Press release date: 5th May 2020
Native to West Cork, road bowling has been played on the rural roads of Ireland for centuries. You might well be familiar with road bowling, but have you heard of road tennis?
Originating in the 1930’s, road tennis is a traditional Barbadian sport for people both young and old. Its rules almost identical to table tennis… without the table! The road is the court and no sports attire is required – bare feet are welcome! Does this sound familiar? The indigenous Barbadian game of road tennis is very similar to Ireland’s famous road bowling. Both sports are traditional in their culture, require nominal equipment and are a lot of fun.
Traditionally, road tennis is played on the road, but officially the court should be 20ft long and 10ft wide, with an eight-inch ‘net’ on the tarmac and one player on each side of the court. Scoring is ping pong-based, so the first player to 21 (with at least a two-point lead) wins. The rackets used in road tennis are wooden and resemble large table tennis paddles without the rubber and in the early days, the game was played a standard tennis ball, but over the years the ball was ‘skinned’ of its fuzzy covering to leave just the inside., which allows for a faster play than with a typical tennis balls. Visitors can experience road tennis competitions in the capital city of Bridgetown, where the Professional Road Tennis Association encourage people of all ages and levels to try their hand at the traditional sport.
While it may be small, Barbados boasts a range of sports, as well as its traditional road tennis! Cricket is the most popular sport on the island, but Barbados is also renowned for their numerous sporting events in golf, hockey, watersports, running, motorsports and more. So, whether you’re a participator or spectator, Barbados has something for all sports enthusiasts.
Running
The island of Barbados is a haven for runners. Did you know, the Run Barbados Marathon Weekend is one of the biggest events on the island’s sporting calendar? Taking place from 4-6 December 2020, this is the ideal opportunity for runners of all levels to explore the beautiful island. So, try your hand at the Fun Mile Run or go the whole hog in the marathon and experience the vibrant atmosphere and unique festivities of this weekend event.
Watersports
Ideally situated in the Caribbean, it is no surprise that Barbados is home to an amazing range of watersports, from sailing to surfing and everything in between! The annual Barbados Sailing Week is a great opportunity for those who are nautically inclined, taking place annually in mid-January. For the surfers out there, Barbados is home to one of the best surf breaks in the world – the iconic Soup Bowl. The crystal-clear Caribbean ocean is known as the perfect place for swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving so, don’t miss the annual Barbados Open Water Swimming Festival and the Barbados Dive Fest for your chance to discover these glistening waters for yourself.
Motorsports
Barbados has established itself as a highly regarded world-class motorsports destination and hosts numerous national and international events, such as the Top Gear Festival and the Red Bull Global Rallycross Competition at the Bushy Park Race Course. Since opening in 1971 and its recent refurbishment in 2014, Bushy Park has become a hub for racing in the Caribbean. The famous track features a 2km FIA Grade 4 course as well as a 1.2km CIK Grade 1 course.
Want even more information about the sports you can enjoy in Barbados? Check out www.visitbarbados.org
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For more information please contact Niamh Waters, email niamh@travelmedia.ie or call +353 86 0492394