Canberra Underdogs Make History with Australia's First Women's Underwater Rugby Tournament
The Canberra Underdogs Underwater Rugby Club is set to make sporting history this Australia Day long weekend by hosting the nation's first women's-only underwater rugby tournament. The Valkyrie Cup will take place at the Canberra Olympic Pool, bringing together players from across Australia and New Zealand for this groundbreaking event.
A Unique Spectator Experience
One of the most distinctive features of this tournament will be the spectator lane in the dive pool, allowing fans to don goggles and snorkels to watch the action unfold underwater. This immersive viewing experience highlights the three-dimensional nature of a sport that combines elements of rugby, water polo, and free diving.
Underwater rugby is played both at the surface and beneath the water, with players wearing snorkels, masks, and flippers to navigate the pool's depth. A salt-filled ball ensures it stays submerged, while players in specialist positions including forwards, defenders, and goalkeepers compete to score goals at the bottom of the pool.
Fighting for Space and Recognition
The club's "Underdogs" name proves particularly fitting as they continue to battle for their training and competition space. The sport requires a deep pool, and the Canberra club only has access to the five-metre-deep dive pool in Civic during summer months. This limited access comes amid growing concerns about the facility's future.
The existing dive pool faces potential demolition as part of the ACT government's plans for a new Canberra Aquatic Centre at Commonwealth Park. Sport and Recreation Minister Yvette Berry has indicated a dive pool might be built elsewhere in Canberra, but no definite plans have been confirmed.
Passionate Advocates for Their Sport
Canberra Underwater Rugby president Nicola Maher, a climate scientist at the Australian National University, expressed both excitement about hosting the tournament and concern about the sport's future in the capital.
"We snared this tournament because our women's club in Canberra is growing rapidly," Ms Maher said. "We've gone from having mostly beginners to fielding a full women's team that's as large as our male or mixed teams."
Ms Maher, who has played underwater rugby since 2012, emphasized the sport's importance to her community and wellbeing. "I can't imagine my life without this sport now. That's where most of my friends and community are," she said. "It would be crazy for the nation's capital not to have a dive facility."
Growing Recognition Amid Uncertainty
The tournament comes at a significant moment for Canberra's underwater rugby community. One of their coaches, Thibault Tabarin, has recently been appointed as the women's national coach for the upcoming world championships, highlighting the club's growing reputation.
Coach Andy Kruse expressed disappointment about the potential loss of the dive pool, noting the club had invested considerable effort in building their women's team based on the promise of continued access to the facility.
"It's really disappointing to hear a dive pool won't be replicated in any new aquatic centre," Mr Kruse said. "We've been putting so much effort into building up the women's team with the understanding we would have dive pool access."
More Than Just a Niche Sport
While some commentators have suggested underwater sports are too niche to justify maintaining a deep dive pool in Canberra, Ms Maher argues passionately for their community value.
"There are a lot of niche sports where people find their community and relate to others," she explained. "Just because something is small doesn't mean it's not valuable. The dive pool serves multiple community groups and is actually hard to book because so many people want to use it."
The dive pool currently supports various activities including diving, water polo, underwater hockey, and recreational swimming alongside underwater rugby.
Tournament Details and Future Prospects
The Valkyrie Cup will run on Saturday from 11am to 4.30pm, with finals scheduled from 3.30pm to 4.30pm. Sunday's competition continues from 10.30am to 2pm, with finals from 1pm and a prize ceremony at 3pm.
As Canberra's underwater rugby community celebrates this historic women's tournament, they continue to advocate for the preservation of facilities that support diverse sporting communities throughout the capital. The weekend's events represent both a significant achievement for women's sport and a reminder of the ongoing challenges facing niche sporting communities in maintaining their training and competition venues.
