World Netball and Netball New Zealand have confirmed the dates for the FAST5 Netball World Series 2023, which returns to Christchurch, New Zealand, in November following the success of last year’s international event.
The 2023 event will take place on November 11-12, with Christchurch Arena to again host the top six women’s teams in the world as per the World Netball World Rankings on the 1 March 2023 – including the FAST5 Ferns. Tickets will go on sale next month.
As well as the FAST5 Ferns, Australia, England, Jamaica, South Africa, and Malawi have all been invited to compete at the 2023 event.
Australia won the FAST5 crown last year, while the Netball World Series created a world first with three men’s teams (New Zealand, Australia, and England) competing in an exhibition series. It has been confirmed the men will be back in action in November.
Netball NZ Chief Commercial Officer David Cooper said they were excited to confirm the FAST5 Netball World Series dates following the event’s success in Christchurch last year.
“We showed last year just how entertaining FAST5 netball is and how it captures the imagination of our netball fans. We gave FAST5 netball a loud and warm welcome back to New Zealand and we’re looking forward to another two days of celebrating the game that is FAST5,” he said.
“I think we saw just how much our netball fans have missed seeing the FAST5 action up close and live with some vibrant and colorful crowds at Christchurch Arena, and the extra thrill of seeing the aerial game from the men added to the excitement.”
World Netball CEO Clare Briegal echoed the excitement.
“We are thrilled that the FAST5 Netball World Series will be returning to Christchurch, New Zealand, later this year.
“The FAST5 Netball World Series is a key part of our exciting world-class international events calendar, and after the success of the Christchurch 2022 event, we know Netball New Zealand will do another fantastic job entertaining the netball family this year.”
Christchurch-NZ Head of Major Events Karena Finnie said the region looked forward to hosting the world’s top FAST5 talent.
“On behalf of Christchurch, I’m thrilled to welcome Fast5 back to the home of New Zealand’s most passionate netball fans,” she said.
“Last year’s tournament showed that Ōtautahi Christchurch fans can dress up, dance and cheer for their team with the best of them. In 2022, three-quarters of the tournament attendees came from outside our region, and we look forward to dazzling visitors with our brand-new city and a destination that has it all.”
The New Zealand Men’s team created their own FAST5 history last year, becoming the first men’s side to claim the FAST5 World Netball Series spoils in the exhibition.
A well-drilled Australian side beat South Africa in last year’s FAST5 Netball World Series Grand Final, while the FAST5 Ferns beat England for the bronze medal.
FAST5 NETBALL WORLD SERIE 2023-FAQS
Fast5 netball is a faster, more exciting version of netball. It was developed specifically for an international netball competition, popularly known as the World Netball Series. The game is played with five players on each team instead of seven, and each quarter lasts only six minutes. This makes the game much faster-paced and more unpredictable.
There are a few key differences between fast5 netball and traditional netball. These include:
Number of players: Each team only has five players on the court in fast5 netball, compared with seven in traditional netball.
Length of quarters: Each quarter lasts only six minutes in fast5 netball, compared with 15 minutes in traditional netball.
Breaks in between quarters: There are two-minute breaks in between quarters in fast5 netball, compared with one-minute breaks in traditional netball.
Rules: There are a few different rules in fast5 netball, such as introducing a “power-play” where a team can have six players on the court for a short time.
Fast5 netball was created to make the game more exciting and accessible to a broader audience. The shorter quarters and fewer players make the game more fast-paced and unpredictable, while the power-play rule adds an element of strategy.
Yes, fast5 netball is played professionally. The World Netball Series is the most prestigious fast5 netball tournament, played annually. The game features the top national teams from around the world.
Fast5 netball is broadcast in many countries around the world. You can usually watch it on the official channels of the World Netball Series or the channels of the national netball associations.
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