Q. What are the various types of canoeing?

Canoeing is both recreational and competitive. Recreational disciplines include touring and sea kayaking, whilst competitive canoeing includes canoe polo, canoe sailing, freestyle, marathon, slalom, sprint racing, surf and wild water racing. However, somewhat confusingly most canoeing disciplines, including canoe polo, actually use closed cockpit boats, or kayaks. Whilst these are technically referred to as ‘kayaking’, canoeing is the general term used for all of the disciplines.

Q. What is canoe polo?

Canoe Polo is a fast and exciting full contact team ball game that combines paddling with ball handling skills. Tactics, team work and positional play are as important as individual skills, as five players per team attempt to play the ball around the pitch in order to score more goals than the opposing team.

Q. How do you play canoe polo?

The players move the ball, equivalent to a water polo ball, around the 35 m by 23 m flat-water pitch by throwing or paddle flicking. The goals are 1.5 m by 1 m rectangular nets suspended 2 m above the water at either end of the pitch. During defensive play, the goalkeeper defends the goal using their paddle held vertically, whilst the other players help to defend or regain possession by using a variety of tactics, such as a ‘zone’ in front of the goalkeeper. During offensive play, the team play the ball around the opposing team’s zone whilst players attempt to make space for a shot at goal.

Q. What is the format of a canoe polo match?

A canoe polo match takes place over two halves of around 10 minutes, with a short half time break. At the start of each half, the players from each team line up along their respective goal lines. The referee starts play and throws the ball into the centre of the pitch, where two players sprint to gain initial possession of the ball. The same happens at the beginning of the second half, and at full time, the winner is the team that have scored more goals than their opponents.

Q. What are the tactics involved in canoe polo?

Several tactical decisions can be made, especially during defensive play, to either hold the play or actively seek possession of the ball. A team may choose to play a ‘3 and 1’ strategy, with a three-man zone in front of the goal keeper, a ‘2 and 2’ strategy, with a two-man zone in front of the goal keeper, or play a man to man marking game called ‘5-out’ if possession is needed to gain a quick goal. The top teams are able to switch tactics during a match if required.

Q. Where do you play canoe polo?

Canoe polo is generally played indoors during the winter season and outdoors during the summer season. Swimming pools across the country are used for the National League structure during the winter – however, a minimum length of 33 m is required, and refereeing must be possible along the sides of the pool for BCU competitions. Outdoor venues such as lakes, canals and docks are used during the summer for large tournaments. In fact, any piece of slow or non-moving flat water can be used for canoe polo – this has an added advantage of being safe for younger paddlers.

Q. What facilities are available for playing canoe polo?

Swimming pools used for canoe polo use hanging goals that are easy to put up. Permanent outdoor venues include the Blakedown training facility, West Midlands; FOA training facility, Liverpool; Meridian Canoe Club, London and Hatfield Water Park, Doncaster. However, since polo is played all over the country, many temporary pitches are set up for training and competitions.

Q. Do you need specialist equipment?

Boats are specifically designed for canoe polo and conform to ICF rules. They are rounded and padded at the bow and stern and are around 3 metres long – shorter than marathon canoes, but longer than white-water canoes. This allows a balance of speed and manoeuvrability. The construction varies from plastic, to glass fibre and carbon Kevlar. Paddles are also specifically designed for polo; plastic or lightweight carbon construction with blade profiles and shaft lengths designed for goal keeping or sprinting in mind. A helmet with a faceguard, a buoyancy aid and spray-deck are also required.

Q. What clothing is required? Do I need a wetsuit or drysuit?

Canoe Polo is generally played outside in the summer and inside during the winter. Hence, most paddlers simply wear a Lycra shirt, neoprene shorts and wetsuit boots, along with the required helmet and buoyancy aid. For colder weather and during the winter for outdoor training and matches, a long sleeved Lycra or wetsuit top, or drysuit top may be needed.

Q. How is the sport made as safe as possible?

A high priority is placed on safety, as canoe polo is a full contact sport. Many of the rules are safety orientated, and kit is also adapted to be as safe as possible. Helmets are mandatory, as are faceguards, and paddles are required to have a minimum thickness of 5 mm, and restrictions on radius of curvature are also enforced to save people’s fingers! Buoyancy aids protect the torso whilst also providing buoyancy if required, and boats are padded at stern and bow and kit is subject to scrutineering at official competitions.

Q. How do competitions work?

The format of competitions varies, but generally summer tournaments run over a weekend with games starting early on Saturday morning. Teams will expect to play around 8 games over the weekend; this may include an initial mini-league then cross-overs to determine overall positions. Therefore, teams will have games spread over the day and give the players a chance to warm up, rest and eat.

Q. What competitions run during the summer and winter seasons?

During the winter from September to April, a National League structure runs. The Open League has 4 divisions; the Ladies and Youth both have two. A pyramid scheme is used, such that there one Division 1 league, two Division 2 leagues, three Division 3 leagues and four Division 4 leagues. This allows a regional set up for the lower leagues whilst the top eight teams in the country complete in the single Division 1. The current format is that all teams play three indoor fixtures in a league structure within divisions over the winter season. Promotions and relegations are then made accordingly at the end of the season. During the summer, a series of independent tournaments are held around the country and Europe with Open, Ladies and Youth categories. Current venues for summer Open competitions include Blakedown, Doncaster (for National Championships and British University Sports Association Championships) Liverpool, Hull, Pembroke and London. Popular venues for British teams on the continent include Ieper (Belgium) and Kilcock (Ireland). These competitions generally hold three divisions, a ladies division and a youth division, and all teams are able to enter.

Q. Do I have to be a good paddler to play canoe polo?

No! Everybody has to start somewhere, and many paddlers started to play canoe polo when they couldn’t even go in a straight line! The sport is played on still flat water and with so many paddlers on the pitch; there is no possibility of drowning! Since the sport is so safe, is it an ideal fun introduction to canoeing for beginners and youngsters.

Q. Is it difficult to crossover from another canoeing discipline, or enjoy several different canoeing disciplines?

Not at all. Canoe polo can require specific technical skills, as with other canoeing disciplines but the boats used are easy to get used to, since they are less extreme than short play boats and tippy marathon boats. The specific kit indicated above is required for BCU organised competitions.

Q. Are there internationally agreed rules?

Yes, the International Canoe Federation (ICF) publishes international rules to which Nations adhere. There are both National and International committees that meet to discuss any rule additions or changes necessary as the sport progresses. The full rules can be found in the annual BCU Canoe polo yearbook, along with other useful information.

Q. What are the main rules?

The rules of canoe polo look surprisingly complex – however most are technicalities and many more are implemented for safety reasons.
* If the ball is played out of the pitch, a sideline throw, goal line throw or corner is given.
* Players can only hold the ball for 5 seconds, and then the ball must be dribbled one metre or passed to another player.
* Players can be pushed over by a one-handed tackle to the arms or body only if they have possession of the ball.
* The paddle cannot be brought within arm’s reach of the player in possession.
* Kayak tackles cannot hit the player’s body or ram the player’s kayak at a perpendicular angle.
* An opposition player cannot move the goalkeeper, and players are not allowed to obstruct the progress of opposition players along the pitch.

Q. Who controls the game?

A referee on either side of the pitch controls the play by enforcing ICF rules using a whistle and a system of arm symbols. A system of ‘leading and trailing’ is used so that the goal lines can be covered effectively to accurately call goals, goal line throws, corner throws and goalkeeper fouls. The referee should be sufficiently qualified to referee the particular standard of play. In Great Britain, a graded referee assessment scheme is in place (see below). Two timekeepers keep the score, indicate half and full time to the referees and record any cards given by the referees. Additionally, a linesman at either goal line indicate to the referees that both teams are correctly lined up for the start of end period of play, and also check for illegal substitutions. A scrutineer is also required at the start of the competition to check all equipment is safe and legal.

Q. How do you become a qualified referee?

You will need to take a Referee’s course. This includes a short written examination after a course, then a practical assessment of refereeing real matches. Referee status is graded from 1 to 4, with Grade 1 being the most qualified. These qualification levels are equivalent to the standard of play in National League – a team playing in Open Division 2 must be able to supply a grade 2 referee, for example. Courses are run around the country throughout the year.

Q. Are National Championships held in Great Britain?

The National Championships are held each year in May at Hatfield Water Park, Doncaster. The competition takes play over a weekend in Men’s, Ladies and Youth (under 18) categories. The current National Champions are Friends of Allonby in all three categories, and take the ‘DB Xclusive Top Club’ title.

Q. Are European Club Championships held?

The European Club Championships are held annually for the best club teams in Europe, assessed on ability within their own country’s league structure. The 4th European Club Championships were hosted by Friends of Allonby Canoe Club, Liverpool, in September 2004.

The results were:
Men: 1st Deventer KV (NL), 2nd WSF Liblar (Ger), 3rd Conde Sur Vire (Fra)
Ladies: 1st Acigne Dames (Fra), 2nd Aberfan Ladies (GB), 3rd WTW Warszawa (Pol)

Full results can be found at http://www.foacc.com

The results of the 3rd European Club Championships held in Napoli, Italy were:
Men: 1st Possillipo (Italy), 2nd Deventer KV (NL), 3rd Conde Sur Vire (Fra)
Ladies: 1st Saint Omer (Fra), 2nd Retiro (Spain), 3rd Dragon (GB)

Q. Are World and European Championships held for canoe polo?

The World and European Championships are held biannually, with the events being staggered. Great Britain is a leading Nation in both European and International canoe polo:

World Championships podium results 2004, Miyoshi, Japan:
Men: 1st Netherlands, 2nd Germany, 3rd Great Britain
Ladies: 1st Great Britain, 2nd Germany, 3rd France
U21 Men – 1st Spain, 2nd Italy, 3rd Japan (no GB team)

European Championships Results 2003, Napoli, Italy:
Men: 1st Netherlands, 2nd Germany, 3rd Great Britain
Ladies: 1st Germany, 2nd France, 3rd Great Britain
U21 Men: 1st Germany, 2nd Netherlands, 3rd Spain (GB 6th)

World Championships Results 2002, Essen, Germany:
Men: 1st Great Britain, 2nd Netherlands, 3rd Germany
Ladies: 1st Germany, 2nd France, 3rd Australia (GB 5th)
U21 Men: 1st Germany, 2nd Netherlands, 3rd Italy (GB 8th)
U21 Ladies: 1st Germany, 2nd Poland, 3rd Japan (GB 4th)

World Championships 2006 will be held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Q. Who are the Men’s and Ladies 2004 World Championships teams?

Ladies (club team in brackets)

1. Kirsty Sutcliffe (Meridian, London)
2. Sharron Derrick (Aberfan, Wales)
3. Ginny Coyles (Friends of Allonby Xclusive, Liverpool)
4. Phillipa Grayson (St. Albans)
5. Lianne Grayson (St. Albans)
6. Toni Harmer (Aberfan, Wales)
7. Andi Fear-Ross (Meridian, London)
8. Zoe Anthony (Aberfan, Wales)

Coaches: Diane Ratcliff & Dave Brown

Men’s (club team in brackets)

1. Stuart Moffitt
2. Neil Parker (Meridian, London)
3. Neil Edmunds (Friends of Allonby, Liverpool)
4. Nick Archer (Viking, Derby)
5. Dave Sanders (St. Albans)
6. Paul Hammond (Dragon, Wales)
7. Peter Meakin (Friends of Allonby, Liverpool)
8. Alan Vessey (St. Albans)
9. Andy Petrie (Viking, Derby)

Coach: Mike Moffitt

Q. Is canoe polo in the Olympics?

Unfortunately not. The canoeing disciplines included in the Olympic games are Sprint (500m and 1000m) and Slalom. However, the International World Games Association has granted the ICF entry to the World Games 2005 with two categories (senior Men and senior Women) of the canoe polo discipline. In Germany, 2 playing areas will be in use on Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 July 2005. For more information on the World Games and Canoe Polo at the World Games you can visit www.worldgames2005.org and www.worldgames.iwga.org. Great Britain Men’s and Ladies team, with excellent results at the 6th World Championships 2004, have secured a place at the World Games. A bid to include canoe polo in the Olympics may follow.

Q. Is canoe polo played at University canoe clubs, and can novices get involved?

Canoe Polo at University level has grown dramatically over the past few years, with many university canoe clubs now playing the sport. The standard of play has improved also, with several teams competing in National League. University canoe clubs generally participate in many different canoeing disciplines and have a great social atmosphere. The British University Student Association (BUSA), Canoe polo tournament, run by Loughborough University, is held in April every year and is a fantastic event attended by over 80 teams.

Q. How do I find out more information and get involved?

The following websites contain information on canoe polo. There are canoe clubs playing polo all over the country – the BCU Handbook has a comprehensive list of canoe clubs by area, and contains disciplines and services offered by each club, and is updated annually. Canoe clubs are generally very friendly and welcome new paddlers of all abilities. Most large universities have canoe clubs that play canoe polo and welcome experts and novices alike. Please contact the BCU canoe polo committee for any more information. The canoe polo forum (see below) is also a useful source of information and answers to any questions you have.

Useful links:

http://www.canoepolo.org.uk Official BCU Canoe Polo website – newly updated!
http://www.bcu.org.uk Official British Canoe Union website.
http://friendsofallonby.org.uk/ Friends of Allonby Canoe Club website with information on all canoeing disciplines.
http://www.clydespolopage.com Privately run canoe polo website with excellent information and links.
http://www.canoepolo.com Home of the canoe polo forums. Contains full results of World Championships 2004.
http://www.canoe-polo.com International Canoe Federation canoe polo website.

Manufacturers and Products:

http://www.paddlesport.co.uk Paddlesport, home of Combat and Streamlyte.
http://www.clydespolokit.com Clyde’s Polo Kit, home of Mega and Q-Dos Paddles.
http://www.dbxclusive.co.uk Dave Brown Designs, home of the DB Flight.
http://www.doubledutch.com Double Dutch kayaks and paddles.
http://www.mega-kayaks.co.uk Mega kayaks
http://www.revengepolo.com Revenge polo kayaks website.
http://www.kayaks.co.uk Double Dutch boats and paddles.
http://www.peakuk.com Peak UK.

By Alex Hellawell, Blakedown