Swiss game resembles mix of golf and baseball

"Hornuss" means hornet, and the game is named thus because of the noise the projectile makes while flying at an average speed of 180 km per hour.

The principle of hornuss is to propel the black rubber projectile as far as possible while an opposite team of 16 or 18 attempts to intercept it using a type of wooden board not unlike a placcard.

Points are scored if they fail to do so before the hornuss touches the ground in a designated strip, and depending on the distance travelled.

To strike the hornuss, players weild a cross between what looks like a fishing rod and a flexible golf club of 2 to 3 metres long. Fielding players are required to wear helmets.

The game originated in the Emmental region in canton Bern, first appeared before the 17th century, and is traditionally popular with farmers.

In Switzerland, some 8,500 players make up 190 clubs, according to the federal hornuss association.

Nearly all play this little known game in the Mittelland, in central Switzerland, around the cantons of Bern, Solothurn and Aargau.

"The sport is popular in the regions where it is played, a problem is that clubs need many players to make up a team," Rudolf Schüpbach of the association told Swisster. The game is practiced all year round.

"Also, a lot of space is needed to play hornuss: the field must be 300 metres long and over 30 or 40 metres wide," he added.

Given the size of the field, a catching team has between four to eight seconds to anticipate the fall of the hornuss and try to prevent it from falling withing the strip. If they can’t, striking distance is converted into points.

"The striker must know the technique, have a normal strength but also a quick strength," Schüpbach said.

A team captain fixes the hornuss on the front-end of the launcher with clay, at a height determined by striking techniques and wind conditions.

The launcher, or "bock", is constructed of two rails to guide the whip.

If the hornuss lands 100 metres from the bock, the team wins one point.

Each extra 10 metres counts for another point. Some "batsmen" are able to propel the hornuss more than 300 metres.

"It is not easy – people should not think they can learn the technique and strike well after 3 or 4 months, more time is needed," Schüpbach said.

"Younger players are more dynamic, but older ones have more experience," he added.

Clubs offer introductory courses on the game.

Those who would like to witness hornuss first hand can visit Frauenfeld in canton Thurgau which is hosting a folkloric sporting festival (August 20-22). Some 200,000 people are expected to attend.

Smaller tournaments take place in July as well. The 12th round of the Swiss championship is scheduled this week-end in several cities including Lyssach (check the program of local teams).