Sport in Barcelona
Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is the second largest city and metropolitan area in Spain and sixth-most populous urban area in the European Union. It has hosted many major international tournaments and has professional teams in different sports.
International tournaments
Barcelona has a long sporting tradition and hosted the highly successful 1992 Summer Olympics as well as several matches during the 1982 FIFA World Cup (on the two stadiums). It has also hosted, among others, the final of European Champions League (1989, 1999), European Cup Winners' Cup (1972, 1982), UEFA Cup (1988), European Super Cup (1979, 1982, 1989, 1992, 1997), Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (1958, 1960, 1962, 1964), Eurobasket (1973, 1997), Euroleague (1969, 1998, 2003, 2011), World Bowl (1997), CERS Cup (2011), 2003 EuroHockey Nations Championship and the 1951, 1954, 1957, 1979 European Roller Hockey Championship, 1955 Mediterranean Games, 1958 European Judo Championships, 1964 UEFA Euro (European Cup), 1970 European Water Polo Championship, 1970 European Aquatics Championships, 1971 Men's Hockey World Cup, 1973 UCI Road World Championships, 1976 European Taekwondo Championships, 1980 European Karate Championships, 1984 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, 1984 UCI Road World Championships, 1985 World Fencing Championships, 1987 World Taekwondo Championships, 1987 European Wushu Championships, 1989 IAAF World Race Walking Cup, 1989 IAAF World Cup, 1991 World Judo Championships, 1991 FINA Men's Water Polo World Cup, 1995 IAAF World Indoor Championships, 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, 1996 FIFA Futsal World Championship, 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship (several matches), 2002 Euro Beach Soccer Cup, 2002 Women's Rugby World Cup, 2002 World Interuniversity Games, 2003 World Aquatics Championships, 2006 Men's Hockey Champions Trophy, 2007 European Baseball Championship, 2007 UEFA–CAF Meridian Cup, 2010 European Athletics Championships, FIS Snowboarding World Championships 2011, 2013 World Men's Handball Championship and some other. The 2013 World Aquatics Championships is to be held in 2013, the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup is to be held in 2014.
Olympics and Paralympics
As alternative to the Nazi Olympics in Berlin, planned 1936 Summer Olympics named People's Olympiad in Barcelona was to be held, however because of the war it be canceled. Barcelona hosted the highly successful 1992 Summer Olympics and 1992 Summer Paralympics. Also, the city aspires to organize the 2022 Winter Olympics. The opening, closing, medal ceremonies and indoor sports would be held in Barcelona, while outdoor sports would be held in ski resorts in the Pyrenees, mainly La Molina.[1] This does not preclude the use of other sky resorts in Catalonia, example Vall de Núria, Vallter 2000, Rasos de Peguera and Port del Comte. See also: Plans for Winter Olympics held in Barcelona. But they lost the bid to Beijing to host the Winter Olympics.[2]
Sport clubs
Club | Primary league | Sport | Venue | Established | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
FC Barcelona | La Liga | Football | Camp Nou | 1899 | 100,000 |
RCD Espanyol[3] | La Liga | Football | Estadi Cornellà-El Prat | 1900 | 40,500 |
FC Barcelona Bàsquet | ACB | Basketball | Palau Blaugrana | 1926 | 7,585 |
FC Barcelona Handbol | Asobal | Handball | Palau Blaugrana | 1942 | 7,585 |
FC Barcelona Ice Hockey | SEdHH | Ice hockey | Palau de Gel | 1972 | 1,256 |
FC Barcelona Hoquei | OK Liga | Roller hockey | Palau Blaugrana | 1942 | 7,585 |
FC Barcelona Futsal | Primera División de Futsal | Futsal | Palau Blaugrana | 1986 | 7,585 |
FC Barcelona Rugby | División de Honor de Rugby | Rugby union | CDMVdHT | 1924 | no data |
Barcelona Dragons | World League | American football | Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys | 1991 (withheld) | 56,000 |
Barcelona Búfals | LNFA | American football | Estadio Narcís Sala | 1987 | 15,000 |
FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona is a sports club best known worldwide for its football team, one of the largest in the world and second richest football club in the world.[4] It has 62 of national (likewise 41 runners-up) and 16 continental (likewise 10 runners-up) trophies, including five of the UEFA Champions League (likewise 3 runners-up and actually champion) and two of the FIFA Club World Cup (likewise 1 runners-up and actually champion). Also, it the only men's club in the world to accomplish a sextuple. FC Barcelona also has teams in the Spanish basketball ACB league (Regal FC Barcelona), the handball ASOBAL league (FC Barcelona Handbol), and the roller hockey league (FC Barcelona Hoquei), all of them winners of the highest European competitions. The club's museum is the second most visited in Catalonia. Twice a season, FC Barcelona and cross-town rivals RCD Espanyol contest in the local derby in La Liga, while its basketball section has its own local derby in Liga ACB with nearby Joventut Badalona. Barcelona also has other clubs in lower categories, like CE Europa and UE Sant Andreu.
RCD Espanyol
Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona, or simply RCD Espanyol, is a sports club best known for its football team. In 1928, Espanyol became a founding member of La Liga, and in 1929, the football team won their first Copa del Rey. Espanyol has completed the highest number of seasons in La Liga without actually winning the title. The team has qualified nine times for the UEFA Cup (including the 2006–07 qualification following the 2006 Spanish Cup win) and reached the final in 1988, losing to Bayer Leverkusen of then-West Germany on penalty kicks (3–2).
Stadiums and sport arenas
Barcelona has two UEFA elite stadiums (
Annual sporting events
Barcelona Marathon and Cursa de Bombers
Several major road running competitions are organized year-round in Barcelona: the Barcelona Marathon every March with a participants of over 10,000 in 2010, the Cursa de Bombers in April, the Cursa de El Corte Inglés in May (with about 60,000 participants each year) - this race holds IAAF Bronze Label Road Race status.[5] Other small road running are: the Cursa de la Mercè, the Cursa Jean Bouin, the Milla Sagrada Família and the San Silvestre.
Barcelona Open
The Barcelona Open, a 50-year-old ATP World Tour 500 Series tennis tournament, is held annually in the facilities of the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona (Barcelona Royal Tennis Club). Also, each Christmas, a swimming race across the port is organized.
Formula 1 and MotoGP
Near Barcelona, in Montmeló, the 107,000[6] capacity Circuit de Catalunya / Circuit de Barcelona racetrack hosts the Formula One World Championship, Formula One Spanish Grand Prix, Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix, Spanish GT Championship and GP2 Series.
Aerosport
Aerosport is an airshow that takes place at the Igualada-Òdena aerodrome in Barcelona Province every year since 1993. It is the only Spanish airshow fully dedicated to corporate and sport aircraft.[7] The show includes displays, demonstrations and flights of ultralight aircraft, autogyros, gliders, acrobatic aircraft, paramotors, helicopters, amateur aircraft, aeronautical accessories, flight training schools, clubs and a secondhand market.
Other
Barcelona World Race
Barcelona World Race is a non-stop, round-the-world yacht race for crews of two, sailed on Open 60 IMOCA monohull boats.
Other
Skateboarding and bicycling are also very popular in Barcelona. In the city and the metropolitan area, there are tens of kilometers of bicycle paths.
Circuit /tracks
In the suburbs lies Parcmotor Castellolí (es) motor racing track. Also, Montjuïc circuit is a former street circuit located on the Montjuïc mountain in Barcelona. Pedralbes Circuit was street racing course near Barcelona. Sitges Terramar is a former racing circuit located between Sant Pere de Ribes and Sitges near Barcelona.
Gallery
- Skatepark in Barcelona
- Barcelona World Race, winter 2011
- Velòdrom d'Horta, velodrome/track cycling venue
- Beach volleyball at Port Olympic, in Barcelona
References
- ↑ "Barcelona optará a los Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno 2022". Publico.es. Retrieved March 5, 2011.
- ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-3181109/Beijing-host-2022-Winter-Olympics-beating-competition-Almaty.html
- ↑ To 2009, home stadium of club is Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona, today is Estadi Cornellà-El Prat lies in suburb of Barcelona, in El Prat de Llobregat.
- ↑ Football Money League - Deloitte, 2011
- ↑ Valiente, Emeterio (2010-04-19). Menjo blazes 27:04 10Km in Barcelona. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-04-23.
- ↑ Circuit de Catalunya - Barcelona, Spain - ESPN F1
- ↑ El Periódico, 27/4/2008, La aviación se cita en Igualada (in Spanish)
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