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Christchurch Sports and Extreme Outdoor Activities
(Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand NZ)



Christchurch, on New Zealand's South Island, contains a truly outstanding array of sports, extreme sports and exciting outdoor activities and there are also many major spectator sports in Christchurch and throughout Canterbury. The most popular sports and sporting activities in Christchurch include rugby, cycling, surfing, scuba diving and snorkelling around Christchurch's bays, sea kayaking, yachting, sailing and whitewater rafting.

Many locals and visitors in Christchurch regularly exercise at Christchurch's many central gyms, fitness centres and sports facilities, or by jogging, walking or cycling along the city's picturesque coastal trails and parkland pathways. Other popular sports and outdoor activities in Christchurch include golf, skiing, tenpin bowling and swimming, and in particular swimming with dolphins in several scenic locations close to Christchurch.

Local newspapers in Christchurch, such as the free Christchurch Star - published twice a week, often include a useful sports section with information about local Christchurch sports events, which are usually located in and nearby central Christchurch.




Christchurch Sports: Cricket in Christchurch - Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand NZ
Cricket has always been a major spectator sport in Christchurch and regular international and New Zealand test matches are held at Christchurch's impressive Jade Stadium, in the eastern Phillipstown district during the summer months. The cricket season in Christchurch runs from October to March.

Christchurch Sports: Rugby in Christchurch - Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand NZ
Rugby is one of the Christchurch's premier winter sports and Christchurch is home to a wealth of rugby history. The Christchurch Football Club has played rugby longer than any other rugby club in the whole of New Zealand, with regular matches at Christchurch Park. Also, the Canterbury Rugby Union was actually the first rugby union association to be formed in New Zealand, when it was founded in the 1880s. With regular rugby matches played at a number of stadiums close to the city centre, including Jade Stadium, rugby matches are one of the major sporting events in Christchurch, attracting large crowds of cheering spectators.

Christchurch Sports: Scuba Diving in Christchurch - Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand NZ
The clear, inviting Pacific Ocean waters around Christchurch's scenic coastal areas and often ideal for snorkelling and scuba diving. Popular scuba diving locations around Christchurch include the nearby areas of Akaroa - a scenic harbour within easy driving distance of the city, Lyttelton harbours - home to the rare Hector's dolphin and also the entertaining little blue penguin, Kaikoura Coast - with dusky dolphins, fur seals and deep reefs, the Motunau Reefs - around 100 km / 62 miles north of Christchurch and full of thriving reefs, and areas around the Banks Peninsula - where the northern coast is full of deep bays and colourful fish.

Christchurch Sports: Surfing in Christchurch - Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand NZ
Christchurch is highly regarded throughout New Zealand's South Island for its exceptional beaches situated along the eastern coastline, often featuring ideal surfing conditions.

Some of the most popular areas for surfing in and around Christchurch and other nearby areas of Canterbury include South Brighton Beach, Sumner Beach, Waikuku Beach, and Taylor's Mistake Beach, Christchurch's premier surfing beach.

Christchurch Sports: Sailing, Canoeing and Sea Kayaking in Christchurch - Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand NZ
Christchurch features some excellent sailing, canoeing and sea kayaking schools, which cater for both experienced and beginner sailors. Sea kayaking in and around Christchurch's harbours and coastline has recently become a particularly popular leisure activity and kayaks can usually be hired per day or per hour.

Christchurch Sports: Yachting in Christchurch - Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand NZ
Yachting has always been a major leisure activity and sport for locals and visitors staying in Christchurch. At the weekends in Christchurch, large numbers of beautiful yachts sail around Christchurch's picturesque harbours, bays and scenic coastal regions. The main yachting season in Christchurch is between September and March.

Christchurch Sports: Christchurch Fitness Centres and Christchurch Gyms - Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand NZ
There are many excellent and extremely popular fitness and sports centres around central Christchurch, with modern state-of-the-art weight training and fitness equipment, aerobic instructors, personal trainers and relaxing saunas. Most of the fitness and sports centres in Christchurch remain open Monday to Sunday, generally from early in the morning until late at night.

Christchurch Sports: Tenpin Bowling in Christchurch - 525 Ellerslie Panmure Highway, Panmure, Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand NZ
Tenpin bowling has become an extremely social, recreational pastime for both locals and visitors in Christchurch and the Garden City Bowl Centre, in the eastern suburbs of Christchurch, includes modern bowling alleys, shoe hire, computerised scoring, cafés and a bar. Tenpin bowling in Christchurch is an ideal activity for all of the family.
Christchurch sports attraction open: Sunday to Thursday - 09:00 to 23:00, Friday and Saturday - from 09:00 to midnight

Christchurch Sports: Swimming in Christchurch - Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand NZ
Christchurch has a number of magnificent beaches with calm, clear, warm waters, and some of the most suitable beaches for swimming around the Christchurch area include Ashworth's Beach, Corsair Bay, Governors Bay, Leithfield Beach, South Brighton Beach, Sumner Beach and Waimairi Beach. Also, some of the larger sports centres in Christchurch contain swimming pools, which often include water slides and aquatic activities. The impressive Queen Elizabeth II Park Stadium, in the Burwood district, built for the Commonwealth Games in 1974, features a large swimming pool, diving boards and a smaller swimming pool for young children.

Christchurch Sports: Fishing in Christchurch - Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand NZ
Fishing is a particularly popular activity for tourists, visitors and locals in the Christchurch area, including inland fly fishing for trout and salmon, off-shore fishing and deep-sea fishing. Boats are often equipped with modern, state-of-the-art technology radars and fishing equipment, so when deep-sea fishing in Christchurch, you can be sure to go home with a good catch.

Christchurch Sports: Cycling in Christchurch - Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand NZ
Cycling is a major sport in Christchurch, since the Denton Oval cycling stadium was built for the Commonwealth Games in the 1970s. Situated in the Hornby district, the Denton Oval is reputed to be one of the premier cycling stadiums on the South Island and throughout whole of New Zealand.

Christchurch Sports: Mountain Biking in Christchurch - Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand NZ
There are many exceptional cycling trails around Christchurch that are particularly suitable for mountain bikes. These mountain bike trails are often situated in the mountainous suburbs of Christchurch and include truly breathtaking views of the city's coastline, beaches, harbours and bays.

Christchurch Sports: Extreme Outdoor Activities in Christchurch - Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand NZ
Christchurch has a increasing number of exciting, thrilling and sometimes slightly dangerous extreme sports and outdoor activities, which include mountaineering, abseiling, indoor and outdoor rock climbing, caving and potholing, flying, go-karting, whitewater rafting down the Rangitata Gorge, paragliding around the Port Hills, skydiving, bungee jumping, and jet boat adventures up the Waimakariri River to the stunning Waimakariri Canyon, nearby Christchurch.

 
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