Australia:Summary of Canoe Polo

From CanoePolo.org

1 Organisation
2 Where is Polo played in Australia
3 History Summary
4 See Also

[edit] Organisation

At the top level, Canoe Polo is run as one discipline of Australian Canoeing Inc. The National League is run from this level, while the annual Australian Inter-State Championships and Australian National Inter-Club championships are hosted by states in turn.

There are then canoeing organisations in each state with canoe polo arms running the main city competitions and the State Championships etc. Various clubs provide teams to these competitions, and run a variety of other local leagues and invitationals. See category:Australia:Clubs and category:Australia:Local Competitions

[edit] Where is Polo played in Australia

Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide have been the main centres of canoe polo in Australia, each with regular established leagues and selected state teams, with each being the dominant area for a few years. Brisbane, Hobart and Canberra have also had strong teams at times, with local competitions coming and going over the years.

Other areas to play in national competitions, on and off, have been Wollongong (NSW), Perth, Katherine (Northern Territory), Newcastle (NSW), Jindabyne(Southern NSW), Launceston (Tasmania)

Other areas known to have played polo at times have been - Tweed Heads (Northern NSW), Orange (Western NSW), some country areas of Victoria. And probably more the author has not yet heard of.

[edit] History Summary

Began around 1968, imported from Great Britain by competition slalom paddlers
First Australian National Inter-Club Championships around 1980
Since around 1983 have had annual Australian National Inter-Club Championships and Australian Inter-State Championships
First Mens teams sent overseas to Hong Kong in 1984 for 1st Asian Canoe Polo Championships
First Men's team to Europe in 1985
First Women's team sent overseas to Europe in 1987
First Overseas team to visit Australia - Hong Kong club team, Kwan Tung ??, 1986 ???
First Junior teams sent overseas to New Zealand
First International Competition, Sydney 1989
1994 - Australian Men and Women World Champions in 1st World Championships, Sheffield, England
1996 - Hosted 2nd World Championships, Adelaide
Australian National League started in ??
First teams for Oceania Championships ??
First hosted Oceania championships ??