World City Guide

Sport

The most famous sporting events in the capital are the London Marathon (website: www.london-marathon.co.uk) in April and the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Church Road, Wimbledon, SW19 (tel: (020) 8944 1066; website: www.wimbledon.org) in June and July. Just outside London, Ascot Racecourse, Ascot, Berkshire (tel: (01344) 876 876 (tickets); website: www.ascot.co.uk) and Epsom Downs Racecourse, Epsom Downs, Surrey (tel: (01372) 470 047; website: www.epsomderby.co.uk) host Royal Ascot and The Derby, both held in June.

Most Londoners are fanatical about football and the FA Cup Final in May was always held at Wembley Stadium. However, the famous Towers have been demolished and work has begun on a new national stadium. The FA Cup Final will be held in the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in the interim, until Wembley re-opens in May 2006. An impressive feature of the London skyline, the new Wembley Stadium is taking shape. Standing 133 metres above the central councourse, the controversial arch provides a striking landmark for the 90,000 seat stadium which will be the biggest in the world.

Support for one of London’s several Premiership football clubs divides the city. Arsenal (tel: (020) 7704 4000; website: www.arsenal.com) and Tottenham Hotspur (tel: (020) 8365 5000; website: www.spurs.co.uk) are based in north London and are keen rivals, while Chelsea (tel: (0870) 300 1212; website: www.chelseafc.co.uk) and Fulham (tel: (0870) 442 1234; website: www.fulhamfc.com) are based in the southwest of the city. West Ham United (tel: (020) 8548 2748; website: www.westhamunited.co.uk) has a loyal following in the east, while Charlton Athletic (tel: (020) 8333 4000; website: www.charlton-athletic.co.uk) represents the Premiership in the southeast of the city. Arsenal (also known as 'The Gunners') were Premiership champions in 2003-2004, and in 2004 broke Nottingham Forest's record of 42 matches without a loss (set over two seasons between 1977 and 1979). Rivals Chelsea, however, look set to win the Premier League for 2004-2005. National and international Rugby Union (website: www.rfu.com) is based at Twickenham. Successful local clubs include Harlequins (website: www.quins.co.uk), Wasps (website: www.wasps.co.uk), Saracens (website: www.saracens.com) and London Irish (website: www.london-irish.com). Rugby has been growing in popularity since England won the Rugby World Cup in 2003, beating Autralia 20-17 with a breathtaking drop goal by Jonny Wilkinson just 26 seconds from the end of a thrilling final in Sydney.

The home of cricket’s governing body, the Marylebone Cricket Club – MCC (tel: (020) 7289 1611), founded in 1787, is Lord’s, St John’s Wood Road, NW8 (tel: (020) 7432 1066 (ticket office); website: www.lords.org), which also hosts league, cup and International Test matches. Major athletic events in London take place at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, Ledrington Road, SE19 (tel: (020) 8778 0131; website: www.gll.org).

The government is currently making a bid for the Olympic Games to be held in London in 2012.

Tickets to major sporting events can be purchased through Ticketmaster UK (tel: (0870) 534 4444; website: www.ticketmaster.co.uk).

Fitness Centres: Public fitness centres where it is not necessary for one to be a member include Chelsea Sports Centre, Chelsea Manor Street, SW3 (tel: (020) 7352 6985; website: www.rbkc.gov.uk/sport/chelseasportscentre), and the massive Oasis Centre, 32 Endell Street, WC2 (tel: (020) 7831 1804), situated right in the heart of the West End.

Golf: Regent’s Park Golf and Tennis School, Outer Circle, Regent’s Park, NW1 (tel: (020) 7724 0643; website: www.rpgts.co.uk), offers professional lessons, as well as driving practice. The English Golf Union (tel: (01526) 354 500; website: www.englishgolfunion.org) have information on many of the capital’s golf courses.

Swimming: Seasonal open-air swimming pools include Brockwell Lido, SW9 (tel: (020) 7274 3088; website: www.thelido.co.uk), and Parliament Hill Lido, Hampstead Heath, NW3 (tel: (020) 7485 5757). The Oasis Centre (see Fitness Centres above) has an indoor as well as an outdoor pool and is open year round.

Tennis: Outdoor public courts are available at Regent’s Park, NW1 (tel: (020) 7486 4216), and at Islington Tennis Centre, Market Road, N7 (tel: (020) 7700 1370; website: www.aquaterra.org/Islington/ITC/), which also has indoor courts.

Watersports: Sailing tuition is offered at Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre, Millwall Dock, 235A Westferry Road, E14 (tel: (020) 7537 2626; website: www.dswc.org).