SPORTS AND RECREATION
Barbados, with its warm climate, is an ideal place for most sports. The most popular sports activities in schools for boys are cricket, soccer and basketball. Girls play netball and tennis. Bajans learn to swim at the beaches with their families. Games such as dominoes and checkers are also popular recreational activities that people play at home with family members and friends.

Cricket, the national sport, is played throughout the year, as weather conditions are ideal for the game. Children start playing cricket at an early age. International matches are played in Kensington Oval. Barbados always supplies the West Indies team with excellent cricketers. Some famous Bajan cricketers are Sir Frank Worrell, Sir Clyde Walcott, Sir Garfield Sobers, John Goddard and Harry Ince.
Water sports such as sailing, swimming, diving, windsurfing and snorkelling are common forms of recreation for Bajans and tourists. Scuba diving is very popular with visitors. The barrier reefs around the island are rich in marine life with thousands of beautiful fish and plants and there are many wreck sites to explore. Barbados also ranks among the top six places in the world for windsurfing. Windsurfers from all over the world attend the annual Barbados Cup. Brian Talma of Barbados is the current windsurfing world champion.
   Did you know?
Sir Garfield Sobers of Barbados is known as the world's greatest all-round cricketer. In 1975, Queen Elizabeth knighted him for his services to the sport.
For Bajans, fishing is not only an occupation, but also a popular form of recreation. They walk along the beaches and cast nets onto shoals of fish swimming in the shallow water, set fish traps, or sit on a rock with line and tackle. Deep-sea fishing from powerboats is popular with tourists.

Many Bajans enjoy going to horse races at the Garrison Savannah racetrack, built in 1845. The Barbados Turf Club was established in 1905. The most important races in Barbados are the "5000" in February, the Sandy Lane Gold Cup and the Banks Guineas in March, the United Barbados Derby in August and the Heineken Stakes on Boxing Day. Horseback riding is also a popular form of recreation.

There are many public and private tennis courts and golf courses in Barbados. Barbados hosts several golf tournaments throughout the year, which attract participants from many countries.

Spending time with friends in town or on the beach is a popular pastime. It is known as "liming." Bajans also love to party. Parties are times for dancing, singing, listening to music or playing musical instruments.