Sports and fitness in Geelong: your complete guide

Geelong's sporting culture is anchored by the Geelong Cats — one of the AFL's most successful clubs — and the Kardinia Park precinct that has been expanded into a 36,000-seat stadium that gives Geelong a professional sporting venue competitive with much larger cities.

AFL Geelong Cats at GMHBA Stadium — the Geelong Football Club's record nine VFL/AFL premierships and the city-club relationship that small-city AFL clubs develop make the Cats at Kardinia Park one of the most authentic Australian sporting experiences available anywhere. GMHBA Stadium's compact intimacy creates an atmosphere that the larger Melbourne grounds cannot match.

Kitesurfing and windsurfing — Corio Bay — the Corio Bay's consistent afternoon sea breeze (the classic bay thermal) creates the kitesurfing and windsurfing conditions at Limeburners Bay and Point Henry that have established Geelong as a kitesurfing destination for the Melbourne wind sports community seeking reliable conditions within 90 minutes of the city.

Running — Eastern Beach foreshore and the Barwon River — the Eastern Beach foreshore path and the Barwon River trail through Barwon Heads provide Geelong's primary recreational running corridors. The Geelong Running Festival (April) attracts more than 5,000 participants in the half marathon, 10km, and community events.

Cycling — Surf Coast Ride and Great Ocean Road — the annual Surf Coast Century (100km trail run and ultra-marathon) and the Great Ocean Road cycling (from Torquay to Lorne and beyond) create the endurance sport events that draw participants from Melbourne and interstate to the Geelong region's exceptional coastal and hinterland riding terrain.

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