Soccer, the other team sport
Although eclipsed by rugby, soccer has many fans. A number of Welsh clubs play in the English Championship, notably Cardiff and Swansea. Recently, Wrexham has received a great deal of media attention since its takeover by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, and has since been the subject of a documentary series on Disney+. But it's the national team that's the talk of the town. Its ranks include many great players: in the 1980s and 1990s, Ian Rush made the Welsh and Liverpool happy, before handing over to Ryan Giggs in the 1990s and 2000s, a Manchester United legend where he won 2 Champions Leagues and 13 English league titles. Today, these legends have given way to Aaron Ramsey, back at his parent club Cardiff after 11 years at Arsenal, and above all Gareth Bale. The Real Madrid striker, described by Ryan Giggs as "the greatest Welsh player of all time", has won it all at the world's most prestigious club, taking his national team to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 and the 2023 World Cup for the second time in its history.
Taking to the sea
One of today's most famous Welshmen is skipper Alex Thomson.2nd in the Vendée Globe in 2017, the legendary solo round-the-world sailing race, and3rd in the previous edition (2012), he was forced to retire in 2021 and subsequently put his career on hold. The Bangor native also came close to achieving the feat in the Route du Rhum in 2018. With a clear lead, he unfortunately ran aground a few miles from the finish and only finished3rd.
If you want to get away from it all, you'll have to make do with a few sea excursions organized by agencies based mainly in Pembrokeshire. Sail around the islands of Skomer, Skokholm and Ramsey and try to spot dolphins, porpoises, birds and sometimes even whales and sharks. There's also the chance to get out and about in a kayak, paddle, surf or windsurf. But the trendiest sport in recent years is coasteering, a mix of climbing, jumping and swimming in the sea!
On land too, we sweat
More and more cycling fans are taking to the roads in the land of Geraint Thomas, winner of the 2018 Tour de France. But mountain bikers are also pedaling on mountain trails.
Hiking is, after all, the most popular activity when you set foot in Wales. The region lends itself perfectly to all kinds of walks: sporty hikes, strolls along cliffs, adventures in forest trails or short climbs up the most challenging slopes of Mount Snowdon (1,085 m above sea level). Warm up! Especially if you're planning to tackle the famous Offa's Dyke Path, the ancient border between Wales and England. These multi-day walks offer beautiful itineraries and spectacular scenery. On the seaside, the Wales Coast Path attracts walkers who can survey the entire coastline.
With its countless lakes and rivers, Wales also offers an exceptional playground for fly-fishermen, who target wild, sea and rainbow trout, grayling and salmon...
Finally, golf enthusiasts will find a number of renowned greens in the heart of exceptional landscapes. The Ryder Cup has already set down its bags on the Twenty Ten course at Celtic Manor near Cardiff, while Tiger Woods has already swung his clubs at Royal Porthcawl in Rest Bay, the most beautiful course in the country. Welsh soccer legend Gareth Bale has retired from playing to become a professional golfer.
