Canoe Polo (called Kayak Polo in some countries) is a competitive ball sport played on water, in a defined "field", between two teams of 5 players, each in a kayak. This group is to keep you informed on what and when we are playing Canoe Polo in Cape Town. We play Canoe Polo on Tuesday and Thursdays from 5:30 PM to about 7:30 PM. almost every week throughout the year. In Summer you will often find
us playing on a Sunday afternoon from 3:00 PM. We play on the V&A Waterfront Canal, next to the City Lodge Hotel, and what a beautiful game setting this is!! This area of Cape Town is often sheltered from the weather extremes that affect the rest of Cape Town, especialy the South Easter, so it is worth coming to play if the weather seems bad. We have Canoe Polo boats available for anyone that would like to try the game. It is often best to contact us the day before so that we can make sure we have a paddle and splash deck available for you. No paddling experience or water polo expereince necessary. Just a sense of adventure. Game
The game is played in many countries on all continents, for recreation and serious sport. The sport has World Championships every 2 years. Internationally the sport is organized by the Canoe Polo committee of the International Canoe Federation, as one of the disciplines of the sport of canoeing. In 2005 Canoe Polo was contested at the World Games in Duisburg Germany under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee. The game is often described as a combination of water polo, basketball and kayaking. The tactics and playing of the game are not unlike basketball or water polo but with the added complexity of the boats, which can be used to tackle an opposition player in position with the ball, or jostle for position within 6m of the goal. Rules
The ball, a waterpolo ball, is passed from between players using hands or paddles. A player in possession of the ball can be hand tackled by being pushed over on the shoulder or back (Only if you are experienced) and/or kayak tackled by an opposition member. Players may only have the ball in their possession for a maximum of five seconds. Players can 'dribble' the ball by positioning the ball one meter or more ahead of themselves or sideways into the water. Most of the rules concern the safety of the players involved. For example illegal substitution and entry into the playing area (see below), illegal use of the paddle, illegal action against a capsized player, illegal jostle and illegal screening. Penalties include goal- and sideline throws, free shots, goal penalty shots, and penalty cards. Substitutions can be made at any time during the game without notifying the referee, the player and all their equipment must be behind the goal line before another player can come on. Illegal substitution results in the oncoming player being yellow carded or if it is unclear the captain will nominate a player(2 minute send off, team plays with one less player). Pitch
Canoe polo is played either indoors in swimming pools or outdoors on a pitch which should measure 35 metres by 23 metres.[1] The boundaries of the pitch are ideally marked using floating ropes (similar to lane markers in swimming, although for smaller venues the edges of the pool are frequently used. Goals
The goals (measuring 1metre high by 1.5 metres wide) are a frame with a net, suspended 2 metres above the water. A player, acting as goalie, defends the goal with their paddle by sticking it up vertically, special rules concern the goalie, such as: the attacking team not being able to interfere with or jostle them. The length of the paddles used by the goalies are often longer than those used by other players.
