What a venue! Portsmouth plays host to some of world's greatest sporting contests

Whether on land or on the water, Portsmouth has welcomed competitors from all over the world in all sorts of sports down the years.
By Deborah Croker
Published 14th Oct 2021, 20:00 BST
The peloton rides into Portsmouth during stage five of the Tour de France on July 7, 1994. Picture: Pascal Rondeau/Allsport/Getty Images.The peloton rides into Portsmouth during stage five of the Tour de France on July 7, 1994. Picture: Pascal Rondeau/Allsport/Getty Images.
The peloton rides into Portsmouth during stage five of the Tour de France on July 7, 1994. Picture: Pascal Rondeau/Allsport/Getty Images.

As we see here, much of it, unsurprisingly, has been water-related, but once in a blue moon something quite surprising comes along.

Like the 1994 Tour de France.

Those of us lucky to have witnessed that supercharged event will surely agree Portsmouth had seen nothing like it before… or since (OK, apart from the celebrations after the 2008 FA Cup Final perhaps).

August 17, 1938: Southsea beach before the Portsmouth-Ryde swimming race across the Solent (3.5 miles), are two of the competitors: C Rogers, (left), who had previously set a record time, and Cecil Deane, the English long-distance champion. Picture: Topical Press Agency/Getty Images.August 17, 1938: Southsea beach before the Portsmouth-Ryde swimming race across the Solent (3.5 miles), are two of the competitors: C Rogers, (left), who had previously set a record time, and Cecil Deane, the English long-distance champion. Picture: Topical Press Agency/Getty Images.
August 17, 1938: Southsea beach before the Portsmouth-Ryde swimming race across the Solent (3.5 miles), are two of the competitors: C Rogers, (left), who had previously set a record time, and Cecil Deane, the English long-distance champion. Picture: Topical Press Agency/Getty Images.

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