The most unique sport you have probably yet to discover reignited the famed North-South rivalry in the inaugural Pickleball teams competition.
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Held at the Elphin Sports Centre over the weekend, 'Picklers' picked up their paddles and donned their sweatbands to put it all on the line for regional pride.
Good numbers turned up to the centre to watch the Picklers battle it out with one team, including a grandson and grandmother, doing their family proud.
Pickleball Tasmania secretary Melissa Carlton said she had been impressed by the competition's debut appearance.
"South were successful in the showdown between North and South but it was a pretty close result," she said.
"The North team did particularly well in the men's and ladies' doubles so that was actually very close between the North and the South.
"In particular, the men's doubles was quite strong, the South did end up winning but it was some incredible rallies and it certainly wasn't easy for the South team to walk away with the points."
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Pickleball's origins date back to 1965 when American Joel Pritchard was looking to play badminton, but could not find the shuttle so he lowered the net, used a perforated ball and some paddles.
The obscure sport, which mixes elements of badminton, tennis and table tennis, has soared to great heights after the state's first pickleball club - Kingborough - was set up in 2019.
Carlton said this year had seen an unprecedented growth in the sport's interest.
"We knew that there was a lot of interest, we hadn't really anticipated such a significant increase in people playing across the sector, it's been really positive," she said.
After the success of this year's tournament, spectators can look forward to another North and South battle next year.
"Following the interest of the state championships and the North and South challenge, those two events will be firmly on the calendar for next year," Carlton said.
"It's one of those great sports that is very warm, very inclusive and very welcoming for [new] players to have a hit."
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