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Last year, we watched Rebecca Adlington break the Women's 800m freestyle record in the World Swimming Championships at the M.E.N Arena and Chris Hoy win two gold medals in the Track Cycling World Championships at the Manchester Velodrome, among countless other great sporting moments. This year, Manchester is determined to maintain its crown as the best sports city in the world with a raft of international sports events, including the new and improved World Netball Series 2009. Andrew Watson reports on a cracking sports programme coming up.
Following up on the city's 2008 sporting triumph is not an easy task. Having hosted the UCI Track Cycling World Championships, the 9th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m), the BUPA Great Manchester Run, the UEFA Cup Final, the Hi-Tec World Squash Championships and the Paralympic World Cup, Manchester went on to be crowned the best sports city in the world at the SportBusiness Sports Events Management Awards 2008.
Yet the city is determined to build on that success in 2009, with a combination of annual fixtures, including the Great Manchester Run and the Paralympic World Cup, and some exciting new events like the Argentina v England rugby union match and the World Netball Series. The latter is especially noteworthy because it will be netball...but not as you know it.
Netball with added oomph
Taking place at the M.E.N Arena on Oct 9 - 11, the World Netball Series features the top six teams in the world - Australia, New Zealand, England, Jamaica, Samoa and Malawi. They will all be competing for the top spot in a game with an exciting new format, announced earlier this year by the International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA), the international governing body for netball.
Shorter, faster-paced games and a new scoring system are just a few of the innovative rule changes designed to test the fitness, technical ability and tactical awareness of the best players in the world, and create a netball competition with added wow factor.
We asked Sue Hawkins, the England netball coach, to explain what makes the new game so exciting.
"It's a modified game, a shortened game - we play four by six minute quarters instead of four by 16 minute ones. So you'll see all the skill and all the competitiveness, but it's only over a short period of time so the urgency to win will be greater.
"You can get more points. Shooters may shoot from inside or outside of the goal circle, and goals from outside the circle will be two points, which means there will be more distance shooting. And you have what they call a 'Power Play' quarter, nominated by the coach before the quarter commences, when any goals scored will be doubled.
"You also have rolling substitutions. Our subs were either at half time or quarter time or due to an injury, but now we can make an unlimited number of rolling substitutions per quarter while play is in progress. This allows us more flexibility and adds a bit more interest to see who's coming on and what tactics to use as a coach.
"Another change is that the coaches are now allowed to coach from the sidelines, which is fantastic."
The English team for the World Netball Series has not been selected yet, but Hawkins says all the players are looking forward to competing against the world's top nations under one roof and by new rules.
"Our girls have practised playing the new game and thought it was a great deal of fun; a bit of novelty, but once we start playing the top nations it will be business. It will be fast and high-energy, and the shooters will have to come into play a lot more."
Although Hawkins does not predict any surprises in the top three rankings - Australia, New Zealand and England - she thinks the new rules may play a role in which nation snatches the No. 1 spot. "It will be interesting to see how all the other teams perform because if you've got an accurate shooter, someone who can shoot distance shots, it can really change the outcome of the game."
The fact that England will be playing on home ground is, of course, a bonus for the team, which is one of the reasons why Hawkins can't wait to lead her girls into the M.E.N Arena this October. "We had fantastic support on our last series and the girls really respond to that, so I think if the crowd gets behind the English girls, it can make a difference to our performance."
The event is already getting a lot of attention in the national and international media, putting Manchester in the limelight once again. After all, the city is not only the host of the World Netball Series, it is also home to IFNA, one of the few international federations operating from within the UK.
Tickets for the World Netball Series 2009 are now on sale from £15 for adults and £5 for children. To book go to www.worldnetballseries.com.
Manchester Sport 09: The highlights
BUPA Great Manchester Run
Britain's biggest and most prestigious 10km race is recognised as one of the world's greatest road running competitions, with some of the world's top elite race runners taking part every year. The race also features thousands of charity and fun runners, as well as celebrities.
Manchester city centre, May 17. www.greatrun.org
BT Paralympic World Cup
The largest annual international multi-sport competition for elite athletes with a disability, the event features over 400 competitors in a programme that includes swimming, track cycling, athletics and wheelchair basketball.
Manchester Aquatics Centre, National Cycling Centre and Manchester Regional Arena, Sportcity, May 20 - 25. www.btparalympicworldcup.com
Rugby: England v Argentina International
England will play Argentina at Old Trafford in the first Test of this summer's two-game series. This will be the first England rugby international to be staged in Manchester since 1997 and the first to have been staged outside London in over a decade.
Old Trafford, June 6. www.rfu.com
World Netball Series
Watch the world's top six netball nations compete over three days of fast and furious sporting action. The International Federation of Netball Associations has announced some innovative rule changes designed to boost the event's wow factor.
MEN Arena, Oct 9 - 11. www.worldnetballseries.com