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York is about to host a World Cup – in the best sport you’ve never heard of

It's non-stop on the VX court
@ Sport, Things to do

It’s coming home, it’s coming home… VX is coming home.

A fast-moving, fast-growing sport is holding its World Cup in York this weekend. And you can go and cheer the players on!

VX began near York and has now spread to 26 countries – the last two World Cups were in Italy and India.

And now it’s back home.

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VX is the best sport you’ve never heard of…
Gender neutral and inclusive, VX sees players use a VstiX – a control bar with a thrower/catcher at each end – to throw and catch a ball.

Players gain three points for catching the ball, and one point for hitting an opponent with it.

There are team, doubles and singles versions. Five-a-side matches are played in a sports hall, while single matches are held on a squash court. There’s even a Quidditch version!

VX – An explainer

Formerly known as Rock-It-Ball, VX is a fast, new and rapidly spreading ball sport which was designed and developed in North Yorkshire during 2005.

A real British sporting innovation, VX includes elements of dodgeball, lacrosse, pelota and hockey.

It is totally gender-neutral at all levels. Right from a primary school taster session to a singles World Cup final players compete on a totally equal footing.

It is also unusual in that it is so accessible to players with physical or cognitive impairments.

VX has been introduced into primary and secondary schools across the UK, and it now has global reach.

Come and watch

Carl Alsop in action. Photograph: Steve Raper
VX holds a team World Cup every four years and a singles World Cup every year. Both World Cups take place in 2019, and to mark that event, Global VX chose to hold the World Cup back home in York, near where the sport was born.

The VX team event will be held at the University of York on Thursday (22 August), and will be followed by the singles event which will be hosted by the David Lloyd Centre from Friday to Sunday (23-25 August).

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Excitement is building in the local VX community as the event draws near – especially as reigning world champion Tom Hildreth is a David Lloyd personal trainer so will be defending his title on home territory.

Carl Alsop of VX England – and the sport’s first world champion – who is part of the organising committee said:

  • We are very grateful to the team at David Lloyd. They’ve really got behind us and we are delighted with what they have put together for everyone from players to spectators.

    This looks like being a very exciting event and we would love to see lots of people coming to see some of our top players in action and see the superb set up at David Lloyd.

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