The Mount Pickleball Club is already making plans for next year's tournament following a successful weekend at the Mount Pickleball Classic.

“The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,” says Mount Pickleball Club President Bob Smith.

The action was fast and furious at the biggest pickleball tournament ever held in New Zealand.

More than 220 people from around the country competed in this, the first ever Mount Pickleball Classic, held at Mercury Baypark on Saturday and Sunday.

Alan Russell and Glenn White from Mount Maunganui won gold medals in the Super (over 60) Men’s Doubles, while Dennis and Lynette Powell from Te Puke also won gold for the Mount Pickleball Club in the Super B Mixed Doubles.

The most successful club overall was South Auckland, which took home the inaugural Club Winner trophy, sponsored by Farmer Autovillage Mount Maunganui.

The Mount Classic Pickleball competition at Mercury Baypark Arena on the weekend. Photo: Richard Rolland/Oceane Skye Photography.

The tournament attracted such a huge response that entries had to be closed off ahead of the weekend “otherwise we couldn’t get all the games played within the time”, says Bob.

He says pickleball players came from Nelson, Ashburton, Wellington, Whangarei, Christchurch, Hawke’s Bay “to name a few”.

“Big numbers from Auckland, Gisborne, Rotorua.”

Play started at midday on Friday at Mount Sports Centre with Super (over 60) B Men’s and Women’s Doubles.

The main events were then held on Saturday and Sunday at Mercury Baypark Arena starting at 7.30am and continuing all day until 5pm or 6pm.

“The players were really impressed with the venue and the organisation,” says Bob.

“After setting up, the Mercury Baypark Arena looked as if it was almost designed especially for pickleball.”

Quinnton Collins showing how it's done, playing pickleball in the Mount Pickleball Classic. Photo: Richard Rolland/Oceane Skye Photography.

Bob says the tournament had “excellent community support’ with 10 sponsors, including sponsorship from Tauranga City Council.

Bob says the organising team are “pretty exhausted” right now but already talking about next year’s tournament, which could be even bigger.

Mount Pickleball Club

Pickleball a fast, fun paddle sport that was invented over 50 years ago.

Bob and Viv Smith head the Mount Pickleball club, which has only been going for four years, and has over 100 active members at last count.

The club currently play at the Mount Sports Centre, the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre and Mercury Arena. Pickleball lines have been added to the Mercury Arena court in recognition of this growing sport.

The Mount club has daytime sessions, so membership has attracted a high proportion of retirees and some shift workers. However, Pickleball is a great sport and is for everyone to enjoy.

"We also have night-time sessions on Wednesdays and Fridays from 7pm -9pm at Tauranga Boys' College,' says Bob.

The local club has benefitted from having one of the recognised Pickleball coaches in NZ living here in Papamoa. Paul Cubitt has come along to some of their sessions to offer coaching for beginners, and club members support newcomers to learn the rules.

The Mount Pickleball Club was the most successful club at the 2022 Wellington Pickleball Cup held over Waitangi weekend 2022. They came away with 10 medals; four golds, four silvers and two bronze.

The Super (over 60) Doubles Winners - Tom Molloy and Mike Silva from South Auckland (silver), Alan Russell and Glenn White (gold) from Mount Maunganui and Jono Hendricks (South Auckland) and James O’Hare from Wellington (bronze). Photo: Richard Rolland/Oceane Skye Photography.

How do you play Pickleball?

The game was invented by three dads in the summer of 1965 in Washington. They combined elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis -  with sporting equipment they had to hand at the time -  to invent a fun new game for their bored children.

The game is played on a badminton size court, traditionally with two (singles) or four (doubles) players. Each player has a paddle and hits the ball back and forth. Games go to 11 or 15, one point at a time.

The serve is underhand and cross court, the returning team hits it back once the ball has bounced. The ball can only bounce once per side and there’s a non-volley zone called ‘the kitchen’.

While being fun, Pickleball is also a great aerobic exercise, and very sociable.

“Pickleball is booming in Tauranga and people are welcome to come and try one of the fastest growing sports in the world.”

People keen to give it a go can check out the club’s Facebook page: The Mount Pickleball Club and can call Bob on 027 478 6282.