Germany: Pedal power pushes bicycle polo all the way to Berlin

Germany: Pedal power pushes bicycle polo all the way to Berlin

Women from across the world have pedalled to Berlin to take part in Germany's first all-female bicycle polo tournament, which began on April 6. The two day "Mallet Dolorosa" tournament is the first of its kind to be held in Germany, and has attracted over 40 players from dozens of European nations and the United States.

The rules of bicycle polo are similar to classic horseback polo, with players using one hand to steer the bicycle and the other to use the mallet. Traditional bicycle polo was invented in 1891 by Irishman Richard J. Mecredy, and is played on a grass field like classic polo. The sport became increasingly popular after the millenium, including the emergence of the hardcourt style, as played during the tournament on a roller hockey field in Berlin's Poststadion.

The players are randomly shuffled into mixed teams for the first rounds, with the most successful players reshuffled for the later knockout rounds. Once a team loses, its players are out of the tournament, eventually leaving only one winner. Organisers say they hope to make the shuffled womens tournament an annual event in Germany.