[HDNG]INTRODUCTION:[EHDNG][PARA][GRPH]S3[EGRPH][STAT][BULL] Recent successes: football[ESTAT][PARA][ITAL]The World Student Games would never have come to the sporting equivalent of Captain-Birdseye-without-his-haddock, and indeed before it came, Sheffield was already no wet fish as far as sports are concerned. But then the new facilities were built and now there's a whole whale of amenities - possibly the best in the country. Yet more expenditure (รบ5.5m over 2 years) is planned to root out the few remaining shortfalls. Beginners and casual participants are encouraged as well as thronging supermen and wonderwomen. Sheffield is nationally renowned for rock climbing with 4 climbing walls and some of the best crags in England nearby.[EITAL][HDNG]SPORTS FACILITIES:[EHDNG][PARA]The World Student Games left more than a large pile of litter and unnoticed publicity - although the facilities belong to the city, students are welcome to use them. There are 4 new world class sports centres offering an Olympic pool and waterpolo pool, all-weather centre, artificially surfaced pitches, including a new expanse of astroturf, 130 acres of sports fields, a huge indoor sports hall and gymnasium. Slightly older and [ITAL]only slightly less impressive[EITAL] is The Goodwin Athletics Centre (a short walk from the campus) which would have been enough on its own and now there are 2 new astroturf pitches. The River Don provides for most water sports with Ogston reservoir (20 miles away) making up the weight. The Peak District covers rambling, mountaineering, caving and all that stuff. [ITAL] The biggest challenge facing Sheffield students is finding a sport which isn't catered for, [EITAL]and what's more, all the facilities are free.[HDNG]SPORTING CLUBS:[EHDNG][PARA]American Football; Women's Basketball; Bridge; Chess; Women's Cricket; Fives; Gun; Gymnastics; Hang Gliding; Ladies Hockey; Jiu Jitsu; Korfball; Women's Lacrosse; Parachuting; Rambling; Rifle; Rowing; Rugby League; Women's Rugby; Medics' Rugby; Shotokan Aikido; Speleological (potholing); Surfing; Tae Kwon Do; Ten Pin Bowling;Windsurfing.[HDNG]ATTRACTIONS:[EHDNG][PARA]The local football clubs are well-known: Sheffield Wednesday and United. Also locally: Europe's biggest dry ski slope.[PARA][PARA]
