An Amusement & Diversion for The Genteel Cyclist. Daily.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Taking a new position on bike polo


We'd been trying not to mention bike polo -- in the hopes that it would go away. (With gambling and Chess, the only vices we've managed to avoid. So far.) But we realized this morning, after reading a story in the New Haven Register, that it could be a long, long wait.


As a proper sport, bike polo has been around since 1891, when it was given an official format in Ireland. It's now played around the world, and since 1994 there's even been a Bicycle Polo Association of America.

Teams consist of six or seven players, with four players on the field at any given time. A regulation game goes for 30 minutes, divided into four periods of 7½ minutes each, called chukkars.


Needless to say, we doubt whether your local pick-up game is "regulation." And we pledge to give it a try again before the end of summer.

Photo (cc) by BikePortland.org

1 comment:

Snakebite said...

An interesting twist would be combining this with derby. If a player touches the ground they are "out." At least for the remaining time of the chukkar. Think of the hockey-like power plays!