Editing Reading, Berkshire (section)

==Sport==
{{Main|Sport in Reading, Berkshire}}
===Football===
[[File:Madejski Stadium aerial, August 2014 (cropped).jpg|thumb|The [[Select Car Leasing Stadium]], home of [[Reading FC|Reading Football Club]]]] 
[[File:Millenium Madejski Hotel.jpg|thumb|right|The Voco Reading Hotel, pictured when still known as the Millennium Madejski]]
[[File:Reading Half Marathon in 2004.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Reading Half Marathon|Reading Half Marathon 2004]] climbing Russell Street in [[West Reading, Berkshire|West Reading]]]]
Reading is the home of [[Reading F.C.|Reading Football Club]], an [[association football]] club nicknamed ''The Royals'', formed in 1871.<ref>{{cite web|title=The History of Reading Football Club|url=http://www.readingfc.co.uk/page/History/0,,10306~122791,00.html|publisher=Reading Football Club|access-date=13 June 2011|date=2 May 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100204044927/http://www.readingfc.co.uk/page/History/0%2C%2C10306~122791%2C00.html|archive-date=4 February 2010}}</ref> Formerly nicknamed 'The Biscuitmen'<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Biscuitmen Nickname|url=https://www.vintagefootballers.com/biscuits-royals-reading-football-club/|access-date=1 February 2021|website=|archive-date=22 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122192406/https://www.vintagefootballers.com/biscuits-royals-reading-football-club/|url-status=live}}</ref> and based at [[Elm Park (stadium)|Elm Park]], the club plays at the 24,161 capacity<ref>{{cite web|title=Madejski Stadium information|url=http://www.readingfc.co.uk/page/Stadium/0,,10306~418118,00.html|publisher=Reading Football Club|access-date=14 April 2011|date=4 August 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110507041941/http://www.readingfc.co.uk/page/Stadium/0%2C%2C10306~418118%2C00.html|archive-date=7 May 2011}}</ref> [[Select Car Leasing Stadium]], first named after chairman Sir [[John Madejski]] which opened in 1998, and later renamed "Select Car Leasing Stadium"<ref>{{Cite news |date=16 July 2021 |title=Reading's Madejski Stadium renamed Select Car Leasing Stadium |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-berkshire-57860294 |access-date=4 June 2023}}</ref> in 2021, after a sponsor. After winning the [[2005–06 Football League|2005–06 Football League Championship]] with a record of 106 points, Reading spent two seasons in the [[Premier League]] before being relegated to [[Football League Championship|The Championship]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Nicky Shorey doubts Reading FC's '106' record will be beaten|url=http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/football/readingfc/s/2053830_nicky_shorey_doubts_reading_fcs_106_record_will_be_beaten|work=[[Reading Post]]|publisher=Surrey & Berkshire Media|access-date=10 June 2011|date=8 July 2009|first=Jonny|last=Fordham|archive-date=25 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125174039/http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/football/readingfc/s/2053830_nicky_shorey_doubts_reading_fcs_106_record_will_be_beaten|url-status=live}}</ref> For the 2012–2013 season, the club again competed in the Premier League, after securing first place in the Championship in the 2011–2012 season, but were relegated back down to the Championship at season's end.<ref>{{cite news|title=Reading promotion meant to be, says Brian McDermott|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17751181|work=[[BBC Sport]]|publisher=BBC|location=London|access-date=1 June 2012|date=17 April 2012|archive-date=20 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120420045055/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17751181|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Reading Town FC|Reading Town Football Club]], formed in 1966,<ref>{{cite web|title=Reading Town News Season 2010/11|url=http://www.hellenicleague.co.uk/archive/10_11/reading.html|publisher=Uhlsport Hellenic Football League|access-date=11 January 2012|date=14 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107023344/http://hellenicleague.co.uk/archive/10_11/reading.html|archive-date=7 November 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> played at Scours Lane and were playing in the [[Hellenic Football League|Hellenic League]] Premier Division but were dissolved in 2016, while fellow [[non-league football]] club [[Reading City F.C.|Reading City Football Club]] now play at Scours Lane after moving from [[Palmer Park Stadium]] at the end of the 2015–16 season. Scours Lane was also renamed to Rivermoor Stadium in 2016.

===Other Sports===
Reading is home to three senior semi-professional [[rugby union|rugby]] clubs: [[Reading Abbey RFC]], [[Rams RFC]] and [[Reading RFC]]. The [[Reading Rockets]] are the town's semi-professional [[basketball]] team. They compete in the second tier [[English Basketball League]] Division 1, though they have tried several times in recent years to move up to the top tier [[British Basketball League]]. They play home games at Loddon Valley Leisure Centre, and are coached by Samit Nuruzade. In 2016–17 the club embarked on an 18-game winning streak. During the 24-25 Season, They were able to win 3 out of the 4 available Domestic Trophies. The town hosts [[Australian Rules football]] team [[Reading Kangaroos]] and [[American football]] team [[Berkshire Renegades]]. [[Palmer Park Stadium]] has a [[velodrome]] and [[athletics track]]. It is used by [[Reading Athletic Club]]<ref>{{cite web|title=How to Join|url=http://www.readingac.com/joining.html|publisher=Reading Athletic Club|access-date=25 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715162311/http://www.readingac.com/joining.html|archive-date=15 July 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the Berkshire Renegades for training.<ref>{{cite web|title=About us|url=http://www.renegadesafc.com/aboutus.php|publisher=Berkshire Renegades American Football Club|access-date=12 June 2011|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090515235340/http://www.renegadesafc.com/aboutus.php|archive-date=15 May 2009}}</ref> [[Reading Hockey Club]] enter teams in both the [[Men's England Hockey League|Men's]] and [[Women's England Hockey League]]s.

[[Rowing]] is pursued by the [[Reading Rowing Club]] and the [[Reading University Boat Club]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Home|url=http://www.readinguniversityboatclub.co.uk/|publisher=Reading University Boat Club|access-date=13 June 2011|archive-date=29 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101229225121/http://www.readinguniversityboatclub.co.uk/|url-status=live}}</ref> both next to Caversham Bridge, whilst [[Reading Blue Coat School]] trains at [[Sonning]] adjacent to the [[Redgrave Pinsent Rowing Lake]] in [[Caversham, Reading|Caversham]], which provides training facilities for the [[Great Britain]] National Squad.<ref>{{cite news|title=Redgrave Pinsent Rowing Lake|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/articles/2006/05/04/redgrave_pinsent_rowing_lake_feature.shtml|work=BBC News|access-date=10 June 2011|archive-date=28 December 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091228072240/http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/articles/2006/05/04/redgrave_pinsent_rowing_lake_feature.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> However, almost all club rowing is done on the [[River Thames]]. The annual [[Reading Town Regatta]] takes place near [[Thames Valley Park]],<ref>{{cite web|title=find|url=http://www.rtr-tvp.co.uk/how-to-find-us.htm|publisher=Reading Town Regatta|access-date=13 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430115309/http://www.rtr-tvp.co.uk/how-to-find-us.htm|archive-date=30 April 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> with the [[Reading Amateur Regatta]] taking place in June, usually two weeks before the [[Henley Royal Regatta]]. The town was home to a [[motorcycle speedway]] team, [[Reading Racers]]. Speedway came to Reading in 1968 at Tilehurst Stadium, until the team moved to [[Smallmead Stadium]] in [[Whitley, Reading|Whitley]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Tears and Glory|url=http://www.readingspeedway.com/tearsandglory.html|publisher=Reading Speedway|access-date=13 June 2011|archive-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715161716/http://www.readingspeedway.com/tearsandglory.html|url-status=usurped}}</ref> which was demolished at the end of 2008. The team is inactive pending the building of a new stadium, which was once hoped to be completed in 2012.<ref>{{cite news|title=Work extension to start new Reading stadium|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-10658210|work=[[BBC News]]|location=London|access-date=13 June 2011|date=16 July 2010|archive-date=13 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313223713/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-10658210|url-status=live}}</ref> The Reading Racers reformed in 2016 and joined the new Southern Developmental League upon its formation in 2017 winning its inaugural season undefeated. The team started back up in [[Eastbourne]] and currently races in [[Swindon]] awaiting return to a track in Reading.

The [[Reading Half Marathon]] is held on the streets of Reading in March of each year, with 16,000 competitors from elite to fun runners.<ref>{{cite web | title = Reading Half Marathon 2010 Race Info | url = http://www.readinghalfmarathon.com/race_info/halfmarathon.htm | publisher = Reading Half Marathon | access-date = 22 March 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110910130533/http://www.readinghalfmarathon.com/race_info/halfmarathon.htm | archive-date = 10 September 2011 | df = dmy-all }}</ref> It was first run in 1983 and has taken place in every subsequent year except 2001, when it was cancelled because of concerns over that year's outbreak of [[foot-and-mouth disease]], 2018, when it was cancelled on the morning of the race due to heavy overnight snowfall, and 2020, when it was cancelled due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Reading half marathon 2011 'will be biggest yet'|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-12783429|work=[[BBC News]]|location=London|access-date=10 June 2011|date=18 March 2011|archive-date=15 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515005229/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-12783429|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=iya2008rc>{{cite news |url=https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/reading-half-marathon-2018-has-been-cancelled/ |title=Reading Half Marathon 2018 cancelled due to heavy snowfall |first=Khadija |last=Taboada |work=InYourArea |date=18 March 2018 |access-date=25 March 2018 |archive-date=25 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180325190954/https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/reading-half-marathon-2018-has-been-cancelled/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Reading half marathon 2020 cancelled|url=https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/18694976.reading-half-marathon-2020-cancelled/|work=[[Reading Chronicle]]|publisher=Reading Chronicle|location=Reading|access-date=7 October 2020|date=3 September 2020|archive-date=3 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200903233729/https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/18694976.reading-half-marathon-2020-cancelled/|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[British Triathlon Association]] was formed at the town's former ''Mall'' [[health club]] on 11 December 1982.<ref>{{cite web |title=British Triathlon Celebrates 25th Anniversary |url=http://www.www.britishtriathlon.org/triathlonengland/news/article.php?id=9525 |publisher=Triathlon |access-date=10 June 2011 |date=11 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100706161234/http://www.britishtriathlon.org/triathlonengland//news/article.php?id=9525 |archive-date=6 July 2010 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> Britain's first ever [[triathlon]] took place just outside Reading at Kirtons's Farm in [[Pingewood]] in 1983 and was revived 10 years' later by Banana Leisure with one of the original organisers as Event Director.<ref>{{cite web |title=History of triathlon |url=http://www.britishtriathlonmedia.org/history-of-triathlon |publisher=British Triathlon |access-date=10 June 2011 |archive-date=11 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110911063159/http://www.britishtriathlonmedia.org/history-of-triathlon}}</ref> [[Thames Valley]] Triathletes, based in the town, is Britain's oldest triathlon club, having its origins in the 1984 event at nearby [[Heckfield]], when a [[relay team]] raced under the name ''Reading Triathlon Club''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Triathlon's coming home... to Reading|url=http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/sport/sportsextra/articles/2010/01/13/44172-triathlons-coming-home-to-reading/|work=[[Reading Chronicle]]|publisher=Berkshire Media Group|access-date=10 June 2011|date=13 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929022801/http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/sport/sportsextra/articles/2010/01/13/44172-triathlons-coming-home-to-reading/|archive-date=29 September 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Hexagon was home to [[snooker]]'s [[Grand Prix (snooker)|Grand Prix tournament]], one of the sport's "Big Four", from 1984 to 1994.<ref>{{cite web|title=Snooker Legends|url=http://www.readingtownhall.co.uk/thehexagon/whatson/event.asp?id=SX355A-A7819F55|work=Reading Arts|publisher=Reading Borough Council|access-date=10 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125173612/http://www.readingtownhall.co.uk/thehexagon/whatson/event.asp?id=SX355A-A7819F55|archive-date=25 November 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Snooker: A vacuum at the Hexagon before Taylor stages a clean sweep|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/snooker-a-vacuum-at-the-hexagon-before-taylor-stages-a-clean-sweep-1557181.html|work=The Independent|location=UK|access-date=10 June 2011|date=13 October 1992|archive-date=25 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125164509/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/snooker-a-vacuum-at-the-hexagon-before-taylor-stages-a-clean-sweep-1557181.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>