Three teams from Penrith Canoe Club took part in an international tournament in Hull.
The Joy Davies Memorial International Canoe Polo Tournament sees teams from all over the UK and Ireland meet at Dacre Leisure Park near Hull, camping and competing on four polo pitches set out on the lake. Teams compete in four divisions, depending on ability and experience.
The main focus for Penrith was to give the youth some experience of outdoor tournaments and they were split into a ladies’ team, a youth team, who both competed in Div 4, and a team in Div 3 with some of the older youth.
Penrith also had two club members there, who now play for Penine club, so that they can play in Div 1 (They have recently progressed to the GB under 21 squad). The div 3 and ladies teams also had an older/more experienced player to guide and coach them.
The ladies and youth teams, playing on the side of the lake sheltered from the wind, had fun against some teams who played at their level, but struggled against other teams who shouldn’t really have been in that league.
However, they all enjoyed it and kept motivated, even when losing. It was all good experience.
Penrith A team, played really well in Div 3, on pitch 3, on the windy side of the lake, winning 4 out of 6 of their group stage games.
They battled hard, worked well as a team and also had some good shots on goal in the games they lost. All were close games.
The youngsters certainly rose to the occasion. At the end of the groups stage, they were 3rd in their group.
Then in the play-off against team Blossoms from Ireland, 3rd team in the other group, Penrith were drawing 2-2 at full time, but unfortunately lost in extra time under the golden goal rule, putting them 6th in Div 3 overall out of 14 teams. The Penrith players, playing for Penine in Div 1, played really well, eventually losing to Kingston, the eventual tournament winners in the semi final.
