Burnaby residents strolling through Central Park this weekend might be in for a close encounter with a fast-moving snitch and a couple of seekers in hot pursuit.
Fans of the Harry Potter books and movies will recognize those terms from author J.K. Rowling’s fictional game of Quidditch.
Since 2005, the made-up game has evolved into a real-life sport, and it returns to Burnaby this weekend as the city hosts the inaugural Quidditch Canada National Championship at Swangard Stadium.
Quidditch made its debut in the city last summer, when teams from around the world descended on the Burnaby Lake Sports Complex for the Global Games.
The success of that tournament along with the west coast’s hospitable weather prompted Quidditch Canada to look to Burnaby again for the nationals.
Last summer’s international competition also inspired the founding of the Vancouver Vipertooths, who will have the home-field advantage this weekend.
Made up of players from Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster and the Fraser Valley, the team practises twice a week at Central Park.
Before the Global Games, its captain – New West resident Scott Muxlow – had never seen real-life quidditch played.
He expected a “silly game” and was surprised.
“It was intense, and it looked fun,” he told the NOW.
A co-ed, full-contact game, quidditch features seven players running around a elliptical pitch with brooms between their legs, attempting to score points by throwing the quaffle (a slightly deflated volleyball) through hoops of varying heights at either end.
The duration of a game depends on how long it takes one of two “seekers” in the game to catch the snitch (a tennis ball tucked inside a sock and attached to the waist of a neutral snitch runner).
That feat ends the game and earns the successful seeker’s team 30 points.
In Canadian rules, the snitch runner (dressed all in yellow) is released at the beginning of the game, and can roam freely off the pitch in a designated area (in this case, most of Central Park).
After 10 minutes, the seekers are released to give chase.
The sport attracts a mixed bag of Harry Potter fans and athletes.
Muxlow, who has played sports of all kinds, including 17 years of hockey and 12 years of rep baseball, is both.
The Vipertooths started off last September with a sizeable contingent from Muxlow’s wife Erin’s live action role play crowd, but are now drawing rugby and ultimate Frisbee players as well.
Going into the nationals, Muxlow knows his team has its work cut out for it, going up against teams like McGill that have been around since 2008.
“I think we’re definitely the underdogs here,” Muxlow said. “We’re probably the newest team.”
That being said, he’s happy Burnaby has embraced the sport, and he’s looking forward to putting his team’s best foot forward for the rest of the country.
“Being able to have this and prove that West Coast quidditch is here and we’re ready to play is going to be amazing,” he said.
The seven-team Quidditch Canada National Championship kicks off at 10 a.m. when the Vipertooths take on McGill Quidditch. The SFU Marauders take on the Winnipeg Whomping Willows at 10:40 a.m. The action continues at 9 a.m. Sunday, with the championship game scheduled for 2 p.m.
Admission to the family-friendly event is free, but donations will be accepted at the gate.
For more information, www.quidditchcanada.com/nationals.
