Sports

Land-based Sports

A number of sports take place in the Islands which can add interest to your time in the Islands or may even form the main purpose of your visit.

Ruggedly beautiful and challenging, the Stanley Golf Course offers the opportunity to play on one of the most southerly courses in the world with a striking backdrop of the Two Sisters and Tumbledown mountains. The 4,500 yard long course has 12 greens and 18 tees and has been developed and maintained to a high standard by dedicated members over the years.

The club welcomes visitors, you can play a full or part round for just £5. The course may look easy at a glance, but with the brisk winds typical of the Falklands it will test the skills of even the most experienced golfer to the limit.

Rifle shooting in the Falkland Islands dates back to the 1880s. The Falklands’ Rifle Club offers full bore rifle shooting at a 1000m range based at Rookery Bay, Stanley. The Falkland Gun Club offers practical pistol, precision pistol, small bore rifle (.22), all air disciplines and all clay target disciplines. The Phillips Point Range, Stanley is set up for Skeet (Olympic, English and American), Trap (ABT/Wobble and DTL) and English Sporting (simulated game and FITASC). Limited game shooting experiences are available and must be accompanied by a local guide.

Both clubs welcome visitors and have club firearms available to hire. A small temporary membership fee means you can shoot without need for a local licence.

The Stanley marathon is the world’s most southerly AIMS-certified marathon. Organised by the Standard Chartered Bank to raise money for charity, the marathon takes place each year in March and welcomes participants from overseas to join the locals in this challenging race.

Water Sports

Water-sports are not yet offered on a commercial basis but with a little advance planning it is possible to make the most of the beautiful shorelines and experience the cool temperatures of the South Atlantic in the company of our fantastic wildlife.

The surfing is described as "an adventure in magnificent settings," by local enthusiasts and the Falklands beaches and coastline have barely been explored to date. There are no crowds and on most occasions the water is shared with Peale’s Dolphins whilst giant petrels and other seabirds fly overhead.

The most commonly surfed spot is Surf Bay just a few minutes’ drive from Stanley. With more than 1,300 kilometres of rugged coastline on both East and West Falklands there are many areas which have rarely been surfed and others yet to be discovered. A 5mm wetsuit is recommended as the minimum requirement with hood, booties and gloves. A standard surfboard is adequate.

Windsurfing and kayaking are also enjoyed by residents. There have been a number of kayaking expeditions made by visitors in recent years, the most successful of which was a 22-day circumnavigation of the Islands by New Yorker, Marcus Demuth. Marcus particularly enjoyed the hospitality he received from Islanders as well as the journey.

The Shallow Marine Surveys Group regularly dive at sites around the Islands. The Group describes the shallow marine environment as “the most diverse habitat of the Islands” and believes that there are many new species waiting to be discovered. Over one hundred shipwrecks lie on Falkland shores, also of interest to divers. Marine mammals frequently enjoy interacting with divers as they explore the coastal environment.

There are no shops selling or renting equipment in the Falkland but enthusiasts of water-based activities can make contact the Falkland Islands Tourist Board to connect with locals who will advise you about your chosen sport.