Parksville will stage the first Vancouver Island Pickleball Championships, with close to 250 players from all across the Island and other areas.
The major tournament, organized by the Oceanside Pickleball Club (OPC), will take place at Parksville Community Park from Aug. 23 to Aug. 25. It is sanctioned by Pickleball BC.
The OPC has organized Island tournaments in the past but on a smaller scale in the last two years. This year, OPC president John Philip said they've decided to re-brand their tournament and turned it into the Vancouver Island Pickleball Championships
"We are thrilled to bring this event to Parksville," said Philip. "Pickleball is a fast-growing sport that resonates not only with residents of Vancouver Island but also with visitors who love the area's beauty and recreational opportunities.”
The Island's pickleball community will come together for three days, with each participant guaranteed to play at least four games. The women's competition is slated for Aug. 23, the men's on Aug. 24 and mixed doubles on Aug. 25.
Players of various ages and abilities will be placed in brackets. According to the OPC, more than 220 people have registered for the event in 14 categories, including 10 teams in the men’s over-70 age category.
"The biggest challenge is the tournament organization," said Philip. "For example, in mixed doubles there are 65 teams organized into four different events based on age and skill, all fitting on 16 courts."
Games will be played outdoors at the Parksville Community Park pickleball courts and tennis court, the Parksville lacrosse box, and Berwick Parksville. The finals for each day are expected to be played from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Spectators are welcome. Philips said they can expect some very exciting matches.
"Pickleball games can be filled with lots of action… hard smashes, incredible rallies, long points and don’t forget the all important 'dink' shots," said Philip.
The OPC indicated the event has attracted tremendous support from the community and sponsors that included Berwick Parksville Retirement Community, Qualicum Beach Cafe Group of Companies and Selkirk Sport.
