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Caymanian waters are renowned for
their clarity, underwater scenery
and wealth of easily accessible
diving sites, and diving is a
popular recreational activity.
Cayman Brac and Little Cayman
continue to be rated among the
world’s top SCUBA diving
destinations. Swimming, snorkeling,
sailing, kayaking, fishing, wind
surfing – all these and more take
place in Cayman’s waters. The most
popular team sports are football
(soccer), netball, cricket,
basketball, rugby, tennis, squash,
softball and volleyball. Many of
these have active associations that
run leagues (both competitive and
recreational) and field teams that
travel internationally to compete.
Track and field, swimming, sailing,
cycling and boxing are popular and
Caymanians have competed in world
class events in these disciplines.
Several of the martial arts are
taught and practiced and golf has
gained in popularity. Many more
sports have a following. A small
group of equestrians shows and jumps
horses in regional junior
competitions. Other groups play
4-man pond hockey, street and ball
hockey and field hockey. Racing fans
organize stock car and other vehicle
races. Darts and dominoes are
popular pastimes and there are
groups playing bridge and Scrabble.
Facilities at the Truman Bodden
Sports Complex include grandstands
with a capacity to seat 3,000, an
Olympic-standard athletic track, and
an international-standard football
field. Netball courts are adjacent
to the complex, which has hosted a
number of international competitions
since its opening. Another public
facility, the Ed Bush Sports Complex
in West Bay, features grandstands
seating 1,300, and an
international-standard football
field. Further sports facilities in
the area include a cricket pitch, a
softball diamond, and facilities for
a public park.
Amenities have also been provided in
other districts, including playing
fields in Bodden Town, East End and
Breakers. Most of these facilities
include a grassed field and hard
courts suitable for football,
basketball, and netball. In Cayman
Brac, a community park is being
developed which will include various
sporting facilities such as a
walking track and basketball courts.
Public amenities complement
facilities developed by the private
sector. These include two golf
courses: The Links at Safe Haven,
the Islands' first championship
18-hole golf course completed in
1993, and the three-in-one Britannia
Golf Club designed by Jack Nicklaus
and opened in 1985. Off the
regulation tees, Britannia plays as
a par-35, nine-hole course. Play the
additional nine greens and tees, and
it's a par-57, 18-hole executive
course. Use the restricted-flight
"Cayman Ball" and play a par-71,
18-hole round. The Ritz-Carlton will
soon open a course designed by Greg
Norman. Three sporting
organizations, the Cayman Rugby
Football Club, the Cayman Islands
Tennis Club, and the Cayman Islands
Squash Club, have clubhouse
facilities on adjacent sites at
South Sound, Grand Cayman. The
Cayman Islands Sailing Club has a
clubhouse and docking facilities in
Red Bay, Grand Cayman. The Cayman
Islands Little League Association
has developed its own baseball
complex in the George Town area. The
Lions Centre, which has grandstands
to seat 3,500 to 4,000, is often
used as a venue for sporting events
such as volleyball, basketball, and
the martial arts. Black Pearl Skate
and Surf operates a skateboard park
and wave tank at Grand Harbor. The
Islands also boast a number of
health clubs offering facilities for
weight-training and cardiovascular
fitness. The government Sports
Office employs coaches and runs
programmes for children, teens, and
in some cases young adults, in
swimming, football, netball,
basketball, and track & field.
Volunteer work is a long standing
tradition in the Cayman Islands. A
proud list of achievements for
charitable causes has been assembled
over the years by service clubs and
other organizations.
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