Muggles rejoice! National quidditch tournament comes to B.C.

Muggles from across Canada will be squeezing PVC pipes between their legs and chasing human snitches around University of Victoria fields this spring when the campus hosts the national quidditch championship in April.

It might be child's play in the fictional Harry Potter book and film series, but quidditchis serious stuff for young adults participating on university teams.

"It's a full-contact sport and there is not a lot of padding required," UVicValkyriesQuidditchClubmember MishaWhittinghamtold CBC's All Points West hostRobyn Burns.

"Injuries do happen," he said, addingthat concussions are not uncommon.

This will be the third national tournament. About 13 to 18 teams are expected toparticipate, according toWhittingham.

No cape required

Quidditch Canada regulations do require the seven players on the field for each team to wear mouth guards. Capes and wands are not required.

PVC pipes, capped on both ends, stand in for the broomsticks ridden by Harry Potter and company.

A human dressed in yellow is the muggle version of the golden snitch. A snitch has a tennis ball in a sock attached by Velcro to the back of their shorts. Opposing teams race to rip off this ballto win the game.

"I have seen a game last an hour and ten minutes," said Whittingham.

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Snitch restrictions

Snitches used to have the freedom to hide anywhere on campus, but according to Whittingham, liability issues mean they must now remain at the game field.

Whittingham lamented the limitations of human quidditch versus the version in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series.

"There are a lot of necessary differences, primarily being that we can't fly," said Whittingham.

"Unfortunately, magic isn't a thing that we have figured out how to do."

More muggle support

Whittingham and his teammates were unable to foot the bill to make it to Kingston, Ont. for last year's national championship. This year, game play will take place at UVic campus the first weekend of April.

Whittingham hopes that hosting the event will help grow their fan base and bring public awareness to the sport.

With files fromAll Points West.

For the complete interview, click on the audio labelledVictoria to host national quidditch championship.