Jump to content

Hardcourt Bike Polo

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Urban Cycle Polo)

Beavers vs Guardians, NAHBPC 2013

Hardcourt Bike Polo (aka Hardcourt, Urban Polo, Bici Polo, Velo Polo or simply Bike Polo) is a fast-paced, gender-inclusive team sport played on a hard, smooth, often trapezoidal, enclosed court. Three players per team ride bicycles and use mallets to hit a small ball into the opposing team's goal while avoiding physical contact with the ground. From its emergence in the 1990s, the sport benefited greatly from in the 2010s' bike boom seeing the formation of international clubs[1][2][3] and the growth of a strong tournament culture.[4] Drawing from aspects of team sports and cycling, its unique blend of brutal difficulty, finesse, physicality and flow attracts spectators and players alike, creating a passionate and vibrant sporting culture.[5]

The game

[edit]

Basics

Typically, the game is played in teams of 3 in an enclosed rectangle with rounded or angled corners, called a "court." Goals are placed near each long end of the court.

A team lining up on the back wall for the joust

At the beginning of the game, the ball is placed in the middle of the court while the players wait behind their own goals, bikes touching the back wall. Following a countdown or a whistle, a player from each team charges the ball in what is termed the "joust."[6]

A player may hit the ball in two ways: a "shot" or a "shuffle." A shot is made with either end of the mallet head, similar to swinging a hammer, whereas a shuffle is made with the long side, like pushing a broom.[7] In order to score a point, a player must hit the ball into the opposing team's goal with a shot; if the player uses a shuffle, no points are awarded and possession is turned over.

After scoring, the scoring team must return to their own half. The opposing team has ten seconds to advance the ball past half-court in order to resume play. A player who "dabs" (touches a horizontal surface, i.e., putting a foot on the ground or a hand on the wall) must undertake some form of remedial penalty before rejoining play or touching the ball. This usually involves "tapping out," riding to a designated middle point on the court's walls, and touching it with the mallet.[8][9] It is also common to say "foot down" or "dab" to let other players know you are out of play, but is not required. You should avoid affecting the play of the game at all costs after a foot down occurs.

In a tournament setting, the game continues until a team reaches either a predetermined number of goals (5 is common) or a length of time, depending on the style of play. Ties may result in sudden death or "you dab, you die" overtime, depending on the situation. Casual or pick-up games may follow local norms, with the score not typically being kept; these games may end in a golden goal commonly referred to as a "beer point."[10]

There are three common styles of hardcourt bike polo. Considered the traditional style, "3v3" consists of three-player teams, and games are usually around 10–15 minutes in length. The other most common form is "Squad."[11] Squad teams have 4 to 5 players, and games are between 30 and 40 minutes, allowing for substitutions. In addition to these, there is Bench with teams of 6 to 12 players, allowing for whole squad substitutions and games lasting between 60 and 90 minutes. All of these styles allow for a maximum of 3 players per team on the court at any given time. If fewer than six players are available, other games with additional rules like Traitor, Against the world, 2v2, or Cutthroat are utilized.

As a decentralized and organically growing game, the rules and play styles may vary substantially from city to city and between a pickup game and a tournament final. The North American Hardcourt Bike Polo Association has created an official set of rules for North America, which has been influential in standardizing rules worldwide. Controversial rules include mallet-on-mallet hooking, the legendary 'lobster trap, and the legality of physical contact to varying degrees.

The definition and amount of legal contact in a particular game is perhaps the most controversial. One classical definition of legal contact is governed by the saying, "mallet to mallet, bike to bike, shoulder to shoulder, don't be a jerk." "Shoulder to shoulder" refers to a "check," which may be legal if it is not grabbing or pushing with hands and deemed even and safe by the referee.[12]

Standardization

Since 2009, various governing bodies have been created within the polo community to advance the sport and create rule sets. The North American Hardcourt Bike Polo Association (NAHBPA) and European Hardcourt (EHBP) have been the prime organizations influencing standardization. Still, other regions have formed organizations, such as the Australasian Hardcourt (AHBP) and Bici Polo Latinoamerica (BPLA), as the sport spreads to other continents and countries all over the world.

Technique

High-level technical bike and ball handling skills have become commonplace in the sport. Training camps have been hosted in Europe, North America, and Australia so that players can gain competitive skills.[13] Bike handling skills borrowed from non-racing bike disciplines like BMX, bike dance, and fixed gear freestyle have been introduced such as the wheelie turn and the endo-pivot.[14]

Tournament format

[edit]

Though there are common styles of play, such as 3v3, Squad, and Bench, there are many formats for a tournament, with host clubs often employing customized rule sets. Competitive tournaments use Double-elimination tournaments held over two days for a traditional podium finish. Examples of other formats include:

ABC Shuffles (players are ranked A - Advance | B - Intermediate | C - Beginner; then grouped), Completely Random Shuffle (individual players grouped), 2v2 (for smaller courts), 4v4 (for larger hockey courts; 4th player on the court; the only time a permanent goalie is utilized) or 4v4 Duos (2 paired teams of 2), City vs City Bench style (6+ players per team), Bone Machine (best out of 3), Round-Robin, Gladiator or Thunderdome (often losing teams are shuffled and the rules dictate only one player can ultimately win), Swiss Rounds.

Worlds consist of teams that compete and qualify for regional slots and wildcard slots that are won the week of. 32 teams then complete in a Double-elimination tournament.

Beyond competitive tournaments, clubs host "Fun-focused Tournaments," which are a mainstay of the subculture. "Fun-focused Tournaments" may be infused with other games, such as the Cincinnati 3-Way (foosball and flip cup) or Lexington's Nerd City Classic (capture the flag), bizarre rules such as shuffle-only goals, and other hi-jinks that promote an inclusive party atmosphere.

One example of a Gladiator-style tournament is the Rose City Royal Rumble. The final team is pitted against each other in a one vs one vs one. A circle is formed by spectators around the center court where both goals are placed back to back. With one ball in play, two volunteer goalies, and three points to win, only one play can winner.

In Squad or Bench-style tournaments, a chosen team captain may be in charge of substitutions and communicating with the referee. This team captain may or may not be a player. The logistics of substitutions vary by court.

Equipment

[edit]
A well-used Street Hockey ball

Rather than use traditional wooden polo mallets, Hardcourt Bike Polo players started making handmade mallets much in the spirit of the DIY ethic. These mallets are a careful balance between weight and durability. Typical mallets are constructed using heads made from tubular UHMW plastic, aluminum shafts similar to ski poles and a connect joining the two.[15] Since the early days, a number of companies[16] producing bike polo specific equipment have started. Although professional mallets are much more common on courts today, some clubs consider a homemade mallet to be a rite of passage. Due to community sourced advancements in connection technology light-weight low-cost carbon fiber golf shafts have begun gaining popularity in recent years but not without criticism. Critics consider them too fragile for competitive play while proponents cite the increased maneuverability and reduced wrist strain.

The ball used in bike polo is typically made from PVC and is identical to a Street Hockey ball. In 2012, the pioneer but now defunct Fixcraft, polo-specific company, team up with D-Gel, makers of hockey products, to produce the first official bike polo ball.

Freshly painted wheel cover

Any bike with a working brake is acceptable for the game,[17] eventually most players customize their bikes especially for bike polo and their playing needs. Though personal preference varies greatly amongst players common competitive bicycle configurations include: a low ratio (between 1:1.5 - 1:1.8),[5] a strong front disc brake with rotor guard, a single brake lever on the opposite hand to your mallet hand, a single speed freewheel cog,[18] a track style or polo specific frame, a narrow set of flat or riser handlebars, clipless pedals, wheel covers, and frame padding.

Some players make or buy wheel covers made from corrugated plastic, polycarbonate, plastic netting, or even thick fabrics to protect spokes and create solid blocking surfaces. Often, players choose covers after experiencing defending the net and seeing a particularly hard shot rip through their spokes and result in a goal.

In competitive play, a netted goal similar to those used in ice hockey is required. Traditionally, a non-netted goal is utilized, such as two traffic cones placed two bikes apart (i.e., 4 meters).

Despite relative standardization in equipment compared to the early days of the game, bike polo is still very much in an experiential phase. Diversity ideologies, competitiveness, and resourcefulness keep pushing innovation.

Courts

[edit]

Players who lack a polo-specific court commonly play on other hardcourt surfaces such as tennis courts, roller rinks, basketball courts, or futsal courts. These are then customized using boards forming an enclosed rectangle with rounded or angled corners, to keep the ball from rolling out of the court or getting stuck in the corners. The NAH mandates goals be 3 ft x 6 ft (.9m x 1.8m) and must be placed no closer than 6 ft (1.8m) from the backboard. Court size does vary, but for a court to be used in an official NAH event, it must be no larger than 155 ft x 80 ft (47.25m x 25m) and no smaller than 120 ft x 60 ft (37m x 18m), and must have 4 ft (1.2m) high solid boards.

Polo Specific Courts

[edit]

The original courts like New York City's "The Pit"[19] or Seattle's "Judkins Park" are repurposed spaces. Some city parks departments have worked with their local Polo club and have built facilities specifically for Polo or multi-use activities, including Polo.

Examples of courts specifically designed to meet the needs of the sport include

East Vancouver's investment in a bicycle polo court at Grandview Park project cost around $90,000 to complete and included concrete walls, drainage, paving, seating, and fencing.[21]

History

[edit]

Cycle polo was invented in 1891 and reached the Olympics as a demonstration sport in 1908. The sport has seen peaks in popularity in the 1930s and 1980s but has most recently been revived by the fixed-gear scene, giving the sport a new lease of life.

Writer Matthew Sparkes compares Hardcourt polo to traditional bike polo "as streetball is to basketball: grittier, more easily accessible and, to be honest, more fun."[5]

Modern Hardcourt Bike Polo has its roots in early 2000s pacific north west.[22][23][9] Originally started by bicycle messengers who had downtime in between deliveries, the early game developed with some of the core rules being established (3 on 3, scoring with the flat end of the mallet). One origin story tracks back to 1998 in the middle of the Dot Com era. Jay Grisham gathered messengers to play in garages around Seattle. Later Matt Messenger, aka Messman, and others working for Kozmo would play in the company's Seattle parking lot known as the “Sunkinʼ ” between deliveries.[24][23]

As with any new sport, there were ups and downs during the beginning. Individuals in Portland began playing in 2002 as the sport was first beginning to spread around. During the Seattle hosted Cycle Messenger World Championships (CMWC) in 2003, the game was first showcased, and here it gained significant exposure and momentum. The game was officially incorporated into the 2008 CMWC in Toronto, thanks to enthusiastic participation from bicycle messengers. This event served as a significant catalyst, being dubbed the "World Bike Polo Championships." As people moved and traveled and word of the game spread from blogs like The Radavist and documentaries like Hit 'Em In The Mouth [25][26], Count it, and Murder of Couriers[27] clubs proliferated to new cities. Now, the sport has continued to grow in popularity, and today, there are clubs worldwide. Hardcourt bike polo branched out and is currently played in over 30 countries and 300 cities.[3][1] With the formation of Cairo Bike Polo, Egypt's first club, the sport is now being played competitively on six continents.

Professional Hardcourt Bike Polo

[edit]

In early 2015, Fixcraft hosted a tournament exploring the idea of professionalizing the sport.[28] With professional recording equipment and a cash prize. Fixcraft sought to create a well-manicured media product to potentially sell the broadcasting rights but was never able to do so before folding.[29] The tournament did however create a large backlash within the community, sparking a conversation on the direction the sport was taking, inclusiveness, and the role of sponsorship. High-level polo tournaments have since been recorded with professional-level equipment by the Canadian-base team Connect Bike Polo.[30]

Tournament Archiving and Analysis

[edit]

Attempts have been made to archive tournaments. Throughout the 2010s, podiumbikepolo.com has kept detailed statistics of nearly all tournaments, and Mr.Do[31] recorded almost all North American tournaments. Some clubs have recorded detailed data when hosting seasonal leagues within their cities in an attempt to gain an advantage through statistical analysis.[32]

Tournaments

[edit]
NAHBPC 2013

Since 2004, cities across North America have thrown inter-city tournaments such as the East-, West-, and Northside Polo Invites.

The first annual North American and European Hardcourt Bicycle Polo championships were both held in August 2009. The European tournament drew over 40 teams from Great Britain, France, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, and Germany and was won by L'Equipe, a team from Geneva. The North American tournament featured 36 teams from Seattle, Vancouver BC, Milwaukee, Chicago, New York, Ottawa, Portland, Washington DC, and elsewhere. Team Smile from Seattle won it. The first prize for each tournament were tickets to the 2009 World Championships.

The first-ever world championships were held in Toronto in 2008 as part of the Cycle Messenger World Championships. This tournament, which attracted over 100 participants comprising 35 teams, marked the first large-scale international bike polo event in history. There were representatives from Europe. However, hardcourt polo was still relatively new, and the European teams elected not to play in the elimination bracket after seeing the level of play from the North American teams, leading to this tournament being considered unofficial. Heat Lightning (Doug Dalrymple, Paul Rauen, and Zach Blackburn) won this early world tournament, using a high-energy "die by the sword" playing strategy. The following year, 2009, featured teams from the US, Canada, England, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. The winners were the then North American Champions, Team Smile, who defeated the team from East Vancouver in a repeat of the North American final. The 2009 event is considered the first official world championship.

National championships have been held in countries worldwide, including Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, Chile, and Germany.

European Hardcourt Bike Polo Championship 2013

In 2016, the North American Hardcourt Bike Polo Association announced that they were changing the format for all of their sanctioned tournaments from 3v3 to Squad.[11]

World Hardcourt Bike Polo Championships

[edit]
Year Host Winners Score Runners-up Third Place Fourth Place
2008 Toronto Canada Heat Lightning United States Balls Deep Canada Hunter Brothers + Kev United States
2009 Philadelphia United States Team Smile United States Balls Deep Canada Faceless Emotion United States Wisconsin A United States
2010 Berlin Germany Beaver Boys United States 5-1[33] Machine Politics United States L’Equipe Switzerland Toros Germany
2011 Seattle United States Crazy Canucks Canada 5-4[34] Call Me Daddy France Guardians United States Iron Ponies Switzerland
2012 Geneva Switzerland Call Me Daddy France 3-2[35] Guardians United States Clobber Politics United StatesCanada Dead Rappers United KingdomRepublic of Ireland
2013[36] Weston United States Beavers United States 5-1 Call Me Daddy France The Assassins United States Edisons FranceGermany
2014[37] Montpellier France Call Me Daddy FranceUnited Kingdom 5-3 Beavers United States Outlawz SwitzerlandHungary The Control United States
2016[38] Timaru New Zealand Outlawz Birds FranceHungary 5-4 Call Me Daddy FranceUnited Kingdom The Control United States Temoilesnichons France
2017 Lexington United States Mongrels United FranceHungaryRepublic of Ireland 4-1 Call Me Daddy FranceUnited Kingdom Bob Ross United States Geneva Alley Cats Switzerland
2019 Córdoba Argentina Mongrels United FranceHungaryRepublic of Ireland 2-1 Prendi la Mira FranceItaly Bob Ross United States More Sugar United States
2023 Perpignan France Mongrels United FranceHungaryRepublic of Ireland 6-2 Hot Dogs SwitzerlandSpain Rasta Rockets FranceItaly Cascadia United CanadaUnited States

European Hardcourt Bike Polo Championships

[edit]
Year Host Winners Score Runners-up Third Place Fourth Place
2009 London
United Kingdom Great Britain
L'Equipe
Switzerland (Geneva)
5-3 Malice International
United Kingdom (London)
Toros
Germany (Munich)
Discordia
FranceUnited Kingdom (Paris/London)
2010 Geneva
Switzerland Switzerland
L'Equipe
Switzerland (Geneva)
5-4 Cosmic
United Kingdom (London)
El Club
Spain (Barcelona)
Rotten Apples
United Kingdom (London)
2011[39] Barcelona
Spain Spain
L'Equipe
Switzerland (Geneva)
5-2 Polosynthese
Germany (Germany)
Hooks
France (Rouen)
El Club
Spain (Barcelona)
2012 Paris
France France
Call me Daddy
France (Paris/Toulouse)
Edisons
Germany (Frankfurt/Munich)
Hooks
France (Rouen)
L'Equipe
Switzerland (Geneva)
2013[40] Kraków
Poland Poland
Call me Daddy
France (Paris/Toulouse)
2-5, 5-3 Edisons
GermanySwitzerland (Frankfurt/Geneva)
Spring Break
United Kingdom (London)
Lhooks
FranceSwitzerland (Rouen/Geneva)
2014[41] Padova
Italy Italy
Call me Daddy
FranceUnited Kingdom (Paris/Cambridge)
4-5, 5-3 Edisons
Germany (Frankfurt/Munich)
True Danger
France (Paris/Lyon)
Sophie
Switzerland (Basel/Bern)
2015[42] Zaragoza
Spain Spain
Call me Daddy
FranceUnited Kingdom (Paris/Cambridge)
3-5, 2-5 Octopussy
Germany (Frankfurt/Nurnberg)
Megadrive
Switzerland (Geneva)
Temoilesnichons
France (Annecy/Lyon)
2017[43] Perpignan
France France
Mongrels United
FranceGermany (Paris/Annecy/Munich)
2-1 Mohawks
Germany Republic of Ireland(Gießen/Hamburg/London)
Monstars
France (France)
Rasta Rocket
France (Montpellier)
2018[44] Pescara
Italy Italy
Octopussy
Germany (Nuremberg/Hamburg)
3-2 Excuse The Mess
Poland (Warsaw/Krakow)
Mongrels XL
Republic of IrelandGermanyUnited States(London/Munich/Milwaukee)
Call Me Daddy
France (Paris)
2019 Zurich

Switzerland Switzerland

Mongrels United FranceHungaryRepublic of Ireland 2-0 Rasta Rocket
France
Call me Daddy
FranceUnited Kingdom
Superbe
France Italy
2023 Berlin

Germany Germany

Mongrels United

FranceHungaryRepublic of Ireland

7-3 Rasta Rocket

France

Lessive Vandals

France

North American Hardcourt Bike Polo Championships

[edit]
Year Host Winners Runners-up Third Place Fourth Place
2008 Chicago, IL United States That's What She Said
Canada(Ottawa)
Philadelphia
United States
East Vancouver
Canada
Madison
United States
2009 Seattle, WA United States Team Smile
United States (Seattle)
Balls Deep
Canada (Vancouver)
Beaver Boys
United States (Milwaukee)
DD Booster Club
United States (New York)
2010 Madison, WI United States The Odds
United States (Richmond/Philadelphia/New York)
Team Smile
United States (Seattle)
East Van
Canada (Vancouver)
Super Polonics
United States (Seattle)
2011 Calgary Canada The Guardians[45]
United States (Seattle)
Clobber Politics
United StatesCanada (Chicago/Ottawa)
The Crazy Canucks
Canada (Vancouver)
The Outsiders
United StatesCanada (Los Angeles, Seattle, Vancouver)
2012 Milwaukee, WI United States Beaver Boys
United States (Milwaukee)
The Guardians
United States (Seattle)
The Means
United StatesCanada (Richmond/Ottawa/New York)
Portland United
United States (Portland)
2013[46] Roseville, MN United States Beavers
United States (San Francisco)
The Guardians
United States (Seattle)
The Assassins
United States (Seattle)
Portland United
United States (Portland)
2014[47] Roseville, MN United States Beavers
United States (San Francisco, Milwaukee)
Portland United
United States (Portland)
The Guardians
United States (Seattle)
The Ringers
United States (Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco)
2015[48] Lexington, KY United States MF Monster Truck
United States Republic of Ireland (Portland, London)
The Guardians
United States (Seattle)
Prospectors
United States (Portland)
The Control
United States (San Francisco)
2016 Folsom, CA United States The Control
United States (San Francisco)
Albatross
United States (Seattle)
Wood Rats
United States
Prospectors
United States (Portland)
2017 Frederick, MD United States The Control
United States (SF)
Bob Ross
United States (SEA)
Crunchy
United States (POR/HOU/SLC)
Mosquito
Canada (SKS)
2018 Milwaukee, WI United States The Control
United States (SF)
Bob Ross
United States (SEA)
Superpolo
Mexico (MEX)
Mosquito
Canada (SKS)
2019 Seattle, WA United States Mosquito
CanadaUnited States (SKS)(SEA)
Bob Ross
United States (SEA)
More Sugar
United States (PDX)
Snake Oil
United States
2023 San Luis Potosí, Mexico Mexico Mosquito
CanadaUnited States (SKS)(SEA)
Superpolo
Mexico (MEX)
More Sugar
United States (PDX)
Lunch Ladies
United States (SEA)
2024 Salt Lake City, UT United States Fathoms
CanadaUnited States (VAN)(SF)
Nemesis
MexicoUnited States (MEX)(PHX)
Superpolo
Mexico (MEX)
Big Cat
United States (SEA)(PDX)

Australasian Hardcourt Bike Polo Championships

[edit]
Year Host Winners Score Runners-up Third Place Fourth Place
2009 Melbourne Meat & Two Veg
Australia (Melbourne)
Scheisse Katze
AustraliaGermany (Melbourne/Germany)
Bush League Bushrangers
AustraliaCanada (Melbourne/Toronto)
Jailbreakers
Australia (Castlemaine)
2010 Brisbane Johnny Crash
Australia (Melbourne)
The Screaming Baguettes
AustraliaFrance (Sydney/Paris)
German Bells
Australia (Brisbane)
That's What She Said
Australia (Adelaide)
2011 Adelaide Storm Boys
Australia (Perth/Sydney/Melbourne)
That's What She Said
Australia (Adelaide)
L.S.V.
Australia (Sydney)
Neil La Robolution
Australia (Adelaide/Melbourne)
2012 Perth NASFWG
Australia (Perth)
1-5, 1-5 Triple Dutch Rudder
Australia (Brisbane)
Dog Soccer
Australia (Sydney)
L.S.V.
Australia (Sydney)
2013 Timaru NASFWG
Australia (Perth)
Melbourne Anchor
Australia (Melbourne)
Triple Dutch Rudder
Australia (Brisbane)
C4
New Zealand (Christchurch)
2014[49] Sydney The Fist
AustraliaUnited States (Melbourne/Seattle)
5-2 Alchemists
Australia (Perth)
The Sentinels
Australia (Brisbane)
C4 Christchurch
New Zealand (Christchurch)
2017 Melbourne Spectres
Australia (Melbourne/Perth/Sydney/Brisbane)
The Huntsmen
Australia (Melbourne/Sydney/Brisbane)
Inspectre Keanu
Australia (Brisbane/Melbourne)
Timaru Bike Polo
New Zealand (Timaru)
2022 Hobart The Huntsmen
Australia (Melbourne/Sydney/Newcastle)
Compact Mid-Sized Sedan
Australia (Sydney/Melbourne)
Skywhales
Australia (Canberra/Sydney/Hobart)
Shorts Straw
Australia (Hobart)
2023

Asia Hardcourt Bike Polo Championships

[edit]
Year Host Winners Runners-up Third Place
2015 Kaohsiung, Taiwan Yattarus
Japan (JPN)
Country Boy
TaiwanThailand (TWN)/(Bangkok)
Homamon
Japan (JPN)
2016 Kaohsiung, Taiwan UZUUZU
Japan (JPN)
Country Boy
TaiwanThailand (TWN)/(Bangkok)
262
Taiwan (TWN)

Latin American Hardcourt Bike Polo Championships

[edit]
Year Host Winners Score Runners-up Third Place Fourth Place
2011 Santiago de Chile Monopolientos
Chile (Santiago)
Underdogs
Brazil (São Paulo)
Hágame Famoso
Colombia (Bogotá)
Viveza Criolla
Ecuador (Quito)
2012 Buenos Aires Underdogs
Brazil (São Paulo)
5-0, 5-3 Monopolientos
Chile (Santiago)
Jinetes del Apocalipsis
Argentina (Buenos Aires)
Viveza Criolla
Ecuador (Quito)
2013 São Paulo Mala Pata
Chile (Santiago)
Untitled
Argentina (Buenos Aires)
Hágame Famoso
Colombia (Bogotá)
Underdogs
Brazil (São Paulo)
2014 Bogota RompeBolas
Mexico (Mexico City/San Luis Potosí)
5-3, 4-0 Underdogs
Brazil (São Paulo)
Vandalos
Mexico (Mexico City)
Hermanos Korioto
Mexico (Mexico City)
2015 Quito Las Viudas del Loco
ArgentinaChile (Buenos Aires/Santiago)
2-1, 4-1 Dios los Cría
Argentina (Rosario/Buenos Aires)
Korioto
MexicoUnited States (Guadalajara/Portland)
Tres Gallos
Puerto Rico (San Juan, PR)
2016 Rosario Mucho Niño

MexicoUnited States(Guadalajara / Houston)

5 - 3 Super Polo Team

MexicoUnited States( DF / Houston)

Pulp Fiction

Chile(Santiago)

Guacamaya

Colombia(Bogotá)

2017 Guadalajara Mucho Niño Mexico 3 - 2 Marabunta Mexico KRT Mexico El Dorado Colombia
2018 Bogota Jauría Colombia 5 - 2 Escandalo ColombiaArgentinaFrance
2023 Santigo Black Milk Argentina 7 - 2 NEPA Argentina Trasandinos ChileArgentina Litoral FC Argentina

Crown Classic (aka Ladies Army before 2019)

[edit]
Year Host Winners Score Runners-up Third Place Fourth Place
2009[50] Vancouver Canada Bushwackers
Canada (Vancouver)
In my back pocket
Canada (Ottawa)
Vagic Moments
Canada (Vancouver)
Killer Ladybugs
Canada (Victoria)
2010[51] New York City United States Delta Force
CanadaUnited States (Philadelphia/Toronto/Portland)
Beer, Bacon & Babes
United States (Seattle/Minneapolis)
2011[52] Austin United States Cunning Stunts
United StatesCanada (Toronto/Milwaukee/Seattle)
The C.L.A.P.
United StatesCanada (Seattle/Vancouver)
2012[53] Lexington United States Cunning Stunts
United StatesCanada (Toronto/Milwaukee/Seattle)
3-1 Bear Hugs
CanadaSwitzerland (Toronto/Geneva/Vancouver)
Hot Links
United States (Lexington/Athens)
Tornadoes
United Kingdom (London)
2013[54] Vancouver Canada Valkyries
United StatesSwitzerland (Vancouver/Cincinnati/Geneva)
Hot Honey Biscuits
United States (Seattle/Mobile/Athens)
Great White North
Canada (Ottawa/Toronto)
Cobble Polotics
United KingdomUnited States (London/Lexington/Seattle)
2014[55] Toronto Canada Cunning Stunts
Canada (Toronto)
5-4, 4-3 Hot Honey Biscuits
United States (Seattle/Mobile/Athens)
Valkyries
United StatesSwitzerland (Vancouver/Lexington/Geneva)
The Cuntrol
CanadaUnited States (Vancouver/San Francisco/Oakland)
2015[56] San Francisco United States Valkyries
United StatesSwitzerlandCanada (Lexington/Geneva/Vancouver)
1-0 Hot Honey Biscuits
United States (Seattle/San Francisco/Salt Lake City)
Shit Twins
United States (Madison/Raleigh)
Ruckus
GermanyFranceUnited States (Frankfurt/Strasbourg/Seattle)
2016 Guadalajara Mexico Peligrosa
United StatesCanada (Salt Lake City/Seattle/Saskatoon)
2-1 Ruckus
GermanyFranceUnited States (Frankfurt/Strasbourg/Seattle)
Dropbears
United States (Santa Cruz/Oakland/San Francisco)
Feliz Accidentitas
United StatesCanada (New York City/Vancouver)
2017 Grand Rapids United States Weirdos
United States (New York City)
4-3 The Annie Oakleys
United StatesCanada (San Francisco/Oakland/Saskatoon)
OK
United StatesCanada (Salt Lake City/Seattle/Toronto)
Yes Mum
United StatesUnited Kingdom (San Francisco/Madison/Bristol)
2018 Los Angeles United States Cool Sports Team
United StatesUnited KingdomSwitzerland (Milwaukee/London/Geneva)
2-0 Brujaja
MexicoUnited States (Mexico City/Raleigh/Seattle)
Notorious
United States (San Francisco)
Baba Yaga
United StatesCanada (Seattle, Saskatoon, Toronto)
2022 MilwaukeeUnited States Fieras

United StatesMexico (Milwaukee/Anchorage/Mexico City)

Be Nobody's Darling Muad’dab

United States (New York City/Philadelphia/Raleigh)

Pew Pew!
2023 [57] BostonUnited States Acabradabra

CanadaUnited StatesMexico (Toronto/Anchorage/Mexico City)

Wasabee

United States (Salt Lake City)

The Butt of Pentacles

United States (New York City/Minneapolis/Boston)

Fancy

United States (New York City/Salt Lake City)

2024 [58] TorontoCanada Steeped Tea

CanadaUnited States (Toronto/New York City/Tallahassee)

Noice

United States (Salt Lake City/Grand Rapids)

The Butt of Pentacles

United States (New York City/Philadelphia/Boston)

Tremendo Flow

MexicoUnited States (Guadalajara/San Francisco)

Hell's Belles

[edit]
Year[59] Host Winners Score Runners-up Third Place Fourth Place
2011 London

United Kingdom

Valley, Leslie, Seabass
2012 London

United Kingdom

Jo, Nik, Erin
2013 Barcelona

Spain

Jo, Elena, Angie
2014 Geneva

Switzerland

Shotgun Sisters

Anna Germany Danielle United StatesJohanna Germany

2015 Toulouse

France

Elena, Lisa, Liga
2016 Vienna

Austria

Elena, Lisa, Liga
2017 Lyon

France

Sam, Jacki, Melanie
2018 Glasgow

United Kingdom

Ruckus

Elodie France JohannaGermany Danielle United States

2019 Barao

Portugal

Nele, Kathi, Nath
2023 Hamberg

Germany

Eliska, Mya, Nele Ruckus

Elodie France JohannaGermany Lisa Ukraine

2024 Bern

Switzerland

Ruckus

Elodie France Johanna Germany Lisa Ukraine

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Global Bike Polo Club Map". Google My Maps. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Polo's young punk cousin". 31 July 2009. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Map of Hardcourt Bike Polo clubs around the world". Leagueofbikepolo.com. Archived from the original on 4 May 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Bike Polo Calendar". Bike Polo Calendar. 22 January 2024. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "Bike polo - a tarmac tournament that's not for the thin-skinned | Cycling | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. 3 August 2009. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  6. ^ These polo players trade horses for bikes, 3 June 2023, retrieved 22 January 2024
  7. ^ Bike Polo // What you need to know about Pt1, 9 April 2016, retrieved 19 February 2024
  8. ^ "Bike polo in Little Rock: Tournament on bicycles a beautiful balance of competition, camaraderie | Arkansas Democrat Gazette". www.arkansasonline.com. 4 July 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Hardcourt Bike Polo Is on the Rise in Houston". Houstonia Magazine. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  10. ^ "What The Hell Is That Sport? Hardcourt Bike Polo". Vice Sports.
  11. ^ a b "Squad Is Here!". Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  12. ^ "RULES « Hardcourt Bike Polo". 6 August 2020. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  13. ^ "HOME". Bike Polo Camp. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  14. ^ Murphy, Jen (22 July 2023). "To Feel Young, He Saddles Up for Bike Polo". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 22 July 2023. (subscription required)
  15. ^ "Hit 'Em in the Mouth – Bike Polo Documentary". theradavist.com. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  16. ^ "List of Polo Brands". Poloverse. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Hotdogs and Mallets: The Eugene Bike Polo Club – Katie Sox". theradavist.com. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  18. ^ "Birmingham Bike Polo". Birmingham Bike Polo. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  19. ^ "Bike Polo Regulars Gather in The Pit - WSJ". 13 May 2016. Archived from the original on 13 May 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  20. ^ "Austin to roll out first bike polo court in the city". KXAN Austin. 12 June 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  21. ^ "East Vancouver bike-polo court is a world first". The Georgia Straight. 26 January 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  22. ^ "History of Hardcourt forum discussion". Leagueofbikepolo.com. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  23. ^ a b Messenger, Matt. "History". 321polo.net. Archived from the original on 31 March 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  24. ^ "Brief history of Bike Polo". FCK YEA POLO. 28 November 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  25. ^ Laker, Laura (26 September 2012). "Hit 'Em in the Mouth: a glimpse into the frenetic world of bike polo". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  26. ^ Vazquez, Danny. "Video: "Hit 'Em in the Mouth" Documents Rise of Bike Polo in Seattle". Complex. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  27. ^ Adventure Sports TV Docs (9 January 2024). Murder of Couriers - bike messenger culture. Retrieved 22 August 2024 – via YouTube.
  28. ^ admin (31 July 2015). "Professional Hardcourt Bike Polo (a bunch of videos!!!!)". Tampa-St. Petersburg Bike Polo. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  29. ^ 2015 PHBP Game One HD, 9 January 2017, retrieved 30 January 2024
  30. ^ "Connect Bike Polo - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  31. ^ "Mr Do Video | The Best In Hardcourt Entertainment and Bike Polo Videos". 17 June 2021. Archived from the original on 17 June 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  32. ^ "46: Talking Defense with Olsen Aviles by Northside Polo Podcast".
  33. ^ "Video: Beaver Boys vs Machine Politics". Brooks. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2010. Final Game at WHBPC 2010
  34. ^ "Video: Crazy Canucks vs Call Me Daddy". Retrieved 11 September 2011 – via Vimeo. Final Game at WHBPC 2011
  35. ^ "Video: Call Me Daddy vs Guardians". Retrieved 19 August 2012 – via Vimeo. Final Game at WHBPC 2012
  36. ^ "Podium: WHBPC 2013". Hardcourt Podium. Archived from the original on 31 October 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2013. Beavers 5 - 1 Call Me Daddy
  37. ^ "Podium: WHBPC 2014". Hardcourt Podium. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014. Call Me Daddy 5 - 3 Beavers
  38. ^ "THE 7TH WORLD HARDCOURT BICYCLE POLO CHAMPIONSHIPS". Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  39. ^ Carrilo, Alejandro. "We have a winner". Archived from the original on 9 July 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2011. It might not come as a surprise (or perhaps the biggest surprise there is), that for the third consecutive time L'Équipe wins it all
  40. ^ "Podium: EHBPC 2013". Hardcourt Podium. Archived from the original on 5 July 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2013. Call Me Daddy 5 - 3 Edisons
  41. ^ "Podium bike polo - EHBPC 2014". www.podiumbikepolo.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  42. ^ "EHBPC 2015". ehbpc.org/2015/. Archived from the original on 14 November 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  43. ^ "EHBPC 2017". docs.google.com.
  44. ^ "EHBPC 2018".
  45. ^ "NAHBPC 3: CALGARY". Fleetvelo. Archived from the original on 31 March 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
  46. ^ "Podium: NAHBPC 2013". Hardcourt Podium. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2013. Beavers 5 - 0 The Guardians
  47. ^ "Podium bike polo - NAHBPC 2014". www.podiumbikepolo.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  48. ^ "Podium bike polo - NAHBPC 2015". www.podiumbikepolo.com. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  49. ^ "Podium bike polo - AHBPC 2014". www.podiumbikepolo.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  50. ^ "League of Bike Polo - THE LADIES ARMY PRESENTS.... 1st EVER ALL WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT". leagueofbikepolo.com.
  51. ^ "League of Bike Polo - Ladies Army II June 25, 2010". leagueofbikepolo.com.
  52. ^ "League of Bike Polo - Ladies Army III, May 2011". leagueofbikepolo.com.
  53. ^ "League of Bike Polo - 4th Annual Ladies Army & Coed Tourney Apr 27-29". leagueofbikepolo.com.
  54. ^ "League of Bike Polo - Ladies Army III, May 2011". leagueofbikepolo.com.
  55. ^ "Podium bike polo - Ladies Army 2014". www.podiumbikepolo.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  56. ^ "Podium bike polo - Ladies Army 2015". www.podiumbikepolo.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  57. ^ "Challonge - Crown Classic 2023".
  58. ^ "Challonge - Crown Classic 2024".
  59. ^ "BPN Hells Bellxs". Poloverse. 11 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
[edit]