Admit it, we all have that friend out there who lives, breathes, and sleeps their favorite sports team — who takes it as a personal affront if someone walks by in a rival jersey, and Heaven forbid should anyone attempt to walk inside their house with opposing team apparel. Perhaps it’s you who can spout off the most obscure facts about a player who managed only like two minutes on the field back in the 1950s.
Yes, if you (or your friends) are those kinds of sports fans, you’ll absolutely love it here in Hamburg.
Soccer seems to be the biggest sport in Hamburg, with plenty of players who joined amateur clubs all over the city. The professionals play in two Bundesliga teams, and the Imtech Arena holds over 57,000 screaming fans of the sport.
Yes, I’m well aware that football (soccer) isn’t all that popular with the American crowd (yet), but the 2006 World Cup held in Germany caused quite the stir around here — and everyone seems to love FC St. Pauli, whose team plays at the Millerntorplatz Stadium. They’re so popular they boast over 11 million fans who bleed their team colors.
Thanks to Hamburg’s colder climate, hockey also reigns supreme in sports. The Hamburg Freezers’ home is the the O2 World Hamburg, and whose motto claims them to be Der Norden Sind Wir, or “We are the North.” Why not come to watch the Freezers play against Wolfsburg or Hanover?
And if the NHL (National Hockey League) ever has another lockout, you might catch some of the best professional players in the world skating right past you.
Another of Hamburg’s most popular sports only happens once a year, the Deutsches Derby, a horse race for 3-year-olds running 2,400 meters. The event’s been a popular Hamburg event for more than 140 years — making the race older than the Kentucky Derby.
Even the less popular sports are popular here in Hamburg, so it isn’t crazy to take in a Handball sporting event, enjoy a scrum at a Rugby event (what’s great is the women’s league has managed to win championships, while the men haven’t won any), or pray for a touchdown with American Football. Add in the polo events, boxing matches, cricket tournaments, and motor sports, and you’ll be wondering how anyone manages to get any work done.
Not all of Hamburg’s sports are spectator sports either. The Cyclassics brings tens of thousands of amateur cyclists to the city — and it’s a brilliant way to see the place as you wiz on by.
But, the Color Run has got to be the most fun of them all. Imagine running (walking, jogging, whatever) 5 kilometers through four color “stations” where your bright white clothes are turned into a rainbow. It’s all in good fun, with the day ending with live music events and yummy food.
Speaking of running, the Lauf Cup is another September running event — which isn’t to be confused with the Hamburg Marathon, held every May. Plan accordingly, since many of thes streets are closed for these kinds of events, as they run along popular attractions like the Jungfernstieg.
Don’t even get me started on talking about all the water sports that are done here in Hamburg. Take your pick, you’ve got sailing and wake boarding, rowing, water polo, and whatever else you can envision doing on the water. Oh yes, there are even Dragon Boat races if you like that sort of thing.
And I got so excited thinking about what could be done on the water, I forgot all about tennis. Every July the city of Hamburg hosts the German Open, bringing in such notable names like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer (who won four titles here). Sorry, it’s been a male-only event since its inception in 1892 — although the prize money is now well over 1 million Euro these days.
Of course there are sporting events that you might not consider Hamburg sports events at all, believe it or not. Sorry, I wouldn’t have considered Chess to be a sporting event — but they do around here. I wonder how I’d look sporting my chess colors? Not too good, so I’ll stick to the cheering for the Freezers, if you don’t mind. ;-)