Starting at Oxford University in the cold January wind, Quidditch is set to take the UK by storm with talks of a university Quidditch league being formed.
A Quaffle through a hoop is 10 points, capturing the Snitch is 30 and there is to be absolutely no grabbing of broomsticks. Inspired by the Harry Potter books, Quidditch has become quite popular at the top colleges in America and Oxford have brought it across the pond to Britain.
Due to the limits of gravity and no hocus pocus available, the students run on the ground with broomsticks straddled between their legs. The Golden Snitch, a winged golden ball, has been swapped for a person dressed in yellow on the pitch, and you are still very likely to be hit by a Bludger ball.
Brits are known for their eccentricity and the Quidditch games, known as Muggle Quidditch, is no exception. The mini-tournament saw four college teams battle against the other.
'The word is spreading,' team captain Angus Barry told the Guardian, 'I think each time we've played we've pretty much doubled our numbers. We started off with 20, then 40, then 80.'
The teams would like to see Quidditch recognised as an official university sport, opening up opportunities for a Varsity match against other top universities.
'I think it has potential, but the fact is if you haven't read the books you're not going to have the same love of the sport,' said Amy Wipfler, a Californian student studying at Oxford.
Photo credit: UCLA Magazine
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