Snowballs Get Serious when the 'Canadian Rockies Snow Battle' Returns to Jasper

It's that time of year again, snowball season - meaning the Yukigassen challengers are back in training as Jasper gets set to host the 2013 Canadian Rockies Snow Battle on November 23 & 24 at Centennial Park. Thirty teams will battle it out for victory, all hoping to be named this year's national champions!

The sport of Yukigassen (literally meaning "snow battle"), originated in Japan where it's held in high regard as an official winter sport. The competitive take on snowballing is now gaining huge attention from Canadians, and where better to host a competitive snowball fight than right in the heart of the Canadian Rockies? Jasper will be the official home of the Yukigassen National Championships for the next four years.

The rules of Yukigassen are simple - it's a fast, fun-filled combination of Dodgeball and Capture the Flag! Two teams of seven play on a 40 by 10 metre snow court and attempt to either capture the opposing team's flag or eliminate their team members by hitting them with snowballs. The snow flies fast and furious - 180 snowballs per period flying through the air! Each game is 9 minutes long, divided up into three periods.

 Registration for the Canadian Rockies Snow Battle is now open. For full details on the event and to register your team, visit www.canadianrockiessnowbattle.ca. Team registration costs $280 for seven players, with a portion of the proceeds being donated to Movember Canada. Want to hand out red cards rather than hurl snowballs; why not register to be a referee?!