Richmond Bike Polo is hosting their 6th Turducken, a bike polo tournament and plain good time.
Richmond Bike Polo is hosting their 6th Turducken, a bike polo tournament and plain good time.
This year, the event’s fundraiser/dance party/get together has a special aim: help pay for a full-time bike polo court, to be built “whenever the city decides where the hell you can build it” according to the event’s Facebook Page .
The fundraiser will be tonight at 8pm, at Lamplighter Roasting Company’s Scotts Addition Summit Ave. roasting headquarters. It is free, but attendants are encouraged to bring donations. The “Turducken Tournament Dance- Off and Fundraiser” comes the day before the 6th annual tournament.
Turducken, named after the all-American three-poultry treat commonly discussed around Thanksgiving, is Richmond’s way cooler answer to your family “Turkey Bowl” of sorts. Held tomorrow at 9 through Sunday at both Abner Clay and Etyl Bailey Furman parks (tennis courts are the preferred place for hard-court bike polo). The event hosts dozens of teams (3v3 with subs, depending on whose house rules are in effect) of folks biking in tight quarters, attempting to score with a mallet. It can get intense as hell. It’s a sight to behold, and attendance for non-participants is also free.
Following the tourney, there will be a Thanksgiving Feast.
The Richmond Bike Polo Club is the local installation of many bike polo clubs, as this sport is growing in numbers. Attendance at the party tonight is encouraged if you want to get a better idea of why the bike polo scene is no passing trend. You could even join a team tonight, as it appears people are still gearing up their teams starting lineups to attempt to win the $1000 prize. If you just want to drink, dance, and find out more about the sport, attendance is also encouraged.
“Currently RVA Bike Polo is ranked 5th in the world. Yes, that’s correct. The World,” says the RVA Bike Polo Website. “They are well renowned for their comraderie (sic), positive attitude and high spirits. Most importantly though they entertain. These guys don’t mess around when it comes to making up tricks and looking good doing it…”
So, at least recently, Richmond Bike Polo was one of the most reputable hardcourt bike polo leagues (according to the group itself). If you have area pride, attend the tournament itself – and you’ll be able to cheer for RVA in the face of the many teams coming into the area from around the country (and Canada). Who wouldn’t want to watch a local team take home gold from an international tournament of sorts?
Get more info here, but the best source of information, especially for those considering trying to play, is the event tonight at Lamplighter.
