Bike Polo at Westway Sports Centre
Last Wednesday, Bikeminded with the London Hardcourt Bike Polo Association launched friendly games of Bike Polo at West London’s Westway Sports Centre. It’s a game where two teams of three are equipped with nothing but a mallet and a bike, battling with each other to win the ball and score goals.
If you expect Bike Polo to be a classy sport for the upmarket types in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, think again. In all honesty, the game’s name is very misleading. It’s a combination of polo, rugby, hockey and jousting (in my head).
It’s not simple either. If you can ride a bike with one or no hands, you’ll find it easier to catch on but you still have to learn how to balance yourself, dribble, block, constantly be aware of your surroundings and make sure you don’t knock someone out with a whack of the mallet all at the same time.
And that’s what makes the bloody game thrilling! Don’t worry if you’re a newbie, though. Some of the people - including myself - were first timers and took it up pretty easily. Don’t have a bike and mallet? Bikeminded have some spares so you don’t miss out.
Mallets on offer. Image taken by Mina Zaher aka King’s Road Rocks. She was also at Bike Polo
Bike Polo is held every Wednesday at Westway Sports Centre. It’s a 3 minute walk from Latimer Road Underground Station and not far from Ladbroke Grove Station.
