|

A poster for the 9th World Cup Woodball Championship. [Photo/Tide News]

Shaoxing's Shangyu district is set to host its most prestigious sporting event to date — the 9th World Cup Woodball Championship, scheduled to run from Oct 14 to 21.

The hosting of this biennial event, which is the highest-level competition in the woodball world, marks a significant milestone for the district.

Woodball is a sport where players use wooden mallets to hit balls through a series of gates on a course in as few strokes as possible. The player with the lowest total score wins, and penalties are given for rule infractions, adding to the stroke count. Fair play and sportsmanship are key components of the game.

The 2024 Championship, along with the China International Woodball Open, will bring together 12 teams from countries such as Singapore, South Korea, India, Malaysia, and Oman, totaling around 230 participants. In addition, 52 teams from across China, with approximately 510 competitors, will compete in the national open.

Preparations for the event began in March, covering all aspects from approvals and contracts to course design, team selection, and the unveiling of logos and medals.

Securing the World Cup was not easy. One of the key requirements was hosting at least three prior international woodball events — a goal Shangyu achieved through five years of diligent effort, according to the district's education and sports bureau.