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SPORTS TOURISM in CYPRUS
Cyprus offers a wide choice of sports facilities (gyms, training grounds, Olympic swimming pools, mountain biking routes, etc.) for all athletes and sports lovers: an exceptional climate, a high-quality service industry and a short travel times between city, sea and mountains.
Football
"We believe Cyprus offers excellent training facilities and a comfortable environment for British clubs... The advantage in Cyprus for clubs is they have the quality of competitive opposition which you do not necessarily get elsewhere in Europe."
Gary Hooper, Former Luton defender and current sports travel professional
Top-filght football teams from Europe and beyond choose to train in Cyprus every year, like Crystal Palace FC, FC Dinamo Moscow, AIK from Sweden and many more.
Cyprus boasts 16 national stadiums, grass football fields, athletics facilities (anti-doping control facilities, restrooms, showers, canteens, VIP rooms, conference spaces, and many more) and training resources of the highest standard.
Cyprus is well suited to pre-season training from November through April.
Cycling
Cyprus offers an abundance of hidden trails along the coast or up in the mountains, all offering something new to discover: the Troodos mountains, the wild nature, the rocky coastline of the Akamas, and more.
And the ideal climate makes it possible to explore the island.
The local terrain varies within very short distances, making cycling both a great workout and a journey of discovery. And the secondary roads are excellent to discover the local countryside.
The CCF, Cyprus Cycling Federation, a member of the International Cycling Union, organises a number of local road races, international MTB races and a host of other competitions, attracting world class cyclists from all over the world.
Teams that have chosen the island as a training destination include the Belgian National Team, the British Olympic Association, the Netherlands Olympic Committee and the Irish National Olympic Cycling Team.
Aquatics
The many top-class swimming pool facilities in the island include 25m and 50m open-air, heated pools of 8-10 lanes, 1m diving boards, 3m spring boards, 5m, 7.5m and 10m platforms. Underwater viewing and filming windows are also available.
Various national teams have trained in Cyprus: Swedish and British Olympic Swimming Teams for example.
The facilities have also attracted famous names, such as Peter VanDenHoogenband.
Athletics
"This is where we set the foundations for the gold medal in Sydney !"
Bridgette McMahon, Triathlon Gold Medalist, Sydney Olympic Games 2000
"The conditions are ideal; the facilities, the weather, the people... I would highly recommend Cyprus to my colleagues as a training destination. Once you go there, you will do it annually."
Costas Kenderis, 200m Gold Medalist, Sydney Olympic Games 2000
Well-equipped outdoor athletics facilities exist throughout Cyprus, ready to cater for your training whether you choose to exercise at down or dusk. Pay a visit to the island's many training grounds and you'll see for yourself that the island is more than ready to welcome serious athletes.
Cyprus is the perfect location for runners: the climate, the wide diversity of terrain, the short distances between town...
All year ound warm weather conditions make Cyprus a paradise for triathlon enthusiats looking for a comprehensive triathlon training destination.
All triathlon sports can easily be practiced on the island at facilities and areas close to a variety of accommodation options.
Golf
Golf is a game rapidly growing in stature here in Cyprus. With 300 days of sunshine and several exceptional courses, golfers return to Cyprus time and time again.
A number of international standard 18-hole courses are now in place and many international competitions have already been held.
An impressive infrastructure has grown to support the Cyprus golfing boom. Lively clubhouses, equipment rentals, luxurious hotels, and properties to buy or rent just yards from the fairway - there is everything the modern golfer could need.
Some examples: Tsada Golf Club
Secret Valley Golf Club
Aphrodite Hills Golf
Watersports
With the sparkling blue waters of the Mediterranean always close at hand, Cyprus is the perfect watersports destination, summer or winter.
Small wonder then that sportsmen and women head here to prepare for international competitions in windsurfing, sailing, swimming, canoeing and more.
 
Cyprus is regarded as a top sailing centre and extensive sailing and windsurfing facilities enable athletes to save time by storing their sailing equipment without disassembling it. Trained professionals representing the island's sailing associations can provide every assistance.
Diving
Everything from cave to wreck diving is available, with the sunken wreck of the Zenobia - lying on the seabed off Larnaka - rated as one of the world's top dives.
Many of the diving centres situated throughout the island are members of the Cyprus Federation of Underwater Activities. These centres provide quality diving equipment under the professional guidance of instructors.
Motorsport
Every year, Cyprus hosts the most exciting round of the FIA World Rally Championship. Considered by many to be the toughest event in the FIA World Rally Championship, this outstanding event sees the world's best drivers do battle on the winding gravel tracks of the Troodos mountains.
Several other rallying and sprint events are held throughout the year.
Shooting
Shooting is a popular sport in Cyprus. And the Cyprus Shooting Sport Federation is very active, organising local, national and international events, as well as providing facilities in every town, covering the trap, skeet, double trap and sporting disciplines. Arms and ammunition are safely stored, while shooting centres also offer a number of facilities including cafeterias.
Other activities
Other activities include:
- beach volley
- tennis
- squash
- badminton
- basketball
- boxing
- gymnastics
- martial arts
- bowling
- karting
- parachuting
- hang-gliding
- extreme sports
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