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Segway polo is a team sport which started to gain some measure of popularity after being played by members of the Bay Area Segway Enthusiasts Group (Bay Area SEG) in 2004. The Bay Area SEG was not the first to play polo on a Segway HT; a team sponsored by Mobile Entertainment played in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome at a Minnesota Vikings halftime show in 2003 although the Bay Area SEG members were not aware of this match at the time they first played the sport. Segway polo was developed as it is played today by the members of the Bay Area SEG and other groups and teams that have joined subsequently.
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History
Segway polo is similar to horse polo, except that instead of playing on horseback, each player rides a Segway PT on the field. The rules have been adapted from bicycle polo and horse polo. Two teams of five players each hit a ball with their mallets, trying to get the ball into the other team's goal. The regulation field size is 200 feet (61 meters) by 128 feet (39 meters), and the goal is 8 feet (2.4 meters) wide by 5 feet (1.5 meters) high. A regulation match consists of four 8 minute quarters, known in polo as "chukkers." The ball can be struck with the mallet or any part of a player’s body or Segway but may only be directed using the mallet. A goal can not be scored off of any part of a player’s body or Segway unless it occurs accidentally.
Although not a major sport, Segway polo is gaining popularity and teams have begun forming in the United States, Germany, Sweden, Austria, Barbados, Lebanon, the United Kingdom, Holland and Spain among others. The International Segway Polo Association (ISPA) has been established as the official governing body for Segway Polo.
The Segway Polo world championship is the Woz Challenge Cup, which was established in 2006 when the Silicon Valley Aftershocks played the New Zealand Pole Blacks in Auckland, New Zealand. The result was a 2–2 tie.
In 2007, it was played in San Francisco, California, with the Aftershocks defeating the Pole Blacks 5–0.
The 2008 Woz Cup was played in Indianapolis, coincident with Segwayfest 2008. The California Gold Rush defeated the Silicon Valley Aftershocks for the championship by a score of 3–2. The Funky-Move Turtles (Germany) placed third and the Polo Bears (California) placed fourth.
The 2009 Woz Cup was played in Cologne, Germany. The Flyin' Fish from Barbados took first place, beating the Silicon Valley Aftershocks 2–0. Steve Wozniak co-founder of Apple Computers, was there to play and present the cup; Victor Miller, who wrote the script for Friday the 13th, was also on the Aftershocks team. The Flyin' Fish have been playing Segway polo for only four months and dominated the other teams hailing from the United States, Germany and Austria.
The 2010 Woz Cup was played at the Lion Castle Polo Estate in Barbados. Once again, the Barbados Flyin' Fish won, this time beating the Germany Blade Pirates 3-1. A total of eight teams participated, including two teams from Barbados, two teams from Germany, one team from Sweden and three teams from California.
The 2011 Woz Cup was hosted by the Folsom Breakout and played in Folsom, California from June 16 to 19, 2011. There were a record 12 teams competing. The Germany Blade Pirates avenged their previous year's loss against the Flyin' Fish and beat them in the championship match by a score of 1–0. The Swiss Tournament rules was applied.
The 2012 Woz Cup was hosted in Stockholm, Sweden by Stockholm Segway Polo Club. It was played with 14 teams participating from 9 nations. The Balver Mammuts won over The Blade Pirates in the final with 2–0. The Stockholm Saints, Sweden, beat the Austrian team Vineyard Devils with 4–0 for the bronze match. The goal zone rule was introduced in Woz Cup for the first time. The games were held during June 6–10 at Östermalms IP and Zinkensdamm in central Stockholm. Moving from one arena to the other after group play, the caravan of Segways was 102 Segways through central Stockholm. Finland and Lebanon were among the new national teams joining for the first time.
The 2013 Woz Cup was held at the Hotchkiss field at Gallaudet University, Washington, DC, from July 20 to 24th. 9 teams from 5 nations participated. The competition was hosted by the Lebanon Cedars. The Stockholm Saints (Sweden) won over Team Barbados in the final with 2–1. In the bronze medal match, the Blade Allstars from Germany beat the Balver Mammuts (also from Germany) on penalties.
There was no Woz Cup in 2014.
The 2015 Woz Cup was played in Cologne, Germany from July 16 to 19, 2015. A record number of 19 teams from 9 countries participated. Once again, the team from Barbados took first place, beating the Balver Mammuts (Germany) 1–0. In the bronze medal match, the Stockholm Saints (Sweden) beat the Blade Pirates (also from Germany) 2-0. Steve Wozniak co-founder of Apple Computers was there to play for the Silicon Valley Aftershocks.
There was no Woz Cup in 2015.
The 2017 Woz Cup will be played in Hemer, Germany from July 27 until July 30, 2017.