What is Canoe Polo?
Canoe Polo is a water sport played in (ironically) a kayak. Games are played with two 10 minute halves with a shot clock for higher grades. Each team is allowed 5 players on the water, but can have as many subs as they want. The aim is to get the ball (water polo size 4 for girls and 5 for guys and mixed) into a net goal that is suspended above the water at each end of a rectangular playing pitch. These pitches can be on the open water (like the one you may have seen at Ross Creek) or in a swimming pool.
Players gain a wide range of kayaking skills, including the hand roll. This is incredibly useful when a player is in possession of the ball and their opponent pushes them over. So if you want to gain some all-round paddling skills Canoe Polo is the game for you.
Canoe Polo is now played by 50 countries in all continents of the world. At the last games that were held in Paris, the New Zealand, men’s team, Paddle Blacks, went into the competition with a world ranking of 13, and are now ranked 7th. The women’s team, Paddle Ferns, cemented their position as the top four in the world, as did the under-21 men’s team, Junior Paddle Blacks. The under-21 women’s team, Junior Paddle Ferns, were the only medalists bringing home a bronze medal.
In Dunedin we are lucky enough to play at Moana Pool over the winter season. We usually play on the Harbour over the summer but last summer we managed to get council permission to have a court set up at Ross Creek and we hope to continue using this space.
Players gain a wide range of kayaking skills, including the hand roll. This is incredibly useful when a player is in possession of the ball and their opponent pushes them over. So if you want to gain some all-round paddling skills Canoe Polo is the game for you.
Canoe Polo is now played by 50 countries in all continents of the world. At the last games that were held in Paris, the New Zealand, men’s team, Paddle Blacks, went into the competition with a world ranking of 13, and are now ranked 7th. The women’s team, Paddle Ferns, cemented their position as the top four in the world, as did the under-21 men’s team, Junior Paddle Blacks. The under-21 women’s team, Junior Paddle Ferns, were the only medalists bringing home a bronze medal.
In Dunedin we are lucky enough to play at Moana Pool over the winter season. We usually play on the Harbour over the summer but last summer we managed to get council permission to have a court set up at Ross Creek and we hope to continue using this space.