RSS |
The people of Grenada are very athletic and love to get involved in sports. People of all ages be the young or the grown up actively participate in sporting events. Cricket, soccer (called football), netball and other track & field events are the most popular sports on the island. Basketball, tennis and golf are gradually gaining popularity in Grenada. |
Cricket
The season for cricket in Grenada is from January to June. During this time, there is a game almost every Saturday and Sunday. Junior Murray and Rawle Lewis are two Grenadian cricketers who have achieved international fame.
Boat races
Boat races and regattas are very popular in Grenada. The Carriacou Regatta organized in August covers the distance between Grenada and Carriacou. Cultural exhibits, dances and street parties are scheduled before and after the race. There is a yacht race almost every month. Both tourists and local people participate in these boating events. On Independence Day, there is a 24-kilometre relay race from St. Mark's to St. George's.
Fishing
Fishing is becoming a popular competitive sport. The Spice Island Billfish Tournament in January is the most well-known fishing competition. Fishermen from all over the world come to compete for cash prizes. Water-skiing, scuba diving, swimming and other aquatic sports are popular with tourists.
Water sports
Grenada’s beaches are popular for surfing Diving and snorkeling. Most dive sites are easily accessible from the coast. Some of the best are Molinière Reef located approximately 5 km from St George’s. Martin’s Bay close to Grand Anse and Channel Reef is also a popular snorkeling spot. The neighboring island of Carricou, part of the Grenadines, is known as the ‘island of coral reefs’ and offers ideal diving conditions, with a rich marine life. Apart from in the sea, swimming is also possible at several of the islands’ rainforest pools and lakes, many of which are formed by waterfalls, such as the Annandale Falls and the Concord Falls.
|
Yachting is also extremely popular and a number of major yacht races and regattas are held throughout the year, most famous being the January Sailing Festival and the sailing regatta in Tyrell Bay on Carricou. Particularly popular sailing destinations in the area include the Grenadine islands Sugar Loaf, Green Island and Sandy Island. Visitors can also make boat trips on traditional wooden schooners, which is a popular way to cross the 5 km distance between the islands of Carricou and Petit Martinique. |
 |
Hashing
Every week a group of runners and walkers assemble at the rum shops of Grenada. The leader, known as the Hash Master, delivers an initial briefing after which they set off shouting ON-ON. Following a trail of flour or shredded paper, they go through some of the attractive parts of the island and return back to the same rum shop after a few hours. On return, they consume large quantities of beer. It is said that the founders wanted some energetic physical activity without getting in the way of their beer drinking routines. So hashing was born as a fun run. Today there are Hash kennels in more than 110 countries and territories around the world. Hashers have hash names and an International Hash is held every two years.
Sports for kids
The Preparatory Games held in June give children between the ages of 4 and 12 an opportunity to participate in athletic competitions. Children play a game called Rounders, which is similar to baseball. The ball is usually a tennis ball and it is hit with a cricket bat instead of a baseball bat, but as in baseball there are four bases and runs are scored in the same way. Intercol is a popular annual sporting affair at which secondary schools compete against each other in running, jumping and other athletic events. Other athletic events include the Grenada International Triathlon in which competitors have to swim 1 km, cycle 25 km and run 5 km.
Other popular sports
Grenada offers a lot of sporting facilities for a host of conventional sports. In 1999, the completion of the construction of a National Stadium in the island has enabled the island to host international one day cricket matches and other sporting events. The Grenada Golf & Country Club is a nine-hole course located near Grand Anse. Its facilities include club rental, instruction, a clubhouse offering snacks and a bar, and caddy service. Most of the hotels provide tennis facilities. There are some public courts are also available at Grand Anse. Informal meetings and events for Go Cart Racing are held in the weekends whereas organized events are held on public holidays. Snooker, Billiards, Pool and Darts are all available at Sports Bars in and around the Grand Anse area in St. George.
GOWEALTHY.COM © 2006
For comments: editor@gowealthy.com<
