year round sunshine, dozens of beaches and stunning natural surroundings, make rio de janeiro the perfect stage for every sporting activity imaginable - evidence of this is shown by the many energetic people that can be seen practicing their activities of leisure in the streets, on the beaches and all public green spaces.

the city owes its reputation for having a healthy and beautiful population, at least in part, to the residents' passion for sports and fitness, and a general outdoor culture.

as a result, brazil has produced sporting greatness in many disciplines - most notably in soccer, volleyball, martial arts and surfing - these successes are a source for great pride for many brazilians, who cheer for their country with dedication and loyalty - brazilians surfers have been called 'the brazilian storm,' the footballers a soccer dynasty and the list goes on.

for cariocas, sports are more than rigid exercise regimes - instead they make up a large part of peoples' social lives, with many subcultures existing within many sporting communities.