World Canoe Polo Championships

Canoe Polo

Article by: © Michael J. Rosen 2012

"It's More White Water than Skim Milk, More Paddling Than Fraternity Pledging."

- just a possible slogan for the 2010 Polo Championships

The horses that are truly suited for aquatic athletics are only a couple of inches long, eat brine shrimp, and look cute as can be with their tails wrapped around seaweed. Thus, the need arose for a "watered down" version of pony polo, where players mount another trusty stead, the canoe.

In teams of five, players move in a canoe or kayak and use both paddles and hands to cross the "court." With the paddles, players propel themselves forward, dribble the ball, and even pass by scooping up the ball. Each player can possess the ball for five seconds max, so they also use their hands to pass or shoot into a netted goal suspended above the water. Because players attempt to capsize opponents and swing their paddles furiously, competitors wear life jackets with chest protectors, along with metal-grilled helmets.

Since the time of the game's inception in the 1880s, when Scotsmen were seen playing polo in a river while straddling wooden barrels, the sport has reached over 40 countries worldwide, 23 of which were represented at 8th World Canoe Polo Championships in 2008, a biennial event. While the Netherlands won the men's title and Great Britain took both the women's and men's under-21 division, the United States failed to win a game in any of the three divisions. So much for our Eagle Scouts and their putative skills at damn near everything.

Have a friend with a pool and a few swimming noodles or ducky inner tubes? Get your feet wet at www.canoepolo.com.

No Dribbling the Squid

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