Get inline for fast hockey fun

Nathan Lovell of the Waihi miners clashes with Johnny Himes of the Penguins during their inline hockey match yesterday. Photo / Christine Cornege

Like the ice-based version, inline hockey is all about co-ordination, speed and skill.

But while both sports use sticks and pucks, wear masses of protective clothing and have team names like Blackhawks, Penguins and Snipers, it's there that the similarities end.

"It's probably more of a passing game and there's no body contact [like] you get in ice hockey so no, you don't get the fights," says New Zealand Inline Hockey National Champs tournament director Krystyna Beardman.

The championships have been running every year since 1996 and this year's tournament held at Hamilton's inline hockey rink at Lugton Park features 50 teams across eight divisions.

Ms Beardman says despite a lack of facilities and some of the costs involved in playing, the sport is slowly gaining in popularity.

Entry is free for spectators at this week's tournament, which ends on Sunday.

"For spectators it's a very fast-paced sport so we'd encourage people to get along," said Ms Beardman.

She said the tournament also served as a good build-up for its top players representing New Zealand at next month's world championship qualifier to be held in New Plymouth.

New Zealand is hosting a three-game round robin series against Chinese Taipei and South Africa to gain entry to the 2012 IIHF Inline Hockey World Championships in Germany.