Rinkball
Encyclopedia
Rink bandy is a team sport
that originated in Sweden
in the 1950s and 1960s. Played on an ice hockey
rink
, the game evolved from a practice drill used by bandy
players. Similar to both hockey and bandy, one game lasts 60 minutes, and is composed of either two 30 minute halves or three 20 minute periods. Rink bandy uses similar rules to normal bandy, but simplifies them to increase the pace of the game. Checking
is prohibited, making the sport relatively safer than its relatives. Because of the smaller playing area, fewer players are used.
The sport first appeared in Sweden in the 1970s, played in local tournaments by villagers around the country. As its popularity increased, tournaments grew in size. National-level competitions involving 100 teams or more were commonplace towards the end of the decade, and the sport first gained international attention in 1984 when teams from Finland
and Sweden hosted one another. The International Rinkball Association was formed soon after, and now includes Russia
, Sweden, Kazakhstan
, Estonia
, Switzerland
, Hungary
and Finland. The Finnish Rinkball Federation has 1000 teams, including women, men and children. Play is divided into eight male divisions, two female divisions, and children's play is divided by age. The first World Championship Games for men was held in Omsk
, Russia.
Rink bandy continues to grow, primarily in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Russia, and the United States. The sport is gaining attention in Japan, and leaders within the game hope to someday introduce it to the Olympic Games
. The Rinkball League in Finland published a magazine called Liiga Extra, which offers international coverage of tournaments, equipment, and tips.
Team sport
A team sport includes any sport which involves players working together towards a shared objective. A team sport is an activity in which a group of individuals, on the same team, work together to accomplish an ultimate goal which is usually to win. This can be done in a number of ways such as...
that originated in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in the 1950s and 1960s. Played on an ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
rink
Hockey rink
An ice hockey rink is an ice rink that is specifically designed for ice hockey, a team sport. It is rectangular with rounded corners and surrounded by a wall approximately 40 inches high called the boards.- Name origins :...
, the game evolved from a practice drill used by bandy
Bandy
Bandy is a team winter sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal.The rules of the game have many similarities to those of association football: the game is played on a rectangle of ice the same size as a football field. Each team has 11 players,...
players. Similar to both hockey and bandy, one game lasts 60 minutes, and is composed of either two 30 minute halves or three 20 minute periods. Rink bandy uses similar rules to normal bandy, but simplifies them to increase the pace of the game. Checking
Checking (ice hockey)
Checking in ice hockey is any one of a number of defensive techniques. It is usually not a penalty.- Types :There are various types of checking:...
is prohibited, making the sport relatively safer than its relatives. Because of the smaller playing area, fewer players are used.
The sport first appeared in Sweden in the 1970s, played in local tournaments by villagers around the country. As its popularity increased, tournaments grew in size. National-level competitions involving 100 teams or more were commonplace towards the end of the decade, and the sport first gained international attention in 1984 when teams from Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and Sweden hosted one another. The International Rinkball Association was formed soon after, and now includes Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Sweden, Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
, Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and Finland. The Finnish Rinkball Federation has 1000 teams, including women, men and children. Play is divided into eight male divisions, two female divisions, and children's play is divided by age. The first World Championship Games for men was held in Omsk
Omsk
-History:The wooden fort of Omsk was erected in 1716 to protect the expanding Russian frontier along the Ishim and the Irtysh rivers against the Kyrgyz nomads of the Steppes...
, Russia.
Rink bandy continues to grow, primarily in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Russia, and the United States. The sport is gaining attention in Japan, and leaders within the game hope to someday introduce it to the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
. The Rinkball League in Finland published a magazine called Liiga Extra, which offers international coverage of tournaments, equipment, and tips.