl on Jan. 7, also at Aloha Stadium. (http://www.gohawaii.com/oahu)