Segway polo
Segway polo is a team sport which started to gain some measure of popularity after being played by members of the Bay Area Segway Enthusiasts Group (Bay Area SEG) in 2004. The Bay Area SEG was not the first to play polo on a Segway HT; a team sponsored by Mobile Entertainment played in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome at a Minnesota Vikings halftime show in 2003 although the Bay Area SEG members were not aware of this match at the time they first played the sport. Segway polo was developed as it is played today by the members of the Bay Area SEG and other groups and teams that have joined subsequently.[1]
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[edit] History
Segway polo is similar to horse polo, except that instead of playing on horseback, each player rides a Segway PT on the field. The rules have been adapted from bicycle polo and horse polo. Two teams of five players each hit a ball with their mallets, trying to get the ball into the other team's goal. The regulation field size is 200 feet (61 meters) by 128 feet (39 meters), and the goal is 8 feet (2.4 meters) wide by 5 feet (1.5 meters) high. A regulation match consists of four 8 minute quarters, known in polo as "chukkers." The ball can be struck with the mallet or any part of a player’s body or Segway but may only be directed using the mallet. A goal can not be scored off of any part of a player’s body or Segway unless it occurs accidentally.
Although not a major sport, Segway polo is gaining popularity and teams have begun forming in the United States, Germany, Sweden, Austria, Barbados and New Zealand among others. Some of these teams have started to compete against each other. The International Segway Polo Association (ISPA) has been established as the official governing body for Segway Polo.
The Segway Polo world championship is the Woz Challenge Cup, which was established in 2006 when the Silicon Valley Aftershocks played the New Zealand Pole Blacks in Auckland, New Zealand. The result was a 2-2 tie.
In 2007, it was played in San Francisco, California, with the Aftershocks defeating the Pole Blacks 5-0.
The 2008 Woz Cup was played in Indianapolis, coincident with Segwayfest 2008. The California Gold Rush defeated the Silicon Valley Aftershocks for the championship by a score of 3-2. The Funky-Move Turtles (Germany) placed third and the Polo Bears (California) placed fourth.[2]
The 2009 Woz Cup was played in Cologne, Germany. The Flyin' Fish from Barbados took first place, beating the Silicon Valley Aftershocks 2-0. Steve Wozniak co-founder of Apple Computers, was there to play and present the cup; Victor Miller, who wrote the script for Friday the 13th, was also on the Aftershocks team. The Flyin' Fish have been playing Segway polo for only four months and dominated the other teams hailing from the United States, Germany and Austria.[3][4]
The 2010 Woz Cup was played at the Lion Castle Polo Estate in Barbados. Once again, the Barbados Flyin' Fish won, this time beating the Germany Blade Pirates 3-1. A total of eight teams participated, including two teams from Barbados, two teams from Germany, one team from Sweden and three teams from California.[5]
The 2011 Woz Cup[6] was hosted by the Folsom Breakout[7] and played in Folsom, California from June 16 to 19, 2011. There were a record 12 teams competing. The Germany Blade Pirates avenged their previous year's loss against the Flyin' Fish and beat them in the championship match by a score of 1-0.
The 2012 Woz Cup [8]is hosted in Stockholm Sweden by Stockholm Segway Polo Club. It is expected to be played with more than 16 teams.
[edit] Venues
- 2006 —
New Zealand (Auckland) - 2007 —
United States (California) - 2008 — United States (Indianapolis)
- 2009 —
Germany (Cologne) - 2010 —
Barbados (Bridgetown) - 2011 — United States (Folsom, California)
- 2012 To be played 6-10 June, 2012 —
Sweden (Stockholm)
[edit] Known polo teams
| Team | Place/Country | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Aftershocks [9] | Silicon Valley | Original Segway polo players and creators of Woz Challenge Cup. Tied in first Woz Cup, 2006, and 2007 Woz Cup winner. |
| Junkyard Dogs [10][11] | Oakland | |
| Folsom Breakout [12] | California | |
| Polo Bears [13] | California | |
| Pole Blacks | New Zealand | Original challengers for newly created Woz Challenge Cup in 2006 |
| Segway Polo Club of Barbados [14] | Barbados | Club currently has two teams (see below) |
| Flyin' Fish [15] | Barbados | Woz Cup Winners 2009 and 2010 |
| Rum Runners [16] | Barbados | 4th Woz Cup 2010 |
| Funky-Move Turtles [17] | Germany | |
| Blade Pirates | Germany | Woz Cup Winners 2011 |
| Swiss HT-Polo [18] | Switzerland | |
| Austrian National Team [19] | Austria | 4th Woz Cup 2009 |
| Stockholm Saints / Sweden National Team[20] | Sweden | 5th Woz Cup 2010, 4th Woz Cup 2011 , 6th EM 2011 |
| Hemer Butterflies [21] | Germany | 5th Woz Cup 2009 |
- The first open European Polo Championship will be held 16-18 July 2010 in Hemer (Germany)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ History of Segway Polo", International Segway Polo Association], retrieved 28 April 2010.
- ^ "Woz Challenge Cup Results", International Segway Polo Association, retrieved 28 April 2010.
- ^ Clemens Schminke, "Fliegende Fische auf kippeligen Rädern", Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger 20 July 2009, retrieved 28 April 2010.
- ^ WOZ-Cup 2009 at Segway-Polo Deutschland e.V. (German)
- ^ "2010 Woz Cup Schedule and Results",[1], retrieved 10 January 2011.
- ^ "2011 Woz Cup",[2], retrieved 10 January 2011.
- ^ "Folsom Breakout",[3], retrieved 10 January 2011.
- ^ "2012 Woz Cup",[4], retrieved 5 January 2012
- ^ http://www.bayareaseg.com/Polo.htm
- ^ http://www.segwayofoakland.com
- ^ http://www.segwayjunkyard.com
- ^ http://www.folsombreakout.com
- ^ http://www.polobears.org Polo Bears
- ^ http://www.segwaypoloclubbarbados.org/
- ^ http://www.facebook.com/segwaybarbadosflyinfish
- ^ http://www.barbadosrumrunners.com
- ^ http://www.funky-move-turtles.de/
- ^ http://www.shtpa.ch/default.asp?choix=en
- ^ http://www.segway-emotion.at
- ^ http://www.stockholmsegwaypoloclub.se/
- ^ http://hemerbutterflies.jimdo.com/
[edit] External links
- Segwaypolo Germany
- Segway Polo Club of Barbados
- Barbados Rum Runners
- Video of Segway Polo
- Bay Area SEG
- New Zealand Pole Blacks
- Hemer Butterflies
- International Segway Polo Association
- Swiss HT Polo Club
- Segway Polo at the Metrodome - September 28, 2003
- Sacramento SEG - California Gold Rush Team
- Segway of Oakland and the Junkyard Dogs Segway Polo Video
- [5]
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