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Sports in Cyprus
Cyprus’ excellent climate all the year round means that
sports are a way of life for many of its inhabitants.
The
following is a general overview of the array of sports
activities available. The information does not purport
to be a comprehensive list of all that is on offer, but
a brief guideline and an easy reference tool of sports
and facilities.
If
you are interested in a sport that is not included here,
please make inquiries, as we will most probably be able to make
arrangements for you.
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Aeronautics
(contact us)
Hang
gliding and paragliding can be enjoyed all over the
island. A favorite spot is near the archaeological side
at Curium on the outskirts of Lemesos (Limassol), where
the steady see breeze creates an updraft when it hits
the white chalk cliffs.
Conditions are particularly favorable in the spring and
autumn.
Related Links:
Fly Cyprus,
Paragliding & Hang
Gliding in Cyprus,
Pictures over Curium
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As the owner of FlyCyprus.com says, "...fortunately in my country [Cyprus]
there are more than 300 flying days a year and the nearest hill is just 20
minutes away from home."
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Aquatics
(contact
us)
Aquatics comprise four Olympic disciplines: swimming,
diving, water polo and synchronized swimming.
There are swimming pools in all the main towns. The
Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Olympic Swimming Pool Complex and the Lemesos (Limassol)
Olympic Swimming Pool are relatively new. Elsewhere
there are smaller pools. The Lefkosia (Nicosia) pool
also has diving boards and underwater viewing and
filming windows.
Lefkosia Olympic Swimming Pool Complex
Lemesos Olympic Swimming Pool
Larnaca Nautical Club
Pafos Swimming Pool
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Archery
(contact
us)
A
brand new archery field has just been completed in
Lefkosia. It is floodlit and has all facilities.
Elsewhere archery fields can be set up as per
request.
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Athletics
(contact
us)
Track and field stadia are found in every main town. The
new G.S.P in Lefkosia (Nicosia) has recently been
completed. In general such stadia are modern,
Olympic-sized, with tartan surfaces and full equipped.
Makarios Athletics Centre,
Lefkosia (Nicosia)
New G.S.P., Lefkosia(Nicosia)
Tsirio Stadium, Lemesos (Limassol)
New Stadium G.S.Z, Larnaka
Paralimni Muncipal Stadium,
Paralimni
Paphiako Athletic Centre, Pafos
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Olympic Gold Medalist Konstantinos Kenteris has the
following to say about training in Cyprus:
"... the conditions are ideal; the facilities, the weather, the people...
I would highly recommend Cyprus to my collegues as a pre-games training
destination. Once you go there, you will do it annually..."
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Badminton
(contact
us)
There are excellent facilities for badminton in all
towns but the best are in Lefkosia (Nicosia). The courts
are new and up to the specifications designated by the
International Badminton Federation.
The
level of play of Cypriots players is of a high standard.
At recent world champion ships, held in Copenhagen,
Denmark, Cyprus finished in 43rd position out
of about 140 competing nations.
Cypriot players would welcome the opportunity to act as
sparring partners to visiting badminton enthusiasts.
Eleftheria Indoor Hall, Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Lefkotheo Indoor Hall, Lefkosia (Nicosia)
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Baseball
(contact
us)
A
purpose-built baseball field is currently under
construction.
In
the meantime arrangements can be made to set one up for
training and competition in other suitable grounds.
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Basketball
(contact
us)
Basketball is the second most popular sport amongst
Cypriots, after football, with children shooting hoops
in their back garden.
The
standard of basketball is very high on the island, with
successes to show in competitions on an international
level.
Indoor courts are available in all the main towns with
all necessary facilities and support services. In
addition outdoor all weather courts are also available.
Currently a basketball camp is held in July in the
mountain village of Agros. It follows a specialized
program in which top class European and Greek basketball
players have attended or given instruction.
 In
the picture to the left is the Rodon Hotel in Agros
Village. Spacious leisure areas abound in the hotel,
such as coffee lounges, restaurant, piano-bar and games
room and a great number of facilities are available,
such as lecture and conference halls, gym, two saunas (men's and women's), swimming pools,
kindergarten, tennis, basketball, volleyball and handball courts.
Some Facilities for Basketball:
Eleftheria Indoor Hall, Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Lefkotheo Indoor Hall, Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Olympia Indoor Hall, Lemesos (Limassol)
Kitio Athletic Centre, Larnaka
Aphrodite Indoor Hall, Pafos
Kiniras (Pafos)
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Boxing
(contact
us)
Boxing rings are available only in Lefkosia (Nicosia)
and Lemesos (Limassol) at present- at the Makarios
Athletic Centre (Olympic sized) and in a couple of
private clubs.
Makarios Athletic Centre, Lefkosia (Nicosia)
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Cycling
(contact
us)
Cyprus’ roads lend themselves perfectly to the sport.
They range from flat asphalted country roads to steep
mountains trails along peaceful, unfrequented and scenic
routes. In fact it has been said that the island is like
one huge mountain bike arena.
One
of the island’s chief advantages for cycling enthusiasts
is that short distances mean that the terrain changes
rapidly. Within the space of 10 km you can go from rocky
to clay, to steep to flat enabling you to experience all
surfaces within a short period of time. The warm winter
weather is another attraction and unlike other European
or Mediterranean countries strong headwinds are rare.
There are no legal barriers to cycling anywhere on the
island except of course on motorways.
Local and international competitions for road racing and
mountain biking are held from February onwards. The
3-day Afxentia race is listed in the international
cycling calendar in which world ranked cyclists take
part.
Private:
Aliathon (Pafos)
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Cyprus is probably one of the most ideal training
places for cycling pros and amateurs alike.
Click here to see
a related video clip.
This is a must see!
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Equestrian
(contact
us)
Horse riding can be enjoyed at various horse riding
centers around the island, all set in beautiful
surroundings.
The
centers have professional training facilities and
instructors who provide lessons for beginners and
advanced riders.
Elias Country Club, Lemesos (Limassol)
Lapatsa Club, Lefkosia (Nicosia)
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Football
(contact
us)
The
world’s most popular sport is also very popular in
Cyprus as evidenced by the large number of football
pitches all over the island.
Cypriot clubs take part in European championships while
some of our footballers have been bought by large Greek
clubs such as Panathinaikos and Olympiakos.
All
first and second division pitches are grass and include
facilities and floodlighting. Purpose-built pitches for
training can also be found throughout the island.
Quite a few north European football teams choose to come
to Cyprus to train during the winter months and are a
common sight exercising on the sandy beaches of the
island’s eastern resorts.
State/Public:
Makarios Athletic Centre,
Lefkosia (Nicosia)
New G.S.P , Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Tsirio Stadium, Lemesos(Limassol)
New Stadium, G.S.Z, Larnaka
Paralimni Municipal Stadium, Paralimni
Paphiako Athletic Centre, Pafos
Private:
Aliathon (Pafos)
Kiniras (Pafos)
Related Links:
Pictures and Statistics about Cyprus Football Stadiums by WorldStadiums.com,
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Golf
(contact us)
There are
three excellent golf courses in Cyprus, in the Pafos region.
We can organize your golf trip to any of these.
Contact us
or click on the links below for more info...
The
Tsada Golf Club, the first grass course to be built in
the island, was completed in 1994. Located about 550
metres above sea level in the hills above Pafos, it
benefits from cool breezes in the summer. It is an
18-hole course, par 72, all greens and covers 6060
metres.
The
Secret Valley Golf Club located 18 km east of Pafos near
Aphrodite’s Rock (Petra tou Romiou) is an 18-hole
course, play to a Par 72 and is 6120 metres long.
Other golf courses are planned in the near future.
1.
Tsada Golf Club, Pafos
2.
Secret Valley Golf Club, Pafos
3.
Aphrodite Hills
Golf Club
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Green Bowling
(contact us)
Aliathon
(Pafos)
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Gymnastics
(contact
us)
Indoor halls with equipment for both artistic and
rhythmic gymnastics are available in every main town as
well as at various clubs.
Cyprus has world-class gymnasts in both disciplines. Our
athletes won 7th place in the European
Gymnastics Championships (MAG) IN 2000 and 8th
in the World Championships in 2001.
Eleftheria Indoor Hall, Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Lefkotheo Indoor Hall, Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Olympia Indoor Hall, Lemesos (Limassol)
Kitio Athletic Centre, Larnaka
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Handball
(contact
us)
Indoor halls for handball are available in all major
towns.
Eleftheria Indoor Hall, Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Lefkotheo Indoor Hall, Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Olympia Indoor Hall, Lemesos (Limassol)
Kitio Athletic Centre, Larnaka
Aphrodite Indoor Hall, Pafos
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Hockey
(contact us)
There is one artificial grass hockey field in Lefkosia
(Nicosia)
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Judo
(contact us)
Cyprus has a reasonably high standard in judo with all
the necessary coaches, equipment and facilities.
In
2000 the island hosted the European Judo Championships
(Under 20)
Indoor halls are available in all towns with facilities
and equipment.
Eleftheria Indoor Hall, Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Tsirio Stadium, Lemesos (Limassol)
Kitio Athletic Centre, Larnaka
Aphrodite Indoor Hall, Pafos
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Karate
(contact us)
Indoor halls are available in all towns with facilities
and equipment.
Eleftheria Indoor Hall, Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Tsirio Stadium, Lemesos (Limassol)
Kitio Athletic Centre, Larnaka
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Modern Pentathlon
(contact us)
Special
arrangements can be made
upon request.
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Motor sports
(contact us)
The 30th
Cyprus Rally, round five of the FIA World Rally
Championship usually takes place in the spring and
thousands of fans combine watching the event with taking
a spring sunshine holiday.
The
rally route is run on gravel roads in the Troodos
Mountains, the Pafos forest and the eastern foothills,
and is easily accessible from all towns.
Motor
sport fans also have an opportunity to watch various
rounds of the Cyprus Automobile National Rally and Speed
Championships.
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Orienteering
(contact us)
This is
a relatively new sport for Cyprus but promises to
becoming very popular as it is a pleasant all year round
activity for the whole family amidst the island’s
beautiful natural environment.
The
first foot orienteering competitions have taken place
with Cyprus competing against neighboring Israel and
Greece.
Sites
chosen so far have been the Athalassa, Kornos, Cape
Greco and Troodos forests.
Related links:
Click here to see Cyprus Nature Trails
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Sailing
(contact us)
Steady
prevailing westerly winds make the island an ideal
centre for sailing. The best facilities are at Cyprus
Yachting Centre in Lemesos (Limassol). Classified by the
International Sailing Fedration as the best installation
in the Middle East, it has all the necessary equipment
to accommodate all Olympic classes as well as
windsurfing. Situated right on the seafront is has boat
shade and storage facilities, gym facilities,
restaurants and a slipway.
Greece’s
Olympic gold medalist chooses to come here to do his
pre-Olympics training every two weeks. Each year the
Centre hosts an International Easter Regatta.
There
are yachting marinas in Larnaka, Lemesos (Limassol) and
Pafos, while several more are planned.
Lemesos
(Limassol) Nautical Club
Larnaka Nautical Club
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Scuba Diving
(contact us)
With
water temperature ranging from 25 C in the summer months
to 15 C in the winter, no tides or dangerous currents
and waters that are crystal clear. Cyprus is an ideal
place for discovering the magic of the underwater world.
Various
diving centres are all coastal resorts provide
instruction for beginners as well as advanced divers.
All offer PADI and some BSAC.
The
most outstanding diving site is considered to be the
wreck of the Zenobia, a huge Swedish ferry loaded with
trucks and trailers, which sank on her maiden voyage in
1980 off the coast of
Larnaka. The 197 metre long wreck that lies at a depth of about 42
metres is classified as one of the best wreck dives in
the world. There are many other wrecks dotted around
Cyprus waters within easy reach from shore.
Elsewhere there are some spectacular caves and tunnels
and a wide variety of marine life, such as moray eels,
bream, grouper, turtles, soldier fish, fan worms and
Spiro graphs.
There
are two decompression chambers on the island, one at the
British forces hospital in Akrotiri, and the other at
Larnaka General Hospital.
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The World famous Zenobia wreck is in Cyprus
Sunk off Cyprus in 1980 after problems with her computer-controlled
ballast system, and lying in 42m of water, the unsalvaged ferryboat Zenobia,
with her complement of 108 variously-loaded articulated lorries, is the
island's biggest draw for wreck divers.
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Shooting
(contact us)
The
island is a popular destination for shooting enthusiasts
from northern countries who come here to train in the
winter months.
There
are excellent shooting ranges in all main towns. There
are facilities for skeet, trap and double trap as well
as air rifle/ air pistol installations and sporting
shooting facilities.
The
Cyprus Grand Prix is an annual event held in March that
is also on the International Shooting Federation’s
calendar.
Cyprus’
shooting team is among the top teams in the world. The
under 21 team has won gold medals in European
Championship and World Championships.
Lefkosia (Nicosia) Olympic Shooting Range
Lemesos (Limassol)
International
Shooting Range
Larnaka
Shooting
Range
Famagusta
Shooting
Range
Pafos
Shooting
Range
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Softball
(contact us)
A
purpose-built softball field is currently under
construction. In the meantime arrangements can be made
to set one up for training and competition in other
suitable grounds.
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Squash (contact
us)
Squash
courts are available at Lapatsa Sports Centre and at
Eleftheria Sports Centre both in Lefkosia (Nicosia)
as well as in most five star hotels.
Lapatsa Sports Centre, Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Eleftheria Indoor Hall, Lefkosia (Nicosia)
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Table tennis
(contact us)
Facilities are available in most main towns primarily
Lefkosia (Nicosia) and Lemesos (Limassol).
Arrangements can be made to set up practice partners
from the Cyprus Table tEnnis Federation who would
welcome the opportunity to play with visiting table
tennis enthusiasts of a certain standard.
Local
amateur tournaments are held from October to June. The
Cyprus International Table Tennis Tournament is held
annually in the week after the Greek Orthodox Easter.
Eleftheria Indoor Hall, Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Tsirio Stadium, Lemesos (Limassol)
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Taekwondo
(contact us)
Cyprus
has a reasonably high standard in taekwondo with all the
necessary coaches, equipment and facilities.
In 1999
the island hosted the European Taekwondo Championships
(Youths).
Indoor
hall are available in all towns with facilities and
equipment.
Makarios Athletic Centre, Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Eleftheria Indoor Hall, Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Kitio Athletic Centre, Larnaka
Aphrodite Indoor Hall, Pafos
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Tennis
(contact us)
Cyprus,
with its fine weather, is an ideal place for tennis all
the year round, even, in the summer thanks to cooling
westerly breezes and floodlighting. It is an
increasingly popular sport with a thriving local tennis
circuit that has produced one player ranked in the top
five juniors of the world.
The
majority of courts at tennis clubs are clay, while
artificial grass courts are also popular. All four and
five star hotels have tennis courts, mostly hard.
International tournaments held in Cyprus on a regular
basis include the Aphrodite Cup (ITF-18), ITF Men’s
Future ($ 10,000) and ITF/TE Cyprus Veterans Cup.
National Tennis Centre, Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Lemesos (Limassol) Sporting Club
Famagusta
Tennis Club, Lemesos (Limassol)
Larnaka Tennis Club, Larnaka
Paralimni Municipal
Stadium, Paralimni
Paralimni Tennis Club, Paralimni
Pafos Tennis Club, Pafos
Kiniras (Pafos)
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Marcos Baghdatis, one of Cyprus's young tennis
athletes. Sep
2002 Singles Finalist, US Open, USA, ITf Grade A
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Triathlon
(contact us)
The
island’s climate is very conductive to practicing the
three disciplines that make up this sport-the sea for
swimming and the roads for running and cycling.
Special
arrangements can be made upon
request.
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Volleyball
(contact us)
Many
indoor facilities in all towns are available for
volleyball as it is a popular sport in the island.
Beach
volley, which is also gaining in popularity, is also
possible in coastal resorts.
Eleftheria Indoor Hall, Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Lefkotheo Indooor Hall, Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Olympia
Indoor Hall, Lemesos (Limassol)
Kitio Athletic Centre, Larnaka
Aphrodite Indoor Hall, Pafos
Kiniras (Pafos)
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Water–skiing
(contact us)
Water-skiing is quite a popular sport in the island but
the lack of lakes means it can only be practiced in the
sea. Most beach hotels have water sport facilities that
include water-skiing.
The
calmest waters are generally along the eastern coast of
the island around the resort town of
Protaras. Elsewhere flat conditions can usually be found in early
mornings or evenings.
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Weight lifting
(contact us)
Facilities are available in most towns upon
request.
Tsirio Stadium, Lemesos (Limassol)
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Pyrros Demas, Olympic Gold Medalist is regularly
training in Cyprus
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Wrestling
(contact us)
The
island’s compactness means you can train on a beach in
the morning and an hour later is up in the mountains for
anaerobic altitude training.
Training facilities can be set up all over the island,
but the two main wrestling rings are in Lefkosia(Nicosia)
and Lemesos (Limassol)
Makarios Athletic Centre, Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Kitio Athletic Centre, Larnaka
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