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Sport
Despite political and economic woes, or perhaps because of them, the success of Turkey’s sportsmen and women continue to hit new heights. This football-mad nation had particular reasons to be proud in 2002, when Hakan Sukur scored the fastest ever World Cup goal and Turkey beat South Korea 3-2 to claim third place – the country’s first time in the finals since 1954. Halil Mutlu won a gold medal in weight lifting during the Sydney Olympics and diver Yasemin Dalkilic has broken several world records. Football rules, however, and during the August to May season, success, both locally or internationally, for any of the three top teams – Galatasaray (website: www.galatasaray.com), with red and yellow banners, Fenerbahçe (website: www.fenerbahce.org), with blue and yellow, or Besiktas (website: www.bjk.com/turk), in black and white – can mean shotguns fired in the air and car horns hooting all night. Galatasaray’s prestigious UEFA Cup win in May 2000 was also a major source of pride and resulted in the team’s trainer being transferred to Milan. Most Turkish fans don’t drink, so while games and their aftermath can be rowdy and loud, they are usually safe, although there have been known cases of attacks on visiting foreign fans, who should be careful not to cause offence. The main stadium is the Inönü, near Taksim Square.
Basketball is also popular since Efes Pilsen enjoyed several Euroleague wins in 1999. Horseracing takes place at the Veli Efendi track in Bakirköy, on Wednesday and at the weekend, although betting is more popular than attending. Fitness centres, golf, tennis and swimming pools, however, are strictly middle-class pursuits, with clubs tending to be situated in the suburbs and expensive. In summer, there are yacht regattas in the Sea of Marmara.
Tickets to sporting events are available for purchase from the individual venues.
Fitness centres: The Dorint Park Plaza, Topçu Caddesi 23, in Taksim (tel: (212) 254 5100), is a complete sports facility offering swimming, sauna, massage, Jacuzzi and workout rooms. It is free to hotel guests and membership is available to non-residents. The Marmara Hotel GYM, located on Taksim Square (tel: (212) 251 4696), has the latest range of cardiovascular and weight-training equipment, as well as step, aerobic and yoga classes. Membership is available to non-residents. Sports International, Ataköy Marina (tel: (212) 559 3333), in Sahil Yolu, on the way to the airport, is considered the best-equipped and varied sports facility in the city, offering tennis, outdoor and indoor swimming pools, squash courts and personal training programmes. The company has recently opened a new club at the Polcentre Shopping Mall, Levent 1 (tel: 212 280 8949). The Korukent Sports Centre, Korukent A Blok (tel: (212) 274 0668), situated on the top floor in Levent, has an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi, jet stream, sauna, Turkish bath, manual therapy, fitness, body building, aerobics, step, Kung-Fu, Whu-Shu, Tai Chi and Kick Box. The Xpace Wellness Centre, Bagdat Caddesi 493, Suadiye (tel: (216) 478 1101) is one of the more chic and modern sports complexes in the city.
Golf: There are several international golf centres on the outskirts of Istanbul, including the swish and expensive Kemer Country Club, beyond Eyüp (tel: (212) 239 7913), where membership is not required. In the city, however, the nine-hole Istanbul Golf Club, 4 Levent (tel: (212) 264 0742), has been going for a century and is one of the oldest in Europe, however, is for members and guests only. Green fees are approximately US$60 per day.
Riding: The Istanbul Riding Club, Binicilik Sitesi Ucyol, in Maslak (tel: (212) 264 1404), offers horses for hire, as well as riding instruction.
Sailing: Istanbul’s main yacht marina is at Fenerbahçe, on the Asian side of the city. The Fenerbahçe Sailing Club (tel: (216) 336 0633) is located here.
Tennis: There are two private tennis courts in the suburban coastal village of Istinye, the ENKA Sports Centre (tel: (212) 276 5084), which has indoor tennis facilities as well as swimming, and TED (tel: (212) 262 0168), which also offers fencing and mountaineering instruction. The Hillside Tennis Club, Tepecik Yolu Alkent, in Etiler (tel: (212) 257 7822) has six courts.
Paragliding: Turkey offers a number of good paragliding spots and adventurous visitors can learn the ropes at the Albatros Paragliding Club, Rasim Mahallesi, Uzun Hafiz Sokak 119, Kadikoy (tel: (216) 418 7959; e-mail: info@albatros.org.tr; website: www.albatros.org.tr).
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