Yesterday it happened. We had been preparing it for several weeks and luckily the sun was out and so were the crowds. Throughout the afternoon several hundred people stopped by the polo court on Brick Lane to watch, play and help out with the First Annual Bicycle Film Festival Polo Championship.
Twelve teams entered. London, Manchester, Oxford and Kent were all represented and all the teams played some great polo. However at the end of the day it was home favorites The Zombie R.M.Y. who knocked out all the other teams to claim the title of first champions of the tournament which will definitely be happening again. Second place went to the Oakenden Pedallers. Third, <s>I can’t remember</s> The Manchester Dropouts. I’ll find the results and write up all the games later. The top 3 teams one some great prizes from our sponsors - Scream Couriers, Brick Lane Bikes, Smeear, Carhartt (thank you all!).
Preparations on the court had been happening right down to the lats minute with a group of volunteers hanging around the court till 3am the night before plugging gaps in the fence and building a makeshift barrier to separate the crowds from the action. We weren’t sure until we saw on Sunday morning the amount of people who turned up that the whole thing was going to work. But I think everyone can agree it definitely did.
Oxford Cycle Workshop set up shop in one corner of the court. Fixed Gear London ran a tricks competition with some great prizes (they also brought down a giant frame made out of scaffolding). Smeear hats were also on sale. There was free beer from Brick Lane Bikes. The Spokes performed between rounds.
One frame snapped, at least 3 mallets were broken and who knows how many wheels bent out of shape.Photos - badtmy, agata, slamm, me, mjs110, arsen design, astrozzack, Roxy, more soon…
The tournament was part of several days of events which made up the London leg of the Bicycle Film Festival. It kicked off on Wednesday with an art show then there were 2 days of films, an alleycat, loads of parties and ended on Sunday with the polo. You can read more about all he stuff you missed here.
Incidentally NYC were also having some sort of polo competition this weekend, but I haven’t found any info on it yet.
Thanks for organizing this. Bike Polo rules! Some more snaps at http://www.flickr.com/photos/booksnake/sets/72157602588938183/ - more to follow…
it was the amazing mcr dropouts that came 3rd. thanks for an ace day
love nes of the spokes x x
A message from the Oakenden Pedallers…
“I just wanted to say on behalf of everyone at Oakenden Pedallers, thanks again for organizing an excellent competition yesterday. We really enjoyed ourselves. It was great to meet some like minded sports men and women who are enjoying Bike Polo as much as we do. There was a fantastic, friendly atmosphere all day, culminating in an excellent final. Congratulations to Zombie Army. They were worthy winners.
We look forward to meeting you all again soon and maybe once it dries up a bit having a competition on grass so you can try out our rules.
Thanks again for all your efforts. Great stuff.
Gaz”
just to reiterate, we (the dropouts and the spokes) had an ace ace ace time and thank you so much for sorting out this ace tournament. i want to invite you to manchester for the i bike mcr festival in april where we’ll be having a polo tournament…will post a reminder nearer the time.
you can find some of my pictures from sunday here:
some
pics of the polo
More pics from Roxy…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/66218705@N00/1713413954/