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Sport in Liberec
With its natural character, sporting tradition and dense network of sports grounds, Liberec and its near and farther surroundings is a suitable setting for almost all types of sports. For ski and cycle tourists the Jizerské a Lužické Mountains are ideal, for downhill skiers and Para glides the Ještěd Ridge. There are water areas and swift streams, numerous sports grounds - tennis courts, football pitches, open air swimming pools, indoor swimming pools and skating rinks. Really everyone can devote themselves to their sport in Liberec, be it archery, bowling, golf, paragliding or squash. The most interesting and attractive part of the region is the Jizerské Mountains. In recent years it has been the owners of mountain bikes, above all, who have taken advantage of these mountains. Asphalt and concrete roads criss-crossing even the highest parts of the mountains draw an ever greater number devotees of this sport. The Jizera Mountains also offer pleasant experiences in the winter months when, after good preparation, the more than seventy kilometer long Jizerská Way draws lovers of cross country skiing.

More than ten ski lifts and prepared downhill's in the winter sports centers at Bedřichov, Špičák and Severák are there to serve down hill skiing enthusiasts. Most of the downhill's in region are suitable for skiers of intermediate ability. In the winter months, Ještěd also offers good conditions for downhill enthusiasts. The northern pistes are suitable for more demanding skiers, the southern slopes of Na pláně are somewhat less so. Alongside the downhill's on Ještěd there is also a modern ski jumping area where both republic wide competitions as well as stages of the ski jumping and northern combination World Cup take place. Of course the greatest popularity in the most northern Czech mountains is reserved for the gigantic Jizerská Fifty competition. This cross country skiing race takes place in remembrance of the Czechoslovakian mountaineering expedition whose members perished in Peru under mount Huascaran in May 1970. The competition itself started in 1967 as a test of condition for mountaineers before undertaking demanding mountaineering expeditions. The competition first took place, as a memorial to the Peru expedition in 1971. Ten years later the competition attracted the greatest number of competitors when 7863 skiers crossed the start line. Even though since 1989 the number of participants has fallen considerably, the Jizerská Fifty still ranks among the nine most significant long distance competitions in Europe and has been ranked among the greatest category World toppers.

For the more passive friend of sport Liberec offers the chance to visit league football matches, hockey and volleyball. The Liberec region offers everyone a rich pallet of suggestions for actively using their free time. The Smědá river offers not only possibility of competitive fishing, but also, mainly in the spring and together with the Nisa and Jizera rivers, the opportunity for water sports, including rafting. The lakes at Příšovice and Hrádek nad Nisou are suitable for sailing, however the best place for this sport is on Hrádek's Kristýna, not far from the state border near the German town of Zittau. This sixty hectare lake was created when former lignite mines were flooded. Around Liberec the sandstone training walls near Hrádek nad Nisou and the granite rocks of the Jizera Mountains offer climbers plenty to enjoy. There are also several man made climbing walls, the biggest of which is in the gymnasium of Liberec Technical University. The new one hundred and seven meter long toboggan in Liberec swimming pool has proved itself as a great attraction. Golf is another sport which has recently grown considerably in popularity in Liberec and facilities can now be found not far from the center of town in Stráž nad Nisou and onlz a little further distant in Roztání. As well as the followers of traditional sport and other forms of active entertainment, Liberec is also home to a range of organizations whose aim is to unite physical exercise and spiritual growth. These are groups, dedicated to traditional eastern martial arts, ranging from the most popular, such as Karate, judo or Aikido to others such as Kung-fu, Tai-ji quan or Wu-shu. Liberec can offer a whole host of possibilities as to how to pass your free time in active pursuits, the decision is yours.

Jakub Šebelka