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City Guide - Singapore - Sport | ||
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Sport Singapore may be renowned for its food-lovers and shopaholics, but improving its people's fitness levels is high on the government's agenda. Every year the Sports Council organises a number of sporting events designed for maximum participation, including the annual Fitness Encounter, held at the National Stadium at Kallang, featuring a mass 2.4km (1.6-mile) Sports for Life run/walk. With fitness such a high priority there are facilities at every level across the island, from local public swimming pools to gyms equipped with the latest in fitness technology. The advantage of Singapore's monotonously predictable weather is that there is year-round scope for outdoor pursuits - especially in the evenings when the heat and humidity abate a little. One of Singapore's major sporting attractions is its acres of golf courses, and as an island location there are plenty of opportunities for water sports. For spectators, the national soccer team, the S-league, play at home at the National Stadium, while the Singapore Indoor Stadium, also at Kallang, hosts the Heineken Open tennis tournament. One of the most popular spectator sports is horseracing, conducted all year round at the Singapore Turf Club. Rugby and cricket matches are held on the Padang, at the colonial heart of Singapore. Bowling: Ten-pin bowling is a round-the-clock activity with bowling alleys at Jackie's Bowl, East Coast Road (tel: (65) 241 6519); Kallang Bowl, Stadium Walk (tel: (65) 345 0545) and Victor's Superbowl, Marina South (tel: (65) 221 0707). Cycling: Bicycles can be hired at East Coast Park, Sentosa and Pasir Ris. Pulau Ubin (a short bumboat ride from Changi) also offers mountain and dirt biking. Golf: Singapore is said to have more golf courses per capita than any other country in the world, some of which have their own signature courses. Courses include: Changi Golf Club, Netheravon Road (tel: (65) 545 5133); Keppel Club, Bukit Chermin Road (tel: (65) 273 5522); Laguna National Golf & Country Club, Laguna Golf Green (tel: (65) 541 0289); Raffles Country Club, Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim (tel: (65) 861 7655); Seletar Country Club, Seletar Club Road (tel: (65) 486 0801); Sentosa Golf Club, Bukit Manis Road (tel: (65) 275 0022). Fitness centres: Numerous centres include Ray Wilson California Fitness Center, Grange Road (tel: (65) 834 2100) and Takashimaya Fitness Club, Ngee Ann City (tel: (65) 739 9314). Gym facilities are also available at all the major hotels. Riding & polo: The Singapore Polo Club, Mount Pleasant Road (tel: (65) 256 4530) hosts polo matches between February and November. Sailing: Europa Sailing Club, East Coast Parkway (tel: (65) 449 5118) can be used on a casual basis and also provides windsurfing facilities. Scuba diving: Singapore is not a destination offering crystal clear waters and colourful marine life, but it is a good location to complete the pool training before heading off to clearer waters in Malaysia or Indonesia for open-water diving. There are many reputable dive operators, including Abyss Dive Junction (tel: (65) 333 5420); Big Bubble Centre (tel: (65) 222 6862); Dive Atlantis (tel: (65) 292 8980) and Sharkeys Dive and Adventure (tel: (65) 276 4233). Squash: Courts can be hired at East Coast Recreation Centre, East Coast (tel: (65) 449 0541) and National Stadium, Kallang (tel: (65) 348 1258). Swimming: Every neighbourhood has a public swimming complex. For details contact the Singapore Sports Council (tel: (65) 345 7111). Tennis: Singapore Tennis Centre, East Coast Parkway (tel: (65) 442 5966) offers courts for hire. Water-skiing & wakeboarding: Singapore's waters can be quite sludgy and uncomfortably warm - and around April the strait fills with spawning jellyfish. Nevertheless, Singapore is one of Asia's top water-skiing and wakeboarding nations. Cowabunga Ski Centre at Kallang Riverside Park (tel: (65) 344 8813) offers a fixed slalom course. Other operators include: Punggol Marina Water-Ski & Wakeboard Centre (tel: (65) 386 3891) and Williams Water Sports, Sembawang (tel: (65) 257 5859). |