HISTORY OF SEGWAY POLO
Segway Polo is a relatively new and exciting team sport which originated in the USA in 2003, when a version of the current sport was first played at a Minnesota Vikings (American Football) halftime show and sponsored by Mobile Entertainment. However, the sport most notably began to gain popularity since 2004, when it was played by members of the Bay Area Segway Enthusiasts Group who then developed the sport more fully, gaining teams along the way.
Teams are gathering from all corners of the world and aside from the USA, other countries with teams include Germany, Sweden, Austria, Barbados New Zealand, Spain, Lebanon, Holland and many others… The UK proudly joined the sport with its own team in 2014 and hosted its first ever international tournament on in April 2015 in Rugby.
The first ever match, known as the Woz Challenge Cup, was established in 2006 when the Silicon Valley Aftershocks (creators of the tournament and named after Apple co-founder and long time Segway Polo player Steve Wozniak) played the New Zealand Pole Blacks in Auckland, New Zealand, with a result of 2-2 tie. This match was then formalised in 2008, once sanctioned by ISPA, as the world championship tournament and has played every year since its introduction and in various countries.
The European Championships were initiated in 2010 in Hemer, Germany and took place in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
A further prominent annual tournament, known as the Zurich Cup, established in 2010 in Germany, is held annually and usually in Hennef, Germany. In both 2013 and 2014, the Balve Mammuts have retained their title as current champions of the Zurich Cup and in 2013 only just lost out on the world championship status to the Stockholm Saints during the Woz Challenge Cup.
Other notable tournaments include ‘Segway Polo in Paradise’ held in Barbados every two years at the end of April and the St Nikolaus Tournier held in Germany in December.
