[music] James: Alex.
George: Very good. Well done. Manon: Good.
[cheering] James: There are all types of cyclists, adventure
cyclists, ultra-endurance cyclists, racing cyclists, track cyclists, and the list goes
on. There are some cyclists that enjoy playing ball sports aboard their trusty steeds. It's
dangerous, energetic, and outright nuts. This is, of course, bike polo.
[music] James: In order to show you how bike polo
works and how hard it is to hit the ball while riding one-handed, I thought I'd rope in some
support. I've rallied up the GCN team and brought them to Cirencester, a town located
in the southwest of England. I wasn't going to let the GCN presenters loose without some
help. Rupert, an avid bike polo player, has come along to give us a helping hand with
the rules and the regulations of this ancient sport.
Rupert: There is a rule book about this thick because this heritage goes back about 100
years. We won't go through all the rules, we'll keep it really simple today. The key
one really is not hit the ball with your feet on the ground and there's a reason for that.
It's just to keep the game flowing. The second one, which is the more important one, is no
crashes. That simplifies about a dozen rules. Whether two people approach a ball, both of
you have to just hold back and avoid crashes. In that way, what we try and do is have a
very flowing game more like ice hockey. We don't worry about the sides for a practice
game like this so if it goes over this line, keep playing. If it goes over the back, we'll
do a hit-in. Then just on very general tactics, it's quite
powerful to designate one person at a time that hangs back, because you'll find that
a lot of balls travel towards the goal. If someone's hanging back, that's a very strong,
defensive position. Then use the sides. The general configuration is one at the back,
two at the sides and one who's probably the better player is in the middle sending the
ball out. James: This is a traditional polo stick used
on a horse and this is a bike polo stick. I guess this is the one that Conor could use,
but all of us could use the smaller version. Rupert: Yes. Just if you notice on your stick,
you've got a number which gives you how long they are. If you always remember to have that
number away from you when you hit the ball, then what you'll see is that the stick will
be in parallel with the ground. If the number is towards you, can you see it's not parallel
and you'll miss the ball and swear a lot and not know why.
James: A quick question. These guys are very used to riding bikes, some of them straight
out of the pro peloton, especially Alex in the middle there.
Rupert: Wow. James: Is it going to be able to transfer
onto the bike polo field? Rupert: Absolutely. With our version of the
game, fitness and speed has a great component part. I put the 10 miles that you might do
in an hour's game here is 40 miles on the road because it's sprint, stop, sprint, stop,
sprint, stop. The teams that win are the ones that can keep playing into the second half.
There's also quite an interesting way we start, is we put a ball in the middle, have the two
fastest people at either end sprint for the ball. I don't doubt you'll be leagues ahead
of us in that respect. James: [chuckles] Fingers crossed anyway.
A swap out from a traditional horse that you would use in the traditional game, this is
our steed for bike polo. This is a steel frame bike, so it's super hard-wearing and robust.
It's single speed so you're able to free-wheel instead of it being fixed. A big thing is
that it's only got one brake. It's got a rear brake. If we add a front brake, I guess everyone
would be over the handlebars, but you might see a lot of skidding of that rear wheel.
There's some cut-off handlebars so you're able to swing the stick either side of the
bike, being able to try and hit the ball. Moving onto the wheels, they have a double
rim on them meaning that if you buckled them, you can bend them back into place and get
playing. This bike is a workhorse, it's robust, it's there to get beaten into shape, I guess.
That spoke, I may need to fix that before we get going. Now we know the rules, the next
step is learning how to hit the ball and the techniques involved. Luckily, George, a professional
horse polo player, and a keen bike polo player is on hand to give us some tips. George, tell
us a little bit about the swings and how to do them.
George: There's four principal swings. You have your forehand. You can either do a full
swing like so or just a half shot. You've got slightly more control with just a half
swing. If you want to give it a good, old welly, you can get your whole weight behind
it. Then, obviously, you have your backhands. This is a common mistake people do when they
begin. You see, you want to hit your backhands the opposite side of your forehands, so like
that. A lot of people make the mistake of doing inside out if you see what I mean.
Just nice and relaxed whichever way you're going. Nice loose grip on the handle and just
be really relaxed with it. If you're feeling really flush, there's something in polo called
a millionaire [chuckling] shot which is quite good in bike polo because you don't need to
worry about your horse's legs where you just smack it between your wheels. It's quite good
to do. I push the ball across. Alex: That's the running shot.
George: That's the running shot. James: I guess we should start off with the
half swing. George: Yes.
James: I reckon Alex. Alex, are you ready to give it a go?
Alex: Yes. James: All right, this is your ball.
George: We lined these balls out for you guys [unintelligible 00:05:38].
James: It's all right. George: [unintelligible 00:05:43].
James: Again, you got to go again. George: There we go, much better.
James: Nice. [music]
Alex: The guys aren't doing too badly. It's really great to see them out of their comfort
zone, but I think they need a little bit more practice. Conor's still struggling to hit
the ball. I think he is doing it too hard. George is going to give them a few more tips.
George: Beautiful. There we go. We've got it now.
Conor: Feeling like I can do this. I've progressed quite well in the morning, so I'm confident.
Here we go. I'm going to get a good run-up for it, practice with speed. Oh, wait. Do
that again [unintelligible 00:06:21]. Oh, missed. It was good though. I thought it was
a good swing. Just need to work on my aim, maybe. Oh my God.
Manon: [chuckles] Slow and steady. Conor: No way. Oh, look at that one.
James: All right, Rupert. Tell us a little bit about the history of bike polo, how it
came about, and what it is today? Rupert: My understanding is it started even
before the end of the 18th century. 1891 is the date that you'll find. It had its heyday
in the early 1900s even to the extent it became Olympic demonstration sport in 1908 I believe.
A very big Irish team. I think it was an Irishman who was the founder of what we see as modern
grass bike polo. He was a racing cyclist, and he wanted a good workout. He looked at
something that was fun and engaging and that's how it got started.
James: It's died off now, hasn't it? There's not many clubs around, and I haven't seen
really many people play bike polo before. Rupert: No, it's huge. There was periods between
the '30s either side of the war in the '50s where I guess the bicycle was the main way
of getting to work. I hear stories of all the main football clubs having a bicycle polo
team and they would come out, so Chelsea and Manchester. First, the bicycle polo would
play, and then the football players would play. I guess now the clubs have dwindled.
We've got one in London, Ockendon very enthusiastic players. They're crazy about it in France,
in India, Germany, America, and Canada. They're not so many clubs now. Three now. We need
to get more clubs going. That's what we'd really want to do.
James For sure. I guess if you haven't played it before, everyone who's played it, it's
been amazing fun, isn't it? Even our GCN presenters have loved every minute of it.
Rupert: It's not difficult to get started. The cost of one budget road bike will give
you 10 mountain type bicycle polo bikes. A little container and a word with a local football
club, you're off. James: The guys have learned how to hold the
stick, they've learned the rules of the game, and a few swings from George and Rupert. We've
managed to rope in some more bike polo pros. Yes, we're going to do a bit of a casual game
now, get the guys used to passing the ball amongst each other. Then we're going to do
the ultimate showdown, the one you guys have all been waiting for. GCN versus the bike
polo pros. Doesn't look like they're getting on that well, so I'm going to go and give
them a hand. [music]
James: Practice game over. What do our bike polo pros think of the team's progress so
far? Conor: Oh, no. Get back.
Manon: Fight back. Conor, go back. James: Tell us a little bit about how the
guys have got on. Have they impressed you? George: Oh, very much so. They've all got
the fitness which we probably lack in. I think Alex has gotten speed and control which is
quite good for a first effort. Conor, he's got the big hits, but we just need to work
on the small play, I think. Manon, great out in front. I'm not sure your goal counted if
I'm honest. [chuckles] For a first go, I think it's really good fun. Well done.
James: Are you looking forward to the big game?
George: Can't wait. We will show you how it's really done then.
James: All right. Feeling pretty puffed out now. Guys are doing amazingly, actually. It's
good to see that their while cycling prowess is shining through on the bike polo field,
so they'll be able to control the ball and they scored some goals. Right now, we've got
one more goal until the end of our practice game and then we're into the big one. The
big one, the ultimate, GCN versus this lot, the bike polo pros.
[music] [cheering]
[music] James: On GCN's all-star polo team, we first
up have our brand new GCN tech presenter being put to the test, Alex Paton. While next up,
we have Conor Dunne, our Irish champion and Grand Tour racer. Then we have our very own
Manon Lloyd. It's time to see if her track legs match her polo legs. Then, lastly, myself,
James Lowsley-Williams, captain and chief of the first-ever GCN polo team. For the pros,
they have their Captain Rupert, his number one, George, and their two other henchmen
who are handy with the polo stick. [music]
James: All right, guys. I'm self-selecting myself as team captain because I'm the only
one that's played before. We need one rider to sprint up to collect the ball first. I'm
going to select you, Alex. You're fresh out of the pro peloton, you've got some speed
in your legs. I think we might have the speed on them. The skill, I'm not too sure about,
but the speed, I think we've got it. Are you ready?
Conor: Yes, I'm ready. Let's do it. James: Sticks in. One, two, three, hup.
[cheering] James: We got this. Come on team. No crashing,
please. [music]
George: Go. [shouting]
Alex: Come on, team. James: Yes, Alex.
Conor: Alex has gone for the ball. He's got the ball first. On the right, Alex. Oh, no.
[crosstalk] [laughter]
[music] Conor: I'll go defense, Manon. You go upfield
for a bit. James: Yes, Alex.
Conor: Push up. That's it. Come on, up that field.
[music] James: Yay, [unintelligible 00:12:31]. No.
Oh, we got annihilated. Alex, go left. Conor: Hank's on goal. 3-0, this is our chance
to get back. Open goal. Oh, no. [music]
Conor: Alex. James: I got it back.
Conor: Go for it. Hit it in. [crosstalk]
[music] Alex: Upfield, Hank. Quick. Big hit.
Manon: Yes, you got in. [crosstalk]
Manon: Oh, no. James: The pro bike polo team are doing rather
well. We're a bit all over the place. They scored three goals, we scored none. Here it
goes. [shouting]
James: Good work, team. Conor: I'm feeling good, actually we got halfway
through the first half. We've let three goals in, but we haven't let a goal in for a while.
I'm starting to feel some confidence, getting a hang of it a little bit. Anyway, the defense
have played and I better crack on. [laughs] Manon: Get out of there. Go.
James: I feel like we're getting schooled, team. We need to fricking bring this back.
Guys, 15 minutes. The chuck is over so it's our first half, but we can bring it back.
This is where we need to muscle up. We need to think about our endurance, our power, our
prowess when we're cycling. Manon: I think we're fine in the power bit.
I think it's the hitting the ball. Alex: Skill is in severe lack.
James: That is going to come. Let's breathe some positivity. Let's think about this game.
We can do it. We are better. We are a better drill team. We are a close-knit team. We're
going to do it. Sticks in. [cheering]
Conor: Just stopped for half time. The guys are having a bit of a rest and some water
in the changing rooms. I don't want to let them down. I don't want them to know, but
I've actually got a bit of an injury. Struggling to use the hand, but I'm going to soldier
on because I can't let the side down on camera, there's pride at stake. [exhales] It's been
a tough first half. James: Two, one, go.
Conor: Go deep. [music]
James: It's a dangerous sport. [laughter] [music]
James: Right. We got a few injuries. Alex's pain has been-- Hit it with a stick, he's
got a bit of an egg growing on his arm. Conor's taken some tumbles and Manon too.
Manon: [unintelligible 00:15:13] safe. James: We haven't given up. No, we're still
fighting on. We're going in for a golden goal, which means next goal wins. This is our chance,
this is our moment to shine for the GCN team. Are you guys ready?
Manon: Yes. Conor: Oh, yes, we're ready.
James: They sound confident. Conor: This is our time to shine.
James: Push up, now we're talking. Go, go, go.
[crosstalk] [cheering]
James: We did it. [laughs] That's what we're talking about.
Conor: Winners of the day, GCN. How about it?
James: I wouldn't have put money on us. Eight goals down but we won the one important goal.
Alex: We have the millionaire shot. [crosstalk] James: We have the millionaire shot. We can
hold our heads high, guys. Conor, tell us a little bit about how you found bike polo
and your reaction to the game. Conor: Fantastic experience, actually. I really
loved it. It was a great team game. Pretty energetic as well, my legs are absolutely
shattered after that. Lots of small little sprints that you really wouldn't do normally,
especially on the grass. It's tough going. James: If I told you this was an Olympic sport
back in the day, what would you say? Alex: Bring it back.
James: Bring it back? Conor: Yes, bring it back.
James: There we go. You've heard it here first. Guys, have you enjoyed it?
Conor: Yes, mega fun. Thanks for that, Hank. James: Until next time, we're going to take
on another bike polo team. I reckon we've got it.
Alex: Maybe not such a good one. James: No, maybe not. All right, guys, if
you enjoyed this video, then make sure you give it a thumbs up. If you want to hear more
about bike polo, then let us know in the comment section below. I guess now is our time to
walk off. We've won the game. Alex: Hold our heads high.
James: Hold our heads high. Off into the distance, team.
[music] [00:17:15] [END OF AUDIO]