NAH would like to confirm we will not be bidding for the World Hardcourt Bike Polo Championship 2015! We approve and support the bid from Timaru, NZ.
We will be focussing on putting a bid together for the next Worlds, with the intention of it being in summer 2017..
Europe joins the NAH in supporting the Timaru bid for Worlds 2015. Any clubs in either North America or Europe who want to compete to host that tournament should contact their respective association by the end of the month.
The EHPA is ready to fully support the Timaru bid for WHBPC but would like to propose to the european clubs to express, on the LOBP and by October 1st, their SERIOUS interest to host it in 2015. The clubs should be ready to get a bid public in the following months.
Timaru’s bid:
https://leagueofbikepolo.com/forum/tournaments/2014/09/11/whbpc-2015-bid-timaru-new-zealand
http://timarupolochamps.com.
During the worlds, there were discussions between the EHBPA, Australasia, and the NAH regarding the worlds.
Timaru, NZ will be submitting a formal bid to host worlds in late 2015 within the next few weeks. It’s not expected that any other clubs will compete for that (assuming the bid is up to the standard expected). If there is an NA club that wants to host in 2015, then please contact tournaments@nahardcourt.com before September 30th (a formal bid is not needed, but at least a firm intention). The deadline is so that Timaru can proceed with their planning and people can get an early start on booking tickets..
The following list of teams going, or maybe going to the Worlds. We have plenty of reserved wildcard spots for NA teams available, and possibly even some main event spots. Please let me know asap if you want to go.
All teams must register by July 28th, at http://whbpc2014.montpellierbikepolo.fr
Main event:
1) Beavers – confirmed
2) Guardians – confirmed
3) Control – confirmed
4) Mosquito – confirmed
5) Assassins – maybe?
6) Cucumbers – confimed
7) Nino Dios – maybe?
8) Taint Sabers – maybe?
9) Milwaukee, Eh – maybe?
10) Memento Mori – confirmed
11) Significant Otters – registered
12) Jon/Jordan/Branden – registered.
13) Family – confirmed
14) Ride Your Bike Machine – confirmed
15) Luke/Dana/??? – confirmed.
16) Brandon/Tiffany/Thomas – confirmed
Wildcard:
1) Ratking – confirmed
Available NA players:
Mark Aseltine
Oleha Riden
Brandon Carter.
NAH endorses the bid of Montpellier for the 2014 WHBPC, but we would like to request a mid-September date. We are aware that August is a holiday period in France, but having such a date means the NAHBPC, and NAHBPC qualifiers need to be so early in the season as to potentially have a negative effect on those competitions. Most WHBPC tournaments have been organised and held outside of vacation times. Having a vacation month prior to a mid-September event date would still provide the key organisational benefits. Ultimately, we will accept the final decision made by Montpellier.
NAH requests that the bid of Timaru, New Zealand be considered for the 2015 WHBPC, rather than 2014, and would likely endorse that bid. But NAH would like to request Timaru investigate whether the court size can be increased. Our recent survey has 60% of respondents requesting 40 x 20 as the minimum court size, which Timaru does not currently meet.
NAH would also start the process to find a host for the 2016 WHBPC, with an expectation that after 2 years elsewhere, it will return to North America.
Please contact tournaments@nahardcourt.com if you would like to bid for WHBPC 2016 in North America..
