SPORT IN HAMBURG

Hamburg is a city of sports enthusiasts and sport has an established role in the life of the population. More than 500,000 people in Hamburg are members of almost 800 sports clubs. Hamburg has 240 sports grounds, 683 gymnastics and sports halls and altogether 26 swimming pools. Swimming pools in Hamburg alone attract almost 4.1 million enthusiasts per year. Along with swimming, the most popular sports include gymnastics, football, tennis, sailing, handball and ice hockey. By staging the FIFA Football World Cup 2006, the IHF Handball World Championship 2007 as well as the ITU Triathlon World Championship 2007, Hamburg has demonstrated that it is an excellent host for major international sports events. Around 50 national and international sports events take place in Hamburg every year, attracting over five million visitors. The top attractions for spectators are the Vattenfall Cyclassics cycling race, the Hamburg Marathon and the Dextro Energy Triathlon Hamburg. All three are held in the centre of the city.