Did you know there’s such a thing as a hardcore Snowball fight championship, held every year in Japan, called Yukigassen?
Neither did we. But it exists and this year, we’ve got two Canadian teams vying for the title of Yukigassen champion for 2016.
Meet the Canadian Snowbattlers from Edmonton, AB.
And is Team Canada, from Saskatoon, Sask.
In existence since 1988, the Yukigassen is Japanese for “Snow Battle” and generally is run at the end of February in Japan. Thus far a Japanese team has been the reigning champs.
In 2015, the Yukigassen World Championships drew 172 teams from around the world and attracted more than 25,000 spectators.
Even though Japanese teams generally take the tournaments, it’s not as if we don’t get the chance to practice.
Annual tournaments take place in Sobetsu, Hokkaido, in Japan, Finland, Norway, Australia, Sweden, Alaska, and Jasper, Alta. and Saskatoon, Sask. here in Canada.
The rules are pretty simple:
Each team has seven players with a designated spare. You play on a court that’s 90 metres long by 10 metres wide, filled with barricades to hide behind. You get 90 snowballs, and you have to capture your opponent’s flag or eliminate the competition. Once you’re hit by a snowball you’re out.
Game ends in three ways: the flag is captured, the opposing team is eliminated by all the players being out, or at the end of the time, whomever has the most players left on the field.
Kind of like a winter Quiddich.
The snowballs are pre-made in a mould, and given to the teams in baskets.
But don’t be fooled by the mere belief that this is just a snowball fight, helmets and face masks are required as the snowballs tend to freeze and can cause injury.
This year’s championship will be the 28th annual Showa-Shinzan International Yukigassen championship in Hokkaido, Japan.
Yukigassen Canada, our very own league, has been running tournaments across the nation since 2011, and so far Team Canada has won the inaugural tournament in 2011, while the Canadian Snowbattlers have won in 2012 and 2013 (There were no national events in ’14 and ’15, due to budget issues).
Each team has their own training field that they work on every day in the winter leading up to the tournament.
Unlike Team Canada, that hasn’t been able to afford to go to Japan, the Snowbattlers have gone several times, winning spots on the podium, but never the whole thing. You can see their journey on their Facebook.
Team Canada, on the other hand, is currently crowd- funding their trip, and also putting together a web series of their journey, which you can watch HERE. After not being able to afford going the past few years, they’re hungry to compete.
Both teams are proud to represent Canada.
You can see some cool action shots below.
Of course, there’s aways a party at the end too…what’s a sporting event with Canadians, without a tailgate?
