Canoe polo players paddle up for battle in Ballarat

EAGER Ballarat canoe polo competitors have matched it with the state’s and some of Australia’s best in their home pool.

Held last Sunday at the aquatic centre at Prince of Wales Park, the Ballarat Winter Canoe Polo Tournament attracted players from across Victoria, including Melbourne, Geelong and Bendigo.

Among them were several players, who represented Australia this year.

They included Alistair Graham (Australian men’s under-21 team), national women’s team members Sarah Alexander, Matilda Milewska and Josie Merrifield, Edie Simpson, Cerys Jones (both under-18 women’s) and Theo Partridge (under-18 men’s).

They were joined by Ballarat’s own Australian under-18 men’s representative Henry Prior.

They and all competitors were pleased for the opportunity to play in the warmth of the Ballarat Aquatic and Lifestyle Centre.

Described as a mix between water polo, basketball, and dodgem cars, canoe polo was introduced to Ballarat by Anna Taylor and the Ballarat Canoe Club about two-and-a-half years ago.

In that time, the club has attracted nearly 20 people to the sport.

Requiring boat skills, ball handling, and gameplay tactics, the sport attracts a relatively small but devoted community of players, ranging in age from 10 to 80.

Mixed gender teams at the beginner to mid-levels provide another unique point of difference to some of the more traditional sports within Ballarat.

The round robin tournament saw two Ballarat teams – with a player spread from beginner to advanced – do battle against teams from Fairfield, Essendon and the Geelong Canoe Club across two divisions in a total of 14 games.

Given the high calibre of competition, Ballarat players were proud to have held their own.

Goal scorers from Ballarat included Henry Prior (six), Damien Knight (five), Hannah Kerber (four), Adrian Balharrie (three), Nigel Prior (three), Phil Dressen (two), Jean Paul Trijsburg (one) and Don Coutts (one).

Prior, 17, who represented Australia at the 2025 Oceania Championships on the Gold Coast in April, was thrilled to see such high-level competition in Ballarat.

“Canoe polo has allowed me to learn so much over the past couple of years,” he said.

“It’s been a lot of fun.

“Thank you to Anna from the canoe club for getting a canoe polo team going in Ballarat.”

One of the visiting competitors on Sunday, Canoe Polo Victoria spokesperson and Australian representative Sarah Alexander could not speak highly enough of the venue.

“We were excited to make use of the aquatic centre’s wonderful facilities, including a large indoor pool, change facilities, cafe, grandstand and even space for the numerous kayaks,” she said.

“Canoe polo is in need of more access to suitable facilities through Victoria and Australia to host these events.

“We would like to thank the Ballarat City Council for making the aquatic centre available for this fantastic one-off competition.”

With ongoing support from the aquatic centre, the Ballarat club trains on Wednesday nights throughout the year, and throughout the warmer months, additional nights on Lake Wendouree.

The club supports and welcomes new players, with a graded introduction supporting skills development.