Water based sports
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Canoeing
Gay Outdoor Club - Canoeing
The Gay Outdoor Club has a specialist canoeing group which organises events around the country using hired Canadian canoes which are suitable for complete novices whilst experienced canoeists can hire kayaks or bring their own. The pace is generally leisurely and downstream with supervision and life jackets provided. The group also organise an annual white water rafting expedition abroad.
For details see the main Gay Outdoor Club details or visit www.goc.org.uk/Activities/Canoeing.htm
Diving
For acrobatic diving, please see: Gymnastics.
For sub aqua diving, please see: Sub Aqua.
Rowing
Orion Rowing Club
Orion was established in 2000 on the back of success (as 'Outriggers') at the 1998 Gay Games
in Amsterdam. It is based in Hammersmith, London and is affiliated to the ARA (Amateur Rowing
Association). Active membership of the club peaked at around 60 but - given the high demand
on resources required to coach and develop novice rowers effectively - Orion is currently
focussing only on experienced and veteran rowers. The club owns a number of boats, including
a coxless IV-/quad (convertible), and is self-funding through an annual membership fee.
| Email: | martiny750@aol.com |
|---|---|
| Address: | c/o Furnival Sculling Club, 19 Lower Mall, London W6 9DJ |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| When: | Email for details |
| Where: | Email for details |
| How much: | £300 a year |
| Beginners welcome: | Not currently |
Sailing
The Sailing & Cruising Association
The Sailing & Cruising Association is the UK’s sailing club for gay men and
lesbians interested in yachting or power boating. Founded in 1980, it has over 250 active
members, 100 of whom have their own boats. Activities include yachting, racing and
power-boating, as well as charter holidays and weekends at home and abroad.
A variety of fun events also take place; examples include a "Sail & Learn" weekend, east and south coast rallies, and the EuroGay Cup Regatta 2007 in Brighton. The club also competes in the Gay Games every four years. The group meets socially on the second Tuesday of every month from 8pm at Kudos, 10 Adelaide Street, London WC2N 4HZ. Novices and experienced skippers welcome. Check website for membership and event details, as well as opportunities for sailing and crewing.
| Email: | membership@gaysailing.org.uk |
|---|---|
| Website: | www.gaysailing.org.uk |
| Address: | The Sailing and Cruising Association, BM SAILING, London WC1N 3XX |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| When: | See website for details |
| Where: | See website for details |
| How much: | £17.50 (single), £22.50 (joint) a year |
| Beginners welcome: | Yes |
Sub-Aqua
GLUG
GLUG (Gay & Lesbian Underwater Group) is a scuba dive club for LGBT (and friendly
heterosexual) people. GLUG has around 120 members across the UK and Europe with a complete
mix of ages and genders.
Each month there is a social meeting in central London to discuss future events, trips and to meet new members or those interested in learning to dive. Various diving trips are run within the UK during the summer and around four international trips each year. UK trips vary from £30 to £45 a day for boat hire plus accommodation, food and travel. Overseas trips can cost from around £450 upwards for a week.
Additional costs include diving courses and scuba equipment (which can vary hugely depending on type of diving, quality, age etc, although this can be hired for as little as £20 a day when learning). GLUG can assist with BSAC (British Sub-Aqua Club) training and certification via our sister club Dorothy Divers or we arrange group PADI courses with LGBT-friendly clubs in the UK and abroad. Divers must be physically fit and pass a basic medical assessment (HIV status is not an issue).
| Email: | info@glug.co.uk |
|---|---|
| Website: | www.glug.co.uk |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| When: | First Tuesday monthly (social) plus five or six UK weekend dives a year |
| Where: | Konditor & Cook at Curzon Soho, 99 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 5DY |
| How much: | £10 per year |
| Beginners welcome: | Yes |
Swimming
Gay Outdoor Club - Swimming
The Gay Outdoor Club organise regular swimming events at various locations across the country. The swimming sessions are suitable for most abilities, being organised by people who simply enjoy adding swimming to their outdoor activities, and the organisation links up with other LGBT swimming groups to give access to a more competitive level of swimming.
For details see the main Gay Outdoor Club details or visit www.goc.org.uk/Activities/Swimming.htm
Goslings Sports Club
Goslings is a club for gay men, lesbians and their friends who enjoy badminton and swimming,
and has been running since 1983. Concessionary rates are available for GOC members, and
Goslings enjoy exclusive use of the pool.
Every Monday there is a swim during the public session, between around 5.30pm to 6.30pm, followed by a social at Pizza Express on Coptic Street and a pub afterwards. Goslings swimming is open to all levels of ability, and new swimmers are always welcome.
| Telephone: | Richard on 020 8946 3468 |
|---|---|
| Email: | goslings@hotmail.com |
| Website: | www.goslingssportsclub.com |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| When: | Thursdays from 8.20pm |
| Where: | Oasis Leisure Centre, 32 Endell Street, London WC2H 9AG |
| How much: | Email or phone for details |
| Beginners welcome: | Yes |
Gymnos
Gymnos started in 1988 in its present form as a nude male swimming group but owing to the difficulty in finding suitable pools in London the predominant activity is now the nude social events that take place most weekends, usually in the homes of members of which there are about 400. Its members still have nude swimming available through Gay London Swimming whose swims they join.
| Telephone: | Mark on 020 8988 0152 |
|---|---|
| Email: | gymnos_naturists@lycos.com |
| Website: | www.gymnos.org |
| Address: | BM Box 5147, London WC1N 3XX |
| Gender: | Male |
| When: | Email, phone or see website for details |
| Where: | Email, phone or see website for details |
| How much: | £12 plus £5 for contact list inclusion; contribution at socials up to £3 for refreshments |
| Beginners welcome: | Yes |
Out to Swim
Out to Swim is a club for gay and lesbian swimmers and water polo players which meets
every day of the week at various pools around London, and three times a week in Brighton.
As one of the largest Masters swimming clubs in the UK, Out to Swim caters for all ages and most levels of ability, though you will need to be able to swim at least two of the recognised strokes.
Sessions last for one hour at a time and are coached, with swimmers organised into lanes according to their speed. The club creates an environment where all members of the LGBT community feel welcome and is currently champion club in Middlesex - which is only possibly through a great team effort. There are social events as well to round out your experience as a club member.
| Email: | info@outtoswim.org |
|---|---|
| Website: | www.outtoswim.org |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| When: | Every night in central London - see website for details |
| Where: | Different locations in Central London including the University of London Union (ULU) pool in Bloomsbury and Oasis in Covent Garden; see website for details |
| How much: | First three sessions free. After that £6 pounds per session (including pool entry) or £45 a month. Discount annual membership also available. Low income discounts also provided. |
| Beginners welcome: | Yes, although you need to be able to swim at least two strokes; water polo novices welcome |
Water Polo
London Orcas
The Greater London Orcas water polo team was established in 2002 and is part of Out To Swim,
one of the UK's largest masters swimming clubs.
The water polo team has 30 active members of both sexes and the club trains twice a week where professional coaching is offered. The teams compete year-round in the London leagues. The teams also attend national and international competitions. In July 2006, we competed in the Gay Games, Chicago and Out Games held in Montreal and finished an admirable 10th and 3rd respectively.
| Email: | send the water polo team a message via the website listed below |
|---|---|
| Website: | www.outtoswim.org - click on the water polo option |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| When: | Wednesdays at 9pm, and Saturdays at 5pm |
| Where: | Porchester Baths, Queensway, London W2 5HS (Wednesdays), and University of London Union, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HY (Saturdays) |
| How much: | See website for details |
| Beginners welcome: | See website for details |
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