AsgerS
28-09-2006, 01:35 PM
Since I allready wrote this, I might as well share it. Most of the writen words about danish polo are in danish so here goes in english:
Canoepolo in Denmark.
When first introduced some 25 years ago, canoepolo didn’t catch on in Denmark. In fact, in the end the kayaks where used even as sleighs in the winter. But when introduced in the late 1990’s canoepolo proved a strong alternative to the traditional kayaking. Providing both fun, physical and technical challenges and team spirit.
Since the first championship in 1999 the sport has continued to grow. Today canoepolo is recognized as an individual sport with the political and financial advantages that follows.
At the time canoepolo really took of in Denmark, we where lucky to have a Finnish and a German player in the country, as well as a player with experience from Australia. Combined with relatively easy access to German and international tournaments proved to give valuable inputs to Danish canoepolo. And since the Danish Federation at the same time started to provide basic coaching courses and funding, canoepolo grew. Mainly in the existing kayak clubs.
Being such a new sport, the first national team from Denmark was actually a club team. In their heavy plastic boats and lousy paddles they drew a few smiles back in 1999 (Europeans), but in 2001 Denmark went to the Europeans in Poland with a selected team and the first of now three international coaches. Pauliina Arnio, Paul Hammond and now Martin van Arkens. And since then both the men and women have been active on the international scene.
Today Danish canoepolo has grown enough to introduce a third league in the Danish championship. 5 mens teams and 3 womens teams compete internationally, and the physical and technical levels of the the game has improved a lot.
All the top women players have so far made themselves available for the national team, but the impressive 6th place at the Europeans in Spain still came as a surprise to many. Especially since tight budgets kept the women from participating in Ireland and Japan. Playing 2-2 against Holland in the opening game in Amsterdam proved it was no fluke in Spain.
(Added february 2008: the succesfull coach, Martin Dagnęs, is still in charge, but most of the experienced players have retired. The team will not be in Cannada, and the goal right now is to develop new players and create a new team.)
The mens squad on the other hand doesn’t have a single player from the two top-teams (1999-2005) in Denmark. But the mix of players who have dedicated themselves to the team has proven stronger than any Danish clubteam, and with a positive and hardworking playing style influenced by Dutch canoepolo the team managed to win 6 out of 10 games at the worlds in Amsterdam, only loosing to the finalists Italy and France (2-3!) the Schwiss and the New Zealanders.
(Added february 2008: Presently I have retired from the team and Peter Sorensen has taken my spot. As a result of that, I dare suggest that the 7 best players in Denmark are now playing on the team. Fingers are x-ed for the team.)
Danish clubs and the federation can be reached through www.kano-kajak.dk (http://www.kano-kajak.dk/), or via canoepolo.com. Most clubs are helpful if you are a guest in Denmark. As a club or as an individual. And the two international turnaments are growing every year. One is in January in Odense, the other in Skovshoved near Copenhagen in the summer. Attend!
Asger Sondberg, veteran player J
Canoepolo in Denmark.
When first introduced some 25 years ago, canoepolo didn’t catch on in Denmark. In fact, in the end the kayaks where used even as sleighs in the winter. But when introduced in the late 1990’s canoepolo proved a strong alternative to the traditional kayaking. Providing both fun, physical and technical challenges and team spirit.
Since the first championship in 1999 the sport has continued to grow. Today canoepolo is recognized as an individual sport with the political and financial advantages that follows.
At the time canoepolo really took of in Denmark, we where lucky to have a Finnish and a German player in the country, as well as a player with experience from Australia. Combined with relatively easy access to German and international tournaments proved to give valuable inputs to Danish canoepolo. And since the Danish Federation at the same time started to provide basic coaching courses and funding, canoepolo grew. Mainly in the existing kayak clubs.
Being such a new sport, the first national team from Denmark was actually a club team. In their heavy plastic boats and lousy paddles they drew a few smiles back in 1999 (Europeans), but in 2001 Denmark went to the Europeans in Poland with a selected team and the first of now three international coaches. Pauliina Arnio, Paul Hammond and now Martin van Arkens. And since then both the men and women have been active on the international scene.
Today Danish canoepolo has grown enough to introduce a third league in the Danish championship. 5 mens teams and 3 womens teams compete internationally, and the physical and technical levels of the the game has improved a lot.
All the top women players have so far made themselves available for the national team, but the impressive 6th place at the Europeans in Spain still came as a surprise to many. Especially since tight budgets kept the women from participating in Ireland and Japan. Playing 2-2 against Holland in the opening game in Amsterdam proved it was no fluke in Spain.
(Added february 2008: the succesfull coach, Martin Dagnęs, is still in charge, but most of the experienced players have retired. The team will not be in Cannada, and the goal right now is to develop new players and create a new team.)
The mens squad on the other hand doesn’t have a single player from the two top-teams (1999-2005) in Denmark. But the mix of players who have dedicated themselves to the team has proven stronger than any Danish clubteam, and with a positive and hardworking playing style influenced by Dutch canoepolo the team managed to win 6 out of 10 games at the worlds in Amsterdam, only loosing to the finalists Italy and France (2-3!) the Schwiss and the New Zealanders.
(Added february 2008: Presently I have retired from the team and Peter Sorensen has taken my spot. As a result of that, I dare suggest that the 7 best players in Denmark are now playing on the team. Fingers are x-ed for the team.)
Danish clubs and the federation can be reached through www.kano-kajak.dk (http://www.kano-kajak.dk/), or via canoepolo.com. Most clubs are helpful if you are a guest in Denmark. As a club or as an individual. And the two international turnaments are growing every year. One is in January in Odense, the other in Skovshoved near Copenhagen in the summer. Attend!
Asger Sondberg, veteran player J