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Segway polo

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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]

History

European Polo Championship 2010 in Hemer

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, Lebanon, the United Kingdom, Holland and Spain among others. 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.

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.[2][3]

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.[4]

The 2011 Woz Cup[5] was hosted by the Folsom Breakout[6] 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 Swiss Tournament rules was applied.

The 2012 Woz Cup [7] was hosted in Stockholm, Sweden by Stockholm Segway Polo Club. It was played with 14 teams participating from 9 nations. The Balver Mammuts won over The Blade Pirates in the final with 2–0. The Stockholm Saints, Sweden, beat the Austrian team Vineyard Devils with 4–0 for the bronze match. The goal zone rule was introduced in Woz Cup for the first time. The games were held during June 6–10 at Östermalms IP and Zinkensdamm in central Stockholm. Moving from one arena to the other after group play, the caravan of Segways was 102 Segways through central Stockholm. Finland and Lebanon were among the new national teams joining for the first time.

The 2013 Woz Cup [8] was held at the Hotchkiss field at Gallaudet University, Washington, DC, from July 20 to 24th. 9 teams from 5 nations participated. The competition was hosted by the Lebanon Cedars. The Stockholm Saints (Sweden) won over Team Barbados in the final with 2–1. In the bronze medal match, the Blade Allstars from Germany beat the Balver Mammuts (also from Germany) on penalties.

There was no Woz Cup in 2014.

The 2015 Woz Cup was played in Cologne, Germany from July 16 to 19, 2015. A record number of 19 teams from 9 countries participated. Once again, the team from Barbados took first place, beating the Balver Mammuts (Germany) 1–0. In the bronze medal match, the Stockholm Saints (Sweden) beat the Blade Pirates (also from Germany) 2-0. Steve Wozniak co-founder of Apple Computers was there to play for the Silicon Valley Aftershocks.

WOZ CUP Venues

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
The Originals 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 has several teams (see below)
Flyin' Fish 2009-2011 [15] Barbados Winners Woz Cup 2009 and 2010, Runners Up 2011
Rum Runners 2010-2011 [16] Barbados 4th Woz Cup 2010
Team Barbados 2013- Barbados Runners Up Woz Cup 2013, Winners Woz Cup 2015
Funky-Move Turtles [17] Germany 3rd place Woz Cup 2009, 2010
Blade Pirates Solingen, Germany Runners Up Woz Cup 2010, Winners Woz Cup 2011, Runners Up Woz Cup 2012,
Blade Dragons Solingen, Germany 8th Woz Cup 2015
Blade Gliders Solingen, Germany 4th place EM 2011
Balver Mammuts Balve, Germany Winner EM 2011, Winner German Masters 2012, Winner Woz Cup 2012, Runners Up Woz Cup 2015
Balver Cavemen Balve, Germany 7th Woz Cup 2015
Swiss HT-Polo [18] Switzerland
Austrian National Team [19] Austria 4th Woz Cup 2009, 3rd place 2011
Vineyard Devils Austria 4th Woz Cup 2012, 10th Woz Cup 2015
Stockholm Saints/former Sweden National Team 2009-2011[20] Sweden 5th Woz Cup 2010, 4th Woz Cup 2011, 6th EM 2011, 3rd Woz Cup 2012, Winners Woz Cup 2013, 3rd Woz Cup 2015
Stockholm Blue Saints [20] Sweden
Stockholm Vikings [20] Sweden 15th Woz Cup 2015
Lebanon National Team Beirut, Lebanon 5th Woz Cup 2015
Finland National Team Finland
Hemer Butterflies [21] Germany 4th Woz Cup 2009
Team GB (UK Segway Polo) [22] Rugby, United Kingdom 13th Woz Cup 2015
Team England United Kingdom 16th Woz Cup 2015
Lichfield Lions Lichfield, United Kingdom Warwick Winter Tournament 2015
Warwick Allstars Warwick, United Kingdom Warwick Winter Tournament 2015
Warwick Knights Warwick, United Kingdom Warwick Winter Tournament 2015
Famous Five Tring, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom Warwick Winter Tournament 2015
Cornwall Segway Polo Team [23] Cornwall, United Kingdom 9th Woz Cup 2015 (2015 UK Champions)
Segway Trip Polo Madrid, Spain 17th Woz Cup 2015
Hannover Hot Wheels Hannover, Germany 18th Woz Cup 2015

Other Tournaments

  • The first Open European Polo Championship was held 16–18 July 2010 in Hemer (Germany)
  • The second Open European Polo Championship was held 30 September – 2 October 2011 in Berchtesgaden/ Königsee (Germany) 1st Balver Mammuts
  • The first Open German Polo Championship was held 19–20 May 2012 in (Germany)
  • The third Open European Polo Championship was held 3–7 October 2012 in Balve (Germany) 1st Balver Mammuts
  • The fourth Open European Championship was held 3–5 October 2013 in Hennef (Germany) 1st Balver Mammuts, 2nd Team Barbados,
  • The fifth Open European Championship was held 3–5 October 2014 in Hennef (Germany) 1st Balver Mammuts, 2nd Blade Pirates, 3rd Funky Move Turtles, 4th Balver Cavemen
  • The first UK Segway Polo International Tournament was held on 18-19 April 2015 in Rugby (England) 1st Balver Mammuts, 2nd Funky Move Turtles, 3rd Stockholm Saints, 4th Team Barbados
  • The second UK Segway tournament was held as the Warwick Winter Tournament 2015, in Warwick (England). 1st Hannover Hotwheels, 2nd Lichfield Lions, 3rd PUDS, 4th Warwick Knights, 5th Warwick Allstars, 6th Famous Five

See also

References

  1. ^ [1], International Segway Polo Association, retrieved 23 July 2015.
  2. ^ Clemens Schminke, "Fliegende Fische auf kippeligen Rädern", Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger 20 July 2009, retrieved 28 April 2010.
  3. ^ WOZ-Cup 2009 at Segway-Polo Deutschland e.V. (German)
  4. ^ "2010 Woz Cup Schedule and Results",[2], retrieved 10 January 2011.
  5. ^ "2011 Woz Cup",[3], retrieved 10 January 2011.
  6. ^ "Folsom Breakout",[4], retrieved 10 January 2011.
  7. ^ "2012 Woz Cup",[5], retrieved 5 January 2012
  8. ^ "2013 Woz Cup", [6], retrieved 11 July 2013
  9. ^ "Welcome! – Bay Area Segway Enthusiasts Group". Bayareaseg.com. 2004-07-11. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  10. ^ "Segway of Oakland". Segway of Oakland. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  11. ^ "Segway Junkyard". Segway Junkyard. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  12. ^ Folsom Breakout (2010-03-29). "Folsom Breakout Segway Polo Club". Folsombreakout.com. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  13. ^ http://www.polobears.org Polo Bears
  14. ^ "Segway Polo Club of Barbados". Segwaypoloclubbarbados.org. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  15. ^ "Barbados Flyin' Fish Segway Polo Team". Facebook. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  16. ^ "Barbados Rum Runners". Barbados Rum Runners. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  17. ^ "Google". Funky-move-turtles.de. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  18. ^ http://www.shtpa.ch/default.asp?choix=en
  19. ^ "SEGWAY mieten in Oberösterreich (OÖ)". Segway-emotion.at. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  20. ^ a b c "Stockholm Segway Polo Club". Stockholmsegwaypoloclub.se. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  21. ^ "Segway Polo – Hemer Butterflies". Hemerbutterflies.jimdo.com. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  22. ^ http://spolo.co.uk/
  23. ^ http://www.cornwallsegway.co.uk/segway-polo-cornwall/
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