1/2 The Dutch team tries to score (photo: Martijn Huizinga).
You shouldn’t be afraid of a blow. You can sail over another boat, you can push each other over: actually a lot is allowed in canoe polo. In Helmond, the best girls in Europe are active in ‘rugby on the water’. “It’s a sport for die-hards.”
It is a lovely late summer evening, but in autumn. The birds are looking for a spot in the trees, and a little further on a man is walking his dog. It is quiet along the Kanaaldijk in Helmond, but that changes when the canoeists enter the water. “We take it easy during training, you should come and watch matches,” says one player.
Canoe polo is not a well-known sport in the Netherlands, but we are good at it. At the European Championship under 21 years, the Dutch women recently won gold by beating the favorite Germany. Of the eight-member selection, six players come from HWC De Helmvaarders in Helmond.
“Winning in the lion’s den couldn’t be better,” says Jelske Kuijpers (18) from Helmond. “The stands in Berlin were full of German fans and we saw some tufts of orange. The fact that we eventually won gold and were allowed to sing the national anthem at the top of our lungs was great.”
But what exactly is canoe polo? With a team of five players you have to throw a ball into a two-meter high goal. A lot is allowed to try to prevent a goal. For example, you may knock over the person who has the ball via the shoulder. You can even sail over each other’s kayak, as long as it is done in one flowing movement.
“It is a hard and explosive sport.”
“A lot is allowed, but there are clear rules,” says Karlijn Brüggink (18). “It is a hard, explosive but also sporty sport. You never know what’s going to happen.”
Canoe polo is not completely without risks, even though all participants wear a helmet and a life jacket. Jelske: “At the start, for example, things can get tough. A player from each side starts towards a ball that is thrown into the middle. They come straight towards each other, and sometimes a boat shoots under someone’s chin. A dislocated shoulder is also no exception.”
“Sometimes you hold your breath.”
The women under 21 years of De Helmvaarders often play against mixed teams in their own country. “At international tournaments we only face women. It’s a world of difference in terms of tactics. In terms of strength too, because when you see a man sprinting towards you, you sometimes get nervous,” says Karlijn.
The sports enthusiasts have known each other for many years and share joys and sorrows. The switch turns in the kayak. “It’s much more than just bashing, it’s a psychological game. Sometimes you have an opponent you know, but a match is very different,” says Jelske.
After the European Championship, the World Cup in China is scheduled for 2024. “A different story than a six-hour drive to Berlin. We would like to go there and perform well,” says Femke Huizinga, the most experienced player at 19 years old. “We are all allowed to continue because of our age, but that is certainly not the case in all countries.”
