February 7, 2025 • 6 mins
More than 300 competitors have come from far and wide, including overseas, for the Wellington Pickleball Cup being held at the Akau Tangi Sports Centre in Kilbirnie over the weekend.
Adam Cooper was joined by Wellington Pickleball Club committee member Paula Duffy to chat about the weekend and the sport's growing popularity.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The weekends.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Finally here let's kick it off the All Sport Breakfast
with ruther Thand and Bond Toyota and King Toyota used
talk zedby fourteen to nine here on the All Sport Breakfast.
Well pickleball is a sport we are hearing more and
more about clearly growing in popularity, a sort of a
I guess, a smaller version of tennis and can be
played indoors as well. But this weekend big one for
(00:24):
the Wellington pickleball community with the pickle Ball Cup happening
Akutungy Sports Center. I've just seen on their live stream
they are underway for the morning. So let's find out
a little bit more about the sport about the event
this weekend. Paul at Duffy is a committee member with
the Wellington pickle Ball Club. Morning to you, PAULA, good
morning An.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
I'm from Akuitungy and we are rock and rolling Dubson
started this morning.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Oh great to hear. Yeah, I see it's all underway.
Bit of an opening ceremony before, so tell us about
the pickle Ball Cup that you're getting sort of all
the best players from around to buy out for honors.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Absolutely, we are a big national turnout, lots of clubs
throughout New Zealand represented, also lots of visitors from Australia
and I believe we have about half a dozen visitors
from the United States coming in well Eton just to
play in our tournament.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Wow, So how many have you got there across the weekend?
That would be well into the hundreds, wouldn't it.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
It's three twenty nine. Wow. We are currently the biggest
tournament held at New Zealand today. We may not hold
that record for long at the pace and the popularity
of the sport is going. But currently yes, we're got
twenty six courts and three hundred and twenty nine players.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Great awesome stuff. So you're indoors today. Just for our listeners, Paula,
who may not be familiar with pickleball, do you ort
just briefly run through? I guess how it differs to
tennis or other similar sports like pedal.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Yeah. Sure. Pickleball is basically a combination of squash, badmintonant tennis.
I suppose that a mix of all of different rules
from those sports combined into one. People often compare it
to the old school pad of tennis we used to
play in the in the school yard. It's just got
a few extra extra unique rules to it if you like.
(02:10):
It's a very low impact sport. It's played on basically
the sides of a Badwington court. We can play indoor
outdoor Willington. Unfortunately we don't quite have the weather to
guarantee outdoor game, so indoor is sort of our thing.
There's no age barrier. We have seventy plus playing in
(02:34):
our tournament this weekend and our youngest player is sixteen,
so you see the age that is attracted to the sport,
and it's just massive.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Yeah. Great. Is that why you think it's taken off
so well? Because it's, you know, a game that all
ages and abilities can play. It's it's easy to understand
and take up. Is that why you think it's growing
in popularity so much?
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Oh? Most definitely absolutely is why. It's also a good
social interaction, especially if we consider that the older groups,
if you like, so as well as moving, they're getting
the social interaction. It's a really lovely community. It's a
low impact sports, so sort of if your tennis days
(03:17):
are over pickables, not quite as harsh. So it's got
lots of attractions to it. No, it's reasonably yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
No, sorry to interrupt, Paula. I was going to say,
just what is the format over the weekend. How does
the tournament work? What are sort of the different divisions
to crown some champions by the end of the weekend.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Well, we have the singles yesterday, so we have an
open division, which is basically not quite pro level, but
the most advanced players. And then I suppose you go
to the intermediate grade in the beginner grade, but we
have divisions of all age groups, so twenty one to
forty nine. Then we go our fifty plus, sixty plus
(03:58):
and seventy plus. Today we've got our gender doubles. This
is our biggest day and tomorrow will be mixed doubles. Right.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Oh, that's fantastic. So an action pact we can and
if people do want to, you know, just check out
the sports doors open there for people to come along
and have a look.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
One hundred percent we welcome newbies with open arms. As
I say, it's a very very kind community and the
attraction again, it's not difficult to learn, and basically you
come along for one night, we give you the basic
rules and then addiction takes over quite.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Quickly, and there are clubs and events scattered right across Wellington,
UT there I know st of the whole regions covered
with the sports numbers growing.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Yes, it is. It's tremendous. If anybody just goes to
our one Incompecable club Facebook page on there, we have
got a list of different venues and sessions it can
attend and turn up to throughout the one in some
region puting the Hearts Capite also horror Fina as to
go gamebusters and we're try to promote the sport and
(05:09):
get new people along.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Great Paula, Well, I've been thinking about it for so long,
so I'm going to make it my plan over the
next couple of weeks to head along to one of
those nights and give it a crack because I love
my tennis and I'm really keen to give it a go.
So I'll be in touch maybe in the coming weeks
and we'll give pickleball a crack. O.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
No, very welcome. I do reiterate that morning though, addiction
does occur quickly, and maybe you can hook up with
your associate sports minister that I'm currently sitting here watching
having his first game of pickaball.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Great stuff that's fantastic. Well you enjoy it, Paula. Great
to hear about the open. I hope it goes really
well over the weekend. And keep up the great work
you know doing doing wonderful things, running a clearlyer sport
that everyone around Wellington is loving and thriving, and so
appreciate your time and go well this weekend.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Appreciate your time then for taking the time to discuss.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Pickaball it's here awesome cheers paul up. Have a great
weekend at Uncle Tungy there. So yeah, if you do
want to check out the open, the doors are open
at Ukle Tungy out there in Kilbernie all weekends. And yeah,
it just seems to be a sport that everyone is
talking about. A lot of people you know enjoy having
a hit arounds all ages, all abilities are wonderful sports.
So check it out at Unkle Tungy all weekend. As
(06:20):
you heard Paula mention the Wellington Pickleball Club on Facebook.
If you so, you want to find out closest to
you where you can give it a crack at some
point over the coming weeks and months. For more from
News Talks b listen live on air or online and
keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
podcast on iHeartRadio
The weekends.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Finally here let's kick it off the All Sport Breakfast
with ruther Thand and Bond Toyota and King Toyota used
talk zedby fourteen to nine here on the All Sport Breakfast.
Well pickleball is a sport we are hearing more and
more about clearly growing in popularity, a sort of a
I guess, a smaller version of tennis and can be
played indoors as well. But this weekend big one for
(00:24):
the Wellington pickleball community with the pickle Ball Cup happening
Akutungy Sports Center. I've just seen on their live stream
they are underway for the morning. So let's find out
a little bit more about the sport about the event
this weekend. Paul at Duffy is a committee member with
the Wellington pickle Ball Club. Morning to you, PAULA, good
morning An.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
I'm from Akuitungy and we are rock and rolling Dubson
started this morning.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Oh great to hear. Yeah, I see it's all underway.
Bit of an opening ceremony before, so tell us about
the pickle Ball Cup that you're getting sort of all
the best players from around to buy out for honors.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Absolutely, we are a big national turnout, lots of clubs
throughout New Zealand represented, also lots of visitors from Australia
and I believe we have about half a dozen visitors
from the United States coming in well Eton just to
play in our tournament.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Wow, So how many have you got there across the weekend?
That would be well into the hundreds, wouldn't it.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
It's three twenty nine. Wow. We are currently the biggest
tournament held at New Zealand today. We may not hold
that record for long at the pace and the popularity
of the sport is going. But currently yes, we're got
twenty six courts and three hundred and twenty nine players.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Great awesome stuff. So you're indoors today. Just for our listeners, Paula,
who may not be familiar with pickleball, do you ort
just briefly run through? I guess how it differs to
tennis or other similar sports like pedal.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Yeah. Sure. Pickleball is basically a combination of squash, badmintonant tennis.
I suppose that a mix of all of different rules
from those sports combined into one. People often compare it
to the old school pad of tennis we used to
play in the in the school yard. It's just got
a few extra extra unique rules to it if you like.
(02:10):
It's a very low impact sport. It's played on basically
the sides of a Badwington court. We can play indoor
outdoor Willington. Unfortunately we don't quite have the weather to
guarantee outdoor game, so indoor is sort of our thing.
There's no age barrier. We have seventy plus playing in
(02:34):
our tournament this weekend and our youngest player is sixteen,
so you see the age that is attracted to the sport,
and it's just massive.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Yeah. Great. Is that why you think it's taken off
so well? Because it's, you know, a game that all
ages and abilities can play. It's it's easy to understand
and take up. Is that why you think it's growing
in popularity so much?
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Oh? Most definitely absolutely is why. It's also a good
social interaction, especially if we consider that the older groups,
if you like, so as well as moving, they're getting
the social interaction. It's a really lovely community. It's a
low impact sports, so sort of if your tennis days
(03:17):
are over pickables, not quite as harsh. So it's got
lots of attractions to it. No, it's reasonably yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
No, sorry to interrupt, Paula. I was going to say,
just what is the format over the weekend. How does
the tournament work? What are sort of the different divisions
to crown some champions by the end of the weekend.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Well, we have the singles yesterday, so we have an
open division, which is basically not quite pro level, but
the most advanced players. And then I suppose you go
to the intermediate grade in the beginner grade, but we
have divisions of all age groups, so twenty one to
forty nine. Then we go our fifty plus, sixty plus
(03:58):
and seventy plus. Today we've got our gender doubles. This
is our biggest day and tomorrow will be mixed doubles. Right.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Oh, that's fantastic. So an action pact we can and
if people do want to, you know, just check out
the sports doors open there for people to come along
and have a look.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
One hundred percent we welcome newbies with open arms. As
I say, it's a very very kind community and the
attraction again, it's not difficult to learn, and basically you
come along for one night, we give you the basic
rules and then addiction takes over quite.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Quickly, and there are clubs and events scattered right across Wellington,
UT there I know st of the whole regions covered
with the sports numbers growing.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Yes, it is. It's tremendous. If anybody just goes to
our one Incompecable club Facebook page on there, we have
got a list of different venues and sessions it can
attend and turn up to throughout the one in some
region puting the Hearts Capite also horror Fina as to
go gamebusters and we're try to promote the sport and
(05:09):
get new people along.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Great Paula, Well, I've been thinking about it for so long,
so I'm going to make it my plan over the
next couple of weeks to head along to one of
those nights and give it a crack because I love
my tennis and I'm really keen to give it a go.
So I'll be in touch maybe in the coming weeks
and we'll give pickleball a crack. O.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
No, very welcome. I do reiterate that morning though, addiction
does occur quickly, and maybe you can hook up with
your associate sports minister that I'm currently sitting here watching
having his first game of pickaball.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Great stuff that's fantastic. Well you enjoy it, Paula. Great
to hear about the open. I hope it goes really
well over the weekend. And keep up the great work
you know doing doing wonderful things, running a clearlyer sport
that everyone around Wellington is loving and thriving, and so
appreciate your time and go well this weekend.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Appreciate your time then for taking the time to discuss.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Pickaball it's here awesome cheers paul up. Have a great
weekend at Uncle Tungy there. So yeah, if you do
want to check out the open, the doors are open
at Ukle Tungy out there in Kilbernie all weekends. And yeah,
it just seems to be a sport that everyone is
talking about. A lot of people you know enjoy having
a hit arounds all ages, all abilities are wonderful sports.
So check it out at Unkle Tungy all weekend. As
(06:20):
you heard Paula mention the Wellington Pickleball Club on Facebook.
If you so, you want to find out closest to
you where you can give it a crack at some
point over the coming weeks and months. For more from
News Talks b listen live on air or online and
keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
podcast on iHeartRadio
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