Quidditch wizards vie for title
Don’t expect to see players flying about on broomsticks as Victoria hosts Quidditch Canada’s National Championship, Saturday and Sunday at the University of Victoria.
Eight teams from across Canada, including the University of Victoria Valkyries Quidditch Club, will be playing this fastpaced physical game based on a competitive sport played by wizards and witches in the fantasy world of Harry Potter.
Quidditch is a full contact, mixed-gender sport combining elements of rugby, dodgeball and flag football. Quidditch Canada was created in 2014.
“It’s a dynamic, competitive sport,” said Yara Kodershah, communications director of Quidditch Canada. “Which can appear to be pretty whimsical and completely silly.”
While there is no flying involved, players still play while grasping (non-magical) sticks, or just a PVC pipe, between their legs. Other elements of the game are retained — matches are played between two teams of seven players with coloured headbands (green for Keepers, white for Chasers, black for Beaters and yellow for Seekers).
There are six hoops — ringshaped goals situated atop poles of different heights, three on each side of the pitch. There is one quaffle (a volleyball will suffice), three bludgers (dodgeballs) and a Golden Snitch (a person with a tennis ball in a yellow sock hanging off the back of their pants).
The Canadian championship features the Valkyries and the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds, this season’s Western Regional champions.
Also competing are the Edmonton Aurors, a team from Simon Fraser University, the University of British Columbia Quidditch Club, the Calgary Mavericks and teams from Guelph and Toronto.
“Being selected to host the Quidditch National Championships is an important highlight on Victoria’s sports calendar in 2017,” said Hugh MacDonald, executive director of SportHost Victoria.
The championship matches will take place on turf fields at the University of Victoria campus, home of the UVic Valkyries, Western Canada’s oldest Quidditch team.
The matches are free to watch, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday on Artificial Field 2 at the university, 3800 Finnerty Rd. For details, go to Quidditch Canada on Facebook.