One of the fastest growing sports on Vancouver Island takes centre stage this weekend at Pearkes Recreation Centre.
The Victoria Regional Pickleball Association hosts its first tournament beginning Friday and running through Sunday.
Hundreds of pickleball players from around the Island and Lower Mainland will be battling in men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 singles, doubles and mixed doubles competition.
Pickleball is a racquet sport that combines elements of badminton, tennis and table tennis. Two, three, or four players use solid paddles made of wood or composite material to hit a perforated polymer ball, similar to a whiffle ball, over a net. The sport shares features of other racquet sports, the dimensions and layout of a badminton court, and a net and rules similar to tennis, with a few modifications.
Action this weekend begins in the morning each day. The medal round for men鈥檚 singles and women鈥檚 doubles begins Friday at 8 p.m. The medal round for men鈥檚 doubles is slated for Saturday at 2 p.m. and the mixed doubles medal round begins Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
Speed skating turns to Island woman
Speed skating sa国际传媒 is ready to usher in a generation of new young talent, and overseeing the road to the 2018 and 2022 Olympic Winter Games will be Cathy Priestner Allinger of North Saanich.
Priestner Allinger was elected president of Speed Skating sa国际传媒 at the organization鈥檚 annual general meeting last weekend in Toronto.
Priestner Allinger, the first Canadian woman to win an Olympic speed skating medal (a silver in the 500m event in 1976), has been a member of Speed Skating sa国际传媒鈥檚 board of directors since 2016. Priestner Allinger was the managing director of sport, medical and doping at the 2002 Olympic Games, Executive vice-president, sport and Games operations at the 2010 Olympic Games, as well as a board member and founder of Own the Podium and she is now an international sport consultant.
鈥淚 am thrilled to once again be involved with Speed Skating sa国际传媒 as director this past year and now as president,鈥� Priestner Allinger said in a statement.
Belles of the Brawl on a roll
The Eves of Destruction Roller Derby Club continues to destroy the competition.
The Belles of the Brawl, the Eves鈥� top team, improved to 3-0 on the season with a victory over the Sea-to-Sky Sirens. Belles blocker Slaya Patra was named the MVP of the match.
The Belles of the Brawl will look to push their win streak to four games on July 15 when they travel to Vancouver to take on the Terminal City Roller Girls.
Prior to the trip to Vancouver, the Eves of Destruction club will host its annual Pride Bout double header on July 8 at Archie Browning Sports Centre, which will feature an exhibition between the Rainbow Riders and the Glitter Bombs, two teams made up local players and special guests. That match will followed by an exhibition between the Eves鈥� A Team and the Jet City Camaro Harem of Everett, Washington. Tickets are available for $10 online or at Logan鈥檚 Pub, Hive Hair, Esquimalt Recreation Centre and the Ticket Rocket office (804 Broughton St.).
