![]() Logo of ICO | |
Abbreviation | ICO |
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Founded | 25 August 2011 |
Type | Federation of national associations |
Legal status | Governing body of crossminton |
Purpose | Sport governance |
Headquarters | Berlin, Germany |
Region served | Worldwide |
Membership | 31 national associations [1] |
Official languages | English |
President | Matjaž Šušteršič |
Financial officer | Yoko Koizumi |
Board of Executives | Maximilian Franke Petr Marklik Daniel Robles Rodríguez Charly Knobling [2] |
Secretary General | René Lewicki |
Main organ | General Assembly |
Website | www |
Crossminton, previously known as Speed Badminton, is a racket game that combines elements from different sports like badminton, squash and tennis. It is played without any net and has no prescribed playground, so it can be executed on tennis courts, streets, beaches, fields or gyms.
The sport is often associated with the brand Speedminton because of their historical relation. From 1 January 2016 the name of the racket sport has been changed from Speed Badminton to Crossminton. Today, Crossminton is played all around the world. Currently, there are tournaments all over the world which are organized in a growing number of clubs. On August 25, 2011 the International Crossminton Organization (ICO) was founded under the name International Speed Badminton Organisation (ISBO) in Berlin. By 2018 the ICO already had 26 members - national federations from Europe, America, Asia and Africa.
The special shuttlecock and the idea of the game were invented in 2001 in Berlin by Bill Brandes. [3] The game was refined to the final game of crossminton by the Speedminton company. The inventor first named his new sport "shuttleball", but soon the game was renamed "speed badminton". Starting from January 2016 the name was changed again, to crossminton. Originally, the idea of the inventor was to create an outdoor variant of badminton, so he changed the ball to be smaller and heavier (today called speeder). The analogy of badminton now exists only in a technical way: there is no net and the game tempo is faster. In 2003, there were already 6,000 active players in Germany. The sport is growing steadily and there are numerous international tournaments across Europe.
The court consists of two squares of 5.50 m (18 ft) length. They are fixed opposite to each other at a distance of 12.8 m (42 ft).
Both of the players need a racket. [4] The rackets are similar to the ones used in squash but are specially produced for Crossminton. They are 58–60 cm long, and the material and the strings are different. The ball is called a speeder and is heavier than a conventional badminton shuttlecock, meaning it can be used up to wind force 4.
Speeder-Type | Flight distance | Speed |
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Fun Speeder | 13–18 m | 260 km/h |
Match Speeder | 17–25 m | 290 km/h |
The field consists of two squares measuring 5.5 meters (18 ft) on each side. The distance between the squares is 12.8 meters (42 ft). Crossminton can be played on half of a tennis court which can easily be modified with elastic lines. Match Speeders are used for normal games. Children and adolescents (U12) play with fun speeders on a smaller court (4x4 m) over a smaller distance (9 meters). [5]
The aim of the game is to reach the square of the opposite player with the speeder. If the speeder falls outside the opposite square, the other side gains a point. Both players are allowed to step out of, or anywhere inside their square during play.
The game ends when one player has at least 16 points and has at least 2 points advantage over their opponent. Every time a set/round finishes, the players switch sides.
A game ends when one player reaches 16 points. If the score is tied at 15 or greater, play continues until one player has a two-point advantage. A match usually consists of two winning sets (best of three).
The right to serve first is drawn by throwing a coin or a speeder. Every player has three serves. Every rally scores. At a score of 15:15 the serve switches after every point. The serve must be done out of the designated zone which is 3 m behind the front offensive line. This line must not be crossed and the serve is played bottom-up. The first serve of the next set is done by the loser of the previous set.
Every rally scores if there is no necessity to repeat it. Points can be gained if:
If a player returns a speeder from outside the court, it is considered to still be in play.
After every set, there is a change of ends to guarantee equal opportunities concerning wind and lighting conditions. If a third game (tiebreak) becomes necessary, players change sides after every 6 points.
At the double division, both players are standing in the same court. The coin or speeder decides the side who serves first. The serving player stands at the backline, and their partner stands in front. The serves rotate between the four players. The first serve in the following set goes to the loser of the previous one.
Crossminton can be played outside and inside, the court can be painted or pegged off. There is even the possibility to use a portable court. Crossminton played in the dark is called Blackminton. With black lights, fluorescent paints, rackets and special speeders (night speeders) with glow sticks (speedlights) it is possible to play even at night.
The first Crossminton (former Speed Badminton) World Championships took place on 26 and 27 August 2011. It was officially named ‘ISBO Azimut Hotels Speedminton® World Championships’. Over 380 participants from 29 countries played in Berlin, in 10 categories. Players from Canada, the US and Australia also attended. Per Hjalmarson from Sweden won the men’s title, Janet Köhler from Germany won the women’s title and Rene Lewicki & Daniel Gossen from Germany won the doubles title in the final games. Since then the World and European Championships alternate every year.
Year | Tournament | City | Open division | Female open | Open doubles | Female doubles | Mixed doubles | U18 (U19 since 2021) male | U18 (U19 since 2021) female | |||||||
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Champion | Runner-up | Champion | Runner-up | Champion | Runner-up | Champion | Runner-up | Champion | Runner-up | Champion | Runner-up | Champion | Runner-up | |||
2011 | 1. ICO Crossminton World Championships | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | not played | not played | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||
2012 | 3. ISBO European Championships | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
2013 | 2. ICO Crossminton World Championships | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
2014 | 4. ISBO European Championships | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
2015 | 3. ICO Crossminton World Championships | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
2016 | 5. ICO European Championships | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
2017 | 4. ICO Crossminton World Championships | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
2018 | 6. ICO Speedminton European Championships 2018 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
2019 | 5. ICO Crossminton World Championships | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
2020 | 6. ICO European Championships 2020 (Cancelled : Covid-19 pandemics) | |||||||||||||||
2021 | 6. ICO Crossminton World Championships (played in 2022 due to Covid-19 pandemics) | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
There are many international crossminton tournaments taking place all around the world under the supervision of the International Crossminton Organization. [6] Every member country can host up to one 1000/500 points tournament and four 250 points tournaments every year. There are only five 1000 points tournaments every year, chosen by the ICO based on the applications sent by member federations. The series of 1000 and 500 points tournaments is called World Series.
By participating in international ICO tournaments the players receive ranking points based on their results. [7] Ranking points are used to determine seeding for upcoming tournaments.
Date | Tournament | City | Open Division | Female Open | Open Doubles | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Champion | Runner-up | Champion | Runner-up | Champion | Runner-up | |||
17.-18.3.2018 | 10. ICO Speedminton® Slovenian Open | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
28.-29.4.2018 | 10. ICO Speedminton® Hungarian Open | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
5.-6.5.2018 | 11. ICO Speedminton® Croatian Open | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
19.-20.5.2018 | 9. ICO Speedminton® SLOVAK Open | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
1.-2.6.2018 | ICO Speedminton® Japan Open | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
22.-23.6.2018 | ICO Speedminton® Polish Open | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
21.7.2018 | 2018 ICO Speedminton® Swedish Open | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
8.-9.9.2018 | 2018 ICO Speedminton® Serbian Open | ![]() | (future event) | |||||
29.-30.9.2018 | 8. ICO Speedminton® Czech Open 2018 | ![]() | (future event) | |||||
19.-21.10.2018 | 2018 ICO Speedminton® German Open | ![]() | (future event) | |||||
9.-10.11.2018 | 2018 ICO Speedminton® Latvian Open | ![]() | (future event) | |||||
17.-18.11.2018 | 2018 ICO Speedminton® Spanish Open | ![]() | (future event) |
* 1000 points tournaments are denoted in bold characters
Since 2013 the ICO has organized a national team competition called ICO Nations Cup. [8] The concept is derived from tennis competitions like David Cup or Fed Cup, but in crossminton mixed teams consisting of both male and female players are competing. First, Regional tournaments are played in group- or elimination system and then the winners of Regional tournaments – Regional Champions – battle it out for the title of ICO Nations Cup Champion at the Final tournament. [9]
A national team consists of at least three players – 2 male players (open category, but not as a rule) and 1 female player (women’s category, but not as a rule) – and not more than five players (3 players + 2 reserves that can step in for either singles or doubles matches). A clash between two national teams consists of 6 matches – 4 singles and 2 doubles matches.
Year | Final Tournament Venue | Champion | Runner-up |
---|---|---|---|
2013 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
2014 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
2015 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
2016 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
2017 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
2018 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
2019 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
2020 | (not played) | (not played) | |
2021 | (not played) | (not played) |
Badminton is a racquet sport played using racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net. Although it may be played with larger teams, the most common forms of the game are "singles" and "doubles". Badminton is often played as a casual outdoor activity in a yard or on a beach; formal games are played on a rectangular indoor court. Points are scored by striking the shuttlecock with the racquet and landing it within the other team's half of the court.
Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over or around a net and into the opponent's court. The object of the game is to manoeuvre the ball in such a way that the opponent is not able to play a valid return. The player who is unable to return the ball validly will not gain a point, while the opposite player will.
Table tennis is a racket sport derived from tennis but distinguished by its playing surface being atop a stationary table, rather than the court on which players stand. Either individually or in teams of two, players take alternating turns returning a light, hollow ball over the table's net onto the opposing half of the court using small rackets until they fail to do so, which results in a point for the opponent. Play is fast, requiring quick reaction and constant attention, and is characterized by an emphasis on spin relative to other ball sports, which can heavily affect the ball's trajectory.
Squash, sometimes called squash rackets, is a racket-and-ball sport played by two or four players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow, rubber ball. The players alternate in striking the ball with their rackets onto the playable surfaces of the four walls of the court. The objective of the game is to hit the ball in such a way that the opponent is not able to play a valid return. There are about 20 million people who play squash regularly world-wide in over 185 countries. The governing body of squash, the World Squash Federation (WSF), is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the sport is included in the Olympic Games, after a number of applications. Squash has been added for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The Professional Squash Association (PSA) organizes the pro tour.
A racket or racquet is a sporting equipment used to strike a ball or shuttlecock back-and-forth in games such as tennis, badminton, squash, racquetball and padel. The typical basic structure of a racket consists of a widened distal end known as the head, an elongated handle known as the grip, and a reinforced connection between the head and handle known as the throat or heart.
Real tennis – one of several games sometimes called "the sport of kings" – is the original racquet sport from which the modern game of tennis is derived. It is also known as court tennis in the United States, royal tennis in England and Australia, and courte-paume in France. Many French real tennis courts are at jeu de paume clubs.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is the governing body of world tennis, wheelchair tennis, and beach tennis. It was founded in 1913 as the International Lawn Tennis Federation by twelve national tennis associations. As of 2016, there are 211 national and six regional associations that make up the ITF's membership.
POP tennis is a racket sport adapted from tennis and played for over a century. Compared to tennis, the court is smaller, has no doubles lanes, and the net is lower. Paddle tennis is played with a solid perforated paddle, as opposed to a strung racquet, and a lower pressure tennis ball.
Rackets or racquets is an indoor racket sport played in the United Kingdom, United States, and Canada. It is infrequently called "hard rackets" to distinguish it from the related sport of squash.
Pickleball is a racket or paddle sport in which two players (singles) or four players (doubles) hit a perforated, hollow plastic ball with paddles over a 34-inch-high (0.86 m) net until one side is unable to return the ball or commits a rule infraction. Pickleball is played indoors and outdoors. It was invented in 1965 as a children's backyard game in the United States, on Bainbridge Island in Washington state. In 2022, pickleball was named the official state sport of Washington.
This page is a glossary of tennis terminology.
Ball badminton is a sport native to India. It is a racket sport game, played with a yellow ball made of wool, on a court of fixed dimensions divided by a net. The game was played as early as 1856 by the royal family in Tanjore, the capital of Thanjavur district in Tamil Nadu, India. It enjoys the greatest popularity in India. Ball badminton is a fast-paced game; it demands skill, quick reflexes, good judgment, agility, and the ability to control the ball with one's wrist.
Mixed doubles or mixed pairs is a form of mixed-sex sports that consists of teams of one man and one woman. This variation of competition is prominent in curling and racket sports, such as tennis, table tennis, and badminton, as well as gymnastics, figure skating, and card games such as contract bridge.
Several sports related to volleyball have become popular. Indoor volleyball and beach volleyball are both events at the Olympics, and sitting volleyball is an event at the Paralympics. Other varieties are localized, or are played at an amateur or informal level.
Racketlon is a combination sport in which competitors play a sequence of the four most popular racket sports: table tennis, badminton, squash, and tennis. It originated in Finland and Sweden and was modeled on other combination sports like the triathlon and decathlon.
Jwala Gutta is an Indian badminton player. Beginning in the late 1990s, she represented India at international events in both mixed and women's doubles. She has a total of 316 match wins in both the disciplines—the most by any Indian—and peaked at no. 6 in the world rankings. Gutta has won medals at numerous tournaments on the BWF circuit including a silver at the 2009 Superseries Masters Finals and a bronze at the 2011 World Championships.
Squash Doubles is a variant of the racket sport squash played by four people in two-person teams. Doubles squash was first played at the Racquet Club of Philadelphia in 1907. Today there are four major doubles organizations overseeing the sport in North America and more than 15,000 players: Squash Canada, U.S. Squash, the ISDA and the WDSA. The four groups organize and oversee the management of all aspects of doubles including junior and adult play from beginner to elite professional competition. In addition, the four organizations collaborate in efforts to grow and promote the game.
Jasmina Keber is a triple World Champion and double European Champion crossminton player from Slovenia.
The 2013 ICO Crossminton World Championships was a crossminton tournament, taking place in Berlin, Germany, between 13 and 15 June 2013. With the 1st Crossminton World Championships being played in 2011 and the competition taking place every two years, the 2013 World Championships was the 2nd ICO Crossminton World Championships ever being played. 479 players from 29 countries participated at the event that took place at a time when crossminton was still named speed badminton.
The 2011 ICO Crossminton World Championships, with the full name 1. ISBO Azimut Hotels Speedminton® World Championships, was a crossminton tournament, taking place in Berlin, Germany, a between 24 and 25 August 2011. It was the 1st ever Crossminton World Championships to be played and 370 players from 29 countries participated at the event that took place at a time when crossminton was still named speed badminton.