Robyn Edie/Stuff
Dan Winkel practises pickleball at the MLT Gore Events Centre, where a recent pickleball tournament attracted 16 teams.
Pickleball, the fastest-growing sport in the United States, looks like it’s here to stay in Southland.
A recent tournament, the Southern Slam, held at the MLT Events Centre in Gore was the first pickleball event of its kind in the south.
The game is played on a badminton-sized court, and players use modified bats to hit the ball over a net that is similar in height to a tennis net. Many people describe it as a mix of table tennis, badminton and tennis, and it is mainly played in pairs.
The Gore tournament attracted 16 teams, from Gore, Timaru, Dunedin, Queenstown, Wānaka and Invercargill, to battle it out for supremacy.
Organiser Dan Winkel was part of the winning duo alongside Southland cricketer Kieran Lloyd, after they defeated fellow Gore players Matthew King and Dee Ormsby.
“We had an excellent response from people who took part in the tournament. They enjoyed it,” Winkel said.
“Winning was a bonus. I just wanted a successful tournament, but we’re just pleased it was able to take place and went well.”
Winkel has big plans for the tournament in the future.
Robyn Edie/Stuff
Winkel says the sport has been played in Gore for about five years.
“Next year I would love to play it over two days and split it into three divisions: men’s, women’s and mixed. That way, we might be able to attract a few more players and teams, and people can have more matches,” he said.
“Following that, I would love for the tournament to be opened up to players from throughout New Zealand.
“It’s a great sport and something that people of all abilities can play.”
Winkel said the sport had reasonable interest in Gore since it was introduced to the town about five years ago.
“It’s getting bigger. We have a solid group who play it regularly here, and they are slowly starting to hold sessions in Invercargill, so hopefully it becomes popular down there as well.
“The more we can get playing it, the better it is for the sport.”
It’s still very much a niche sport in New Zealand, but Winkel hoped that would change over time.
