Crossminton. Ever heard of it? Well, if you ever wanted to play badminton but…speedier, then Crossminton (or speed badminton) might be for you. ‘What the hell is that?’ I hear you. I was also rubbing my head. But after a little research, I was just plain desperate to play, just read on to see what I mean. This modern sport hasn’t even had it’s 10th birthday yet, but it’s making waves in the world of racket games. It poses itself as a fun and easy way to get active. Perfect as a starting point for badminton, tennis or squash. Or even taking this new sport all the way to the top.
Crossminton or Speed Badminton…Why Not Both?
If you’ve been researching into Speed Badminton and wondering what Crossminton has to do with anything, let’s just clarify: Crossminton and Speed Badminton are the same thing. You might even see it as Speedminton, just to confuse everyone further! But neither are the same as classic badminton.
Originally inspired by badminton games, creator Bill Brandes birthed this new sport in the city of Berlin. His plan was to make badminton playable outside, without worrying about winds sending the shuttlecock off into the next state or county. That was back in 2000, when it was termed ‘Shuttleball’. It has since been renamed as ‘speed badminton’ and, finally, as of 2015, Crossminton.
While playing badminton with a shuttle that won’t re-direct itself if you so much as exhale too hard might fill you with joy, the game of Crossminton has continued to evolve. Since it’s initial inception, there are now various aspects that make it very different to badminton and call on elements of tennis and squash to create an altogether unique entry to modern sports. In fact, the reason behind its final re-naming was to separate it from classic badminton once and for all. Still, don’t let that stop you, if you have a need for speed then this could definitely be a worthy new challenge.
Giving Racket Sport New Life
Crossminton, unlike the other closest cousin to standard badminton, Ball Badminton, is going from strength to strength, with the International Crossminton Organisation helping to raise awareness of the sport, and also running World Championship Crossminton tournaments across Europe, with over 300 entries from almost 30 countries.
World Crossminton Day is even a thing, occurring in October in 2020 (you can grab your very own promotional materials on the ICO site). Plus, thanks to its nature as a play-anywhere game, it’s an easy sport to introduce to schools, urban areas and compact environments – after all, the game can even be played on an apartment block rooftop if that’s all you have to work with, so it’s a great sport for kids as well.
Crossminton Equipment
Image from Wikicommons
The game uses equipment similar to classic badminton, although with some important modifications. Speed badminton shuttles are known as ‘Speeders’ and are heavier than the sort we play with in badminton. They are designed to withstand winds up to 18mph or 28km/h. Junior divisions play with a lighter birdie that weighs in at 6 grams, while other divisions call on speeders between 8 – 10 grams in weight. The height of the speeder should be between 57mm and 63mm, with a diameter of 47 – 53mm at the conical end and a cap diameter of 25 – 27mm. You’ll also find that speeders are pretty colourful which is always a cool change to basic white, no?
Rackets bear a close resemblance to the type used to play squash, meaning that if you wanted to give this cool new sport a go, you can’t repurpose your existing badminton kit. If you are looking to give it a try, but want to opt for cheap sports equipment (Crossminton sets can run pricey due to lower demand) then a squash racket will suffice. Official rules state that frames should not be larger than 650cm squared.
The Crossminton Court
Image from Wikicommons
Crossminton has gained a reputation as an easy sport. Sounds familiar to the claims that badminton is an easy sport. But serious skill is necessary to master it. It requires very little equipment and, depending on your playing level, no real specialised court.
Official rules say that courts should consist of two 5.5m x 5.5m squares set up opposite each other at a distance of 12.8 metres. While you do not need to go about drawing squares and lines (although these need to be 2 – 6cm thick if you do) to get started in the game, it’s worth trying to be as accurate as you can in the distancing, as this is where the challenge lies.
Crossminton has no net, and that means there is no physical obstacle mid-court, rather, the distance from one square to another is the challenge, and getting the speeder across the court is tougher than you may think!
How to Play Crossminton
Crossminton/Speed Badminton is basically like badminton on…well, speed. The tempo gets going pretty quickly so you’re sure to get your adrenaline hit even if it’s a spontaneous game set up on a boring afternoon.
Serves are taken 3 meters behind the frontmost line of your playing square and the aim is to reach 16 points to win. If scores are even at 15 points, a two-point lead is necessary to win. A complete match requires three wins (best of five).
Crossminton faults are similar to that of badminton. If the speeder is out but returned before hitting the floor, it is considered ‘accepted’ and the match continues. Players change side each game, in the case of a tiebreak game, players change side for every six points played.
Crossminton doubles are also possible. This consists of a back space player and an attacker. The most vital rule for doubles matches concerns footing, and the back space player cannot place his foot in front of the attacker’s rear foot in the moment of hitting the speeder. The ICO offers complete Crossminton rules for all ages.
Not Your Average Game of Badminton
Now, as fun as all that might sound, it gets even better. Your match might have two or four players, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have two, four or six more players taking part in their own matches nearby. Some configurations place three matches in a circular position (see below!) so the trajectory of speeders intersects, adding a whole new level of difficulty, fun and, well, fear of failure, and who doesn’t love that?
Fun and Funky
Image from Wikicommons
A big reason why Crossminton is on the up is just because it’s fun. Grab your racket, speeder and go. The creative nature of this modern sports phenomenon is its biggest appeal and I just can’t be mentioning Crossminton without talking about Blackminton.
Yeah, that might sound like something that’s NSFW but it’s actually is the name given to Crossminton played in nocturnal style. Swap floodlights for black lights, add in some glow sticks, fluorescent paints and a glow in the dark speeder and you have one seriously funky way to play – because haven’t you always wanted your raves to have a little more badminton in them?
If you’re interested more in professional players, check out Nico Franke, who blogs frequently on life as a Crossminton player!
So, what are you waiting for? If you love badminton as I do then I bet you’re itching to give this one a go, plus it’s a great way to convert those badminton haters because, hell, when is playing sport in the dark on a court worthy of Tron not badass?
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