TAKATÀ
Photo: Bastian. (Flickr). License: CC BY-NC-ND
This traditional sport has been practiced since 1914 at some beaches of Barcelona, especially at La Barceloneta beach. It is usually a two-against-two game, even though there are other versions of it: one-against-one or three-against-three. At some sports centres such as Club Natació Barcelona and Atlètic Barceloneta Club there are permanent playing ground to play this game all year round. Also, there are competitions with a great number of attendees, such as Torneo Vicenç Batlle.
Playing ground: it is delimited with long fabric or plastic tape on a beach sand surface. It needs to be 14 metres long and 6 metres wide divided in two playing fields by a net 1.60 metres high.
How to play: the players have to hit a tennis ball using either of their hands. The winner will be the player or team who makes more points for an established period of time if the opposite player or team fails to hit the ball into the opposite playing field.
Rules: every play will start with a serve from the background of the playing field, similarly to volleyball, repeating the serve if the ball hits the net. If the ball touches the delimiting lines the points will be valid. Grabbing the ball, double hit or touching the net will not be valid either.
Scoring: it depends on the version, but it may be a game of 22, 40 or even 60 points to win, having 2 points more than the other player or team.