Underwater antics
Quirky hockey with the HK Underwater Association
 
For some reason, no matter how fun, challenging or engaging a sport is on dry land, it’s inevitable that someone, somewhere, will create an (often absurd) underwater version, and of course, an association, unique set of rules and membership committee to boot. Hong Kong seems perfectly suited for such athletic blasphemy. With a shortage of outdoor sports venues and an even larger lack of residents willing to do more than public, semi-erotic stretching exercises and synchronised Macarena dances, taking normal sports and creating mini, macro (football golf anyone?) and submerged versions seems to be par for the course.
 
But if you’re keen to try a new sporting hybrid, underwater hockey has been picking up pace, and although it’s as similar to the original game as Wacko Jacko was to that smiling kid from the Jackson 5, underwater hockey continues to draw in the punters. Essentially, snorkellers jump into a pool, dive to the bottom and take turns pushing a metal puck closer to the opposition’s goal. Being goal keeper requires the breath-holding skills of a Thai go-go girl, but there’s less strain on joints than the terra firma version, and because it’s underwater, weather doesn’t hamper your chance to get involved. The HK Underwater Association offers courses, and there are plenty of teams to battle against.
 
To the victors go the...pruny fingers?
 
Underwater Hockey
Hong Kong Underwater Association
For more information, email the HKUA’s Jackson Hui ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).

The Nuts & Bolts: Take a perfectly good game of (underwater) hockey, and add drowning to the list of benchable injuries.