Canoe polo

Canoe polo (called kayak polo in some countries) is a competitive ball sport played on water, in a defined "field", between two teams of 5 players, each in a kayak. The object of the game is to get the ball into the opponent's goal (i.e. to score goals), the team scoring the most goals in a set time being the winner.

Game

The game is played in many countries on all continents, for recreation and serious sport. The sport has World Championships every 2 years. Internationally the sport is organised by the Canoe Polo committee of the International Canoe Federation, as one of the disciplines of the sport of canoeing. In 2005 Canoe Polo was contested at the World Games in Duisburg Germany under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee.

The game is often described as a combination of water polo, basketball and kayaking. The tactics and playing of the game are not unlike basketball or water polo but with the added complexity of the boats, which can be used to shield the ball.

Rules

The ball, a waterpolo ball, is passed from hand to hand among the players, with some use of the paddle on the ball also allowed. A player in possession can be tackled by being pushed over on the shoulder or back, players may only have the ball in their possession for a maximum of five seconds. Players can 'dribble' the ball by throwing it out of reach, ahead of themselves or sideways into the water. Most of the rules concern the safety of the players involved. Penalties include goal- and sideline throws, free shots, goal penalty shots, and penalty cards.

Substitutions can be made at any time during the game without notifying the referee, the player has to cross the back line before another player can come on. If these rules are not followed a player is nominated by the captain of the offending team to be removed from play (sent off).

Pitch

Canoe polo is played either indoors in swimming pools or outdoors on a pitch which should measure 35 metres by 23 metres. The edges of the pitch are marked by the sides of the pool, or better, by floating ropes (similar to lane markers in swimming).

Referees

There are two referees (one on each side-line) and they are on foot rather than in boats. The score is kept by the scorekeeper and the timekeeper monitors the playing time and sending-off times. The goal lines are monitored by 2 line judges. Before play commences scrutineers check all kit for compliance with regulations

Goals

The goals (measuring 1 by 1.5 metres) are a frame with a net, suspended 2 metres above the water. A player, acting as goalie, defends the goal with their paddle by sticking it up vertically, special rules concern the goalie, such as: the attacking team not being able to interfere with or jostle them. The length of the paddles used by the goalies are often longer than those used by other players.

Timing

The game is officially played as a 20 minute game consisting of two 10 minute halves. The teams swap ends at half-time. Each half begins with a "sprint" where each team lines up against its goal-line and the ball is thrown into the middle of the pitch by the referee. One player from each team sprints to win possession of the ball.

See also

*International Canoe Federation
*British Canoe Union
*European Championship results (German Wikipedia)

External links

* [http://www.canoe-polo.eu Canoe Polo International]
* [http://www.canoe-polo.com/ ICF Polo Committee]
* [http://www.canoepolo.com CanoePolo.com] , a canoe polo forum
* [http://www.canoepolo.org CanoePolo.org] , a wiki for canoe polo
* [http://www.clydespolopage.com/ Clydes Polo Page] , long-lived popular website dealing with all aspects of International and UK canoe polo
* [http://www.canoepolo.org.uk/ BCU Canoe Polo Committee] , The British Canoe Union Canoe Polo Committee's website
* [http://canoepolo.sportpicsuk.com/ sportpicsuk.com polo pictures ] , High Quality Photographs of Canoe Polo

Governing bodies

* [http://www.canoe.org.au/default.asp?MenuID=Disciplines/97/0,Canoe_Polo/77/2230 Australian Canoe Polo - official webpage]

* [http://www.canoepolo.org.uk/ Official site of British Canoe Polo.]

* [http://www.canoepolo.ca Official Canadian Canoe Polo site, contains numerous links to local clubs]

* [http://www.canoepolo.ie/ Official site of Irish Canoe Polo]

* [http://www.canoepolonz.org.nz Official site of the New Zealand Canoe Polo Assn]

* [http://www.kanupolo.de/ Official site of German Canoe Polo]