Bicycle Polo

Hello again ladies and gentleman!

As part of my continuous effort to bring you news on the strangest sports around, I have dug deep within the realm of obscurity, picking my way through a minefield of  vegans and inter-city hipsters, only to find myself staring into the very depths of Hades. This a very personal hell, and that hell is bicycle polo.

Image Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-29/brisbane-bike-polo/3026160

Described playfully as an 'anti-sport' by one enthusiast, bicycle polo is a sport generally played on  public basketball courts and other such places with enough open space and hard solid ground. Conceptually, it is very similar to other games of polo (whether they be on horse, elephant or any other played by men with overpriced shirts), as such, the game consists of teams of 3, who attempt to hit a ball into a goal using a wooden mallet. The twist of course, is that the game is played by people on racing bikes.

Image Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-29/brisbane-bike-polo/3026160

This is where the game becomes terrifying for me, pretty much all of my traumatic childhood memories involve bikes one way or another, whether it be the time I rode into crow territory and got chased and pecked, the time I attempted to ride along a seat, fell off and hit my head so hard that the helmet cracked in half, or the time the chain on my bike broke at 'bring your bike to school day' and I was forced to sit and watch everyone else have all the fun. generally speaking, bikes and I are not friends, however, being the pioneering journalist I am, I'm going to brave these chasms, just for you my dear reader, you should feel flattered.

The central hub for all things Australian bike polo may be found at www.bikepolo.com.au, however generally speaking, polo activities are organised at a state or area level, with annual national tournaments held in Melbourne. Information in regards to local events may be found at sydneybikepolo.org, with the most recent tournament being 'Cirque De Sydney' in February, and more to come later in the year.

Perhaps the most significant and positive aspect of bike polo is the way its organisers wish it to be percieved and played. All you need to join in is a bike and a mallet (which can either be home made or bought fairly cheaply), and due to the casual nature of the sport, it is open to persons of any age, experience or skill level. Whilst it is technically a competitive sport, its players pride themselves on their sporting and gentlemanly demeanor, you can forget about fat soccer mums yelling profanities from the side lines!

Not Pictured: Fat Soccer Mums

Image Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-29/brisbane-bike-polo/3026160

One aspect that may be of concern however, is that due to the inherent nature of the sport, minor injuries are a fairly common occurrence. Hence, perhaps it wouldn't be the best idea to jump right in if you're a bit too fragile to handle a few spills.

Ouch.

Image Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-29/brisbane-bike-polo/3026160

However, if you're fit, enthusiastic, and looking for something a bit different to quench your sporting thirst (or are a former polo champion whose horse was repossessed by the bank), why don't you give it a go? you may just discover a hidden passion for this game of bikes, mallets, helmets and fun.

Until next time

-Sam