Beach polo is a very different game from the grass version, and it looks its best on a sunny Pentecost weekend on the German island of Sylt. On 26 and 27 May 2012 the fifth Julius Bär Beach Polo World Cup took over the sands at Hörnum, in the south of the island, and the final went right to the wire.
The format
Six teams took part: Switzerland, France, Argentina and Germany, plus England, who fielded two. Each team represented one of the six main sponsors. British players Jamie Morrison and Tim Ward travelled out to compete, alongside Argentine Gastón Maíquez and Germans Thomas and Christopher Winter.
- Saturday: round-robin matches of two five-minute chukkas.
- Sunday: three matches including the final, each over four chukkas.
The arena is much smaller than a grass field and the teams are smaller too, with just two players per side in the final. That makes the game quick and very tactical, because there is nowhere to hide.
A one-goal final
The final pitted Sdrenka and Thomas Winter against Christian Grimme and Gastón Maíquez. Sdrenka and Winter took an early, clear lead, and for a while it looked as if they would hold it. Grimme and Maíquez came back, however, and won 7-6.5 to take the title by half a goal.
Maíquez brought plenty of professional experience from Argentina, and the combination with Grimme proved decisive. Half a goal on the scoreboard was the difference between lifting the trophy and watching someone else do it.
Weather and crowds
The weather was excellent on both days. Interestingly, that may have worked against the organisers a little, since the stands were less full than in earlier years, with many holidaymakers staying on the beach instead of coming to watch. Admission was free.
A charitable touch
As is common at tournaments of this sort, there was a charitable element. The Stiftung Küstenschutz Sylt, the island’s coastal protection foundation, received a cheque for 10,000 euros, which was accepted by its chairman. For an island that depends so much on its shoreline, it is a fitting cause for a sport played on sand.
The Sylt event is one of the highlights of the German polo calendar and a useful reminder of how many different forms the sport can take. We will be keeping an eye on the next edition.
Sources: Sylt-TV, Polo Times
