The Taipei Touch Association is running a “Threes” competition tomorrow in a bid to encourage players to expand their basic skill sets.
Touch is usually played with teams of six on a 70m field, but Threes allows only half the number of players on a 40m pitch.
The concept is the brainchild of Taipei Touch veteran James Chang as a means to encourage players to practice basic skills like gaining field position and defensive positioning.
The tournament is the sport’s first in Taipei to feature a women’s division, the association said.
“Our female Touch players play crucial roles in the regular Taipei Touch League teams, and we hope that having a women’s division will encourage further female participation,” association president Ting Fan said. “The tournament should have all the skills, speed and essence of the game, while keeping the players and spectators entertained.”
“The modified format should encourage players to employ more straight and effective driving to gain territory and catch defenders offside,” Fan said. “The shorter field and less touches encourages a fast-paced game, and players will need to be accurate with their passing, while support players need to get their timing right to score touchdowns.”
There are 48 players registered in 17 teams across the three divisions — mixed, men’s and women’s — the association said, adding that prizes are on offer from sponsors Black As Chocolate, Kiwi Gourmet Burger and Leo’s Tuckshop.
“The Taipei Threes is the first time a tournament of this format has been held in Taipei,” tournament director Fershad Irani said. “We hope that with the success of the event, it can become a regular fixture on the Taipei Touch calendar and encourage more people to take up the great sport of Touch.”
The first game is to tap off at 9:30am at Bailing Riverside Park in Shilin District.
To learn more about the sport, visit the association’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/chinesetaipeitouch.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two