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Sport
The most famous sporting events in the capital are the London Marathon (website: www.london-marathon.co.uk) in April, the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium in May (although not at Wembley again until at least 2006) and the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Tennis Club (tel: (020) 8946 2244 or 8944 1066; website: www.wimbledon.org) in June and July. Just outside London, Ascot Racecourse (tel: (01344) 876 876; website: www.ascot.co.uk) and Epsom Downs Racecourse (tel: (01372) 470 047; website: www.epsomderby.co.uk) host Royal Ascot and The Derby.
Londoners are fanatical about football, but the future of the self-styled ‘home of football’, Wembley Stadium, is still an embarrassment. The planned redevelopment has been shrouded in controversy and heel-dragging since 2000, but finally the new plans have been given the go-ahead and fears that the National Stadium may be lost to Birmingham have been allayed. Support for one of London’s several Premiership football clubs divides the city. Rivalry between Arsenal (tel: (020) 7704 4000; website: www.arsenal.com) and Tottenham Hotspur (tel: (020) 8365 5000; website: www.spurs.co.uk) dominates the scene in north London, while Chelsea FC (tel: (020) 7385 5545; website: www.chelseafc.co.uk) draws the crowds in the southwest. West Ham United (tel: (020) 8548 2748; website: www.westhamunited.co.uk) has a loyal following in the east. In the southeast, Charlton Athletic (tel: (020) 8333 4000; website: www.charlton-athletic.co.uk) has managed to hold on to their top-flight status despite some sticky moments in recent seasons. Arsenal are once again the reigning Premiership champions (season 2001-2002) and increasingly are also matching Manchester United in Europe.
National and international Rugby Union 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). Lord’s, St John’s Wood Road, NW8 (tel: (020) 7432 1066 (ticket office); website: www.lords.org), is the home of cricket’s governing body – the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC; tel: (020) 7289 1611; website: www.lords.org), founded in 1787 – and hosts league, cup and International Test matches. Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, Ledrington Road, SE19 (tel: (020) 8778 0131; website: www.crystalpalace.co.uk), is the setting for major athletics events.
Tickets to sporting events can also be purchased through Ticketmaster UK (tel: (020) 7316 4709; website: www.ticketmaster.co.uk).
Fitness centres: Swimming pools, gyms and sports halls are available at London Central YMCA, 112 Great Russell Street, WC1 (tel: (020) 7343 1844), Chelsea Sports Centre, Chelsea Manor Street, SW3 (tel: (020) 7352 6985), and the massive Oasis Centre, 32 Endell Street, WC2H (tel: (020) 7831 1804), right in the heart of the West End. Fitness classes are also offered at Jubilee Hall Leisure Centre, 30 The Piazza, Covent Garden, WC2 (tel: (020) 7836 4835).
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 (£30 for thirty minutes or £95 for five lessons) and driving practice (£5 for 50 balls). The English Golf Union (tel: (01526) 354 500; website: www.englishgolfunion.org) have information on many of the capital’s golf courses.
Swimming pools: Open-air swimming pools include the seasonal Brockwell Lido, SW9 (tel: (020) 7274 3088), and Parliament Hill Lido on Hampstead Heath, NW3 (tel: (020) 7485 3873), while 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). Islington Tennis Centre, Market Road, N7 (tel: (020) 7700 1370), and the Queen’s Club, Palliser Road, West Kensington, W14 (tel: (020) 7385 3421), have good indoor facilities.
Watersports: Sailing tuition is offered at Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre, Millwall Dock, 235A Westferry Road, E14 (tel: (020) 7537 2626), and Lee Valley Watersports Centre on Banbury Reservoir, E4 (tel: (020) 8531 1129). Windsurfing, water-skiing and canoeing are also available.
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