The city of Eilat is an international sports center, organizing more than a hundred local and international sports events every year in a range of branches and disciplines.
Sports are an integral feature of life in Eilat where it's possible to enjoy and compete in any number of events. The Red Sea is itself an arena for many water sports, while the Eilat Mountains and desert are ideal for marathons, bike races, and extreme sports. The hotels can simultaneously host tens of thousands of athletes, coaches, family members, and sports fans who also get to enjoy a holiday in Eilat, one of the most attractive vacation destinations in the entire Middle East.
As part of the city's vision, Eilat has built sports facilities designed to allow every tourist, resident, and temporary visitor to enjoy easy, convenient access to sports activities such as jogging, biking, surfing, swimming, and extreme activities.
The city has multipurpose spaces for various ball games, soccer fields, basketball courts, beach volleyball and footvolley courts, orderly walking and biking trails, athletics courses, bowling pitches, a skate park, and many fully-equipped outdoor gyms, offering everyone a chance to engage in sports free of charge. The Eilat Mountains are great for climbing enthusiasts, rappellers, treks, and off-road driving. Many visitors get up early to get to the boundless desert waiting just outside the city to enjoy these and other activities before returning in the evening for a night on the town.
The hotels also provide physical fitness options during a holiday in Eilat with pools, gyms, tennis courts, and the like. Moreover, the Red Sea is one of the best places in the world for extreme water sports, all of which are available along the Eilat shoreline.
Since the start of the millennium, the city's facilities and infrastructures have undergone considerable upgrading to allow Eilat to host many sports events. Indeed, the city sees an increasing number of tournaments and championships in all sports with every passing year. These events help promote the city, bring many tourists, and lead to exposure in the global media.
Here are some sporting events held annually in the city:
Eilat Motocross: Eilat hosts Israel's off-road motorcycle championship about 2 km north of the city in the Eilat Mountain dunes. The course is blessed by Mother Nature herself. Because it is watered by high-level ground water, driving on it is challenging yet free of dust. The event, held in two rounds on Fridays and Saturdays, draws a great many spectators for a fun, extreme event lasting a full weekend. Admission is free.
Israman: The Eilat Israman Full and Half Iron Triathlon is the Israeli open triathlon – the longest in the country. The course combines the sea and the mountains. In the full triathlon, the athletes swim 3.8 km in the Red Sea, cycle a challenging course of 180 km going through the Eilat Mountains, and run 42.2 km – a full marathon – in the wondrous desert north of the city. Spectators can come for free to cheer on the runners and also sign up to participate themselves.
ASA Championship: In recent years, the international Academic Sport Association games have been held in Eilat. Athletes in an astounding range of activities fill different locations in the city, at the end of which a conference on "Leadership in Sports" is held in the presence of public officials and celebrities. The competitions feature popular sports such as soccer and basketball (3 x 3), but also bowling, judo, off-road biking, open-water swimming, SAP, and kayaking.
The Sportiada: This event, held for the first time in 1980, is dedicated entirely to the public at large. Some ten thousand amateur athletes of the general public compete in 15 sporting events, including soccer, basketball, tennis, chess, and more. Since 2016, the event has included competitions for the visually impaired. Organized by Hapo'el Center, the event is a beloved annual city tradition.
The Footvolley World Cup: In recent years, the golden beaches of Eilat have become the favorite location for hosting the Footvolley World Cup, footvolley being a fun sport combining beach volleyball and soccer. The top footvolley players come to Eilat every year to compete over two lively days, the Red Sea serving as the perfect backdrop to the energetic action of this sport.
The Peace and Brotherhood Cup: This teen soccer tournament for youngsters from all sectors and faiths in Israel has been held in Eilat for more than a decade during the Passover holiday in the spring. Youngsters aged 12 to 16 from various youth division throughout Israel come to Eilat to compete. They're hosted at the Club Inn Hotel where they experience evenings of entertainment, full meals, and exposure to a broad, open discourse. In addition to the desire to win, the tournament champions coexistence among the many sectors that constitute Israeli society and teaches mutual respect and acceptance of the other.
The Eilat Desert Marathon: Since 2010, Eilat has hosted its annual Eilat Desert Marathon, an international event attracting thousands of runners and sports enthusiasts from all over the world to compete at one of the most beautiful and unique marathons routes anywhere on planet Earth. The Eilat Desert Marathon combines the mesmerizing views of desert nature with the enchanting vistas of the Red Sea. Not only does it event satisfy the runners' competitive spirit, it also provides great visual pleasure to every participant.
