KNYSNA NEWS - A group of young entrepreneurs in the events organising industry recently had the chance to promote their locally hosted events and sports initiatives to an international audience at an expo in Cape Town.

360ball, the new racket and ball sport invented in the Garden Route and the winner of an international sporting award (ISPO Brand New Award), was played in Cape Town for the first time at the Sports and Events Tourism Exchange at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

The newly invented sport was showcased on a state-of-the-art court, while event organisers of the Knysna Hillclimb, the Garden Route 300, the Sedgefield Slow Festival, as well as Knysna Tourism gave national and international visitors many reasons to make Knysna their preferred destination in the country.

These entrepreneurs got the opportunity to attend the expo thanks to the initiative of Knysna Tourism CEO Shaun Van Eck.
Five of the top teams of 360ball, of which one team comes from Knysna’s development project, demonstrated games and fought it out for the Kickbutt Cape Town Cup over the three days of the exchange.

360ball, which has its origins in Knysna, is the only racket and ball sport invented in the last 50 years and is unique in that it is played in a circular court with no separate sides for opposing players. Play rotates 360 degrees around the centre of the court. The concept first made international headlines when 360ball won the ISPO Brand New Award in Munich, Germany, earlier this year, and this all-African invention has since been nominated for the prestigious German Design Awards.


Knysna Tourism and local events organisers attended this year’s Sports and Events Tourism Exchange at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.