LISTINGS SPORT

Sport: Polo

SPORT
AMERICAN FOOTBALL

LONDON BLITZ

Finsbury Park Stadium, Seven Sisters Road, N4 1EE.

/ Manor House/Finsbury Park

www.londonblitz.com
With a presence in London since 1984, Blitz are now based at this north London venue.

LONDON OLYMPIANS

Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, Ledrington Road, Upper Norwood, SE19 2BL.

Crystal Palace

T: 07984 596317. www.olympiansfootball.org Celebrating their 25th anniversary this
year, the London Olympians are based at Crystal Palace.

BASKETBALL

LONDON TOWERS

Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, Ledrington Road, Upper Norwood, SE19 2BL.

Crystal Palace

T: 020 8776 7755. www.london-towers.co.uk The Towers are one of Britain’s most successful basketball teams and the
only professional team based in London. Unreserved tickets are available on the door for under �10.

CRICKET

LORD’S CRICKET GROUND

St John’s Wood, NW8 8QN.
St John’s Wood

T: 020 7616 8500. www.lords.org
Lord’s is the spiritual home of English cricket and hosts many of the country’s biggest games — from nail-biting Test matches to domestic cup fi nals. Out of season, a tour takes in the Players’ Dressing Room, the MCC Museum and the Long Room — part cricket watching room, part cricket art gallery.

OVAL CRICKET GROUND

Kennington Oval, SE11 5SW.
Oval

T: 0871 246 1100. www.surreycricket.com Originally a cabbage patch, The Oval is today one of the most famous cricket grounds in the world. It’s home to Surrey Cricket Club and normally hosts the fi nal Test match in each of England’s home series — it was here that England fi nally regained the Ashes from Australia back in 2005.

There’s nothing like sipping champagne and watching a few chukkas

on a summer’s day in the capital, says Sam Lewis

The sound of thundering hooves and popping champagne corks is coming to the capital — and spectators don’t have to pay a small fortune to experience it.

On 5-6 July, a new spectator-friendly version of polo will take place in London. And with tickets from just �26.50, the event won’t be restricted to high society. The new Polo in the Park, inaugural event of the World Polo Series, takes place in Hurlingham Park, south-west London, and promises to be a fun day out for all the family, combining new thrilling rules with world-class equestrian skills.

Other polo games include the fi rst London Polo Championships (17-18 June)
at Horse Guards Parade, the offi cial entrance to Buckingham Palace, where four international polo teams — including England — will compete for the Westminster Polo Trophy in the heart of London. The event takes place over two evenings on what was originally King Henry VIII’s tournament ground, with tickets from �50.

If you miss these events, or enjoy them so much you want to see more, don’t worry — there are plenty of other opportunities to watch the game at nearby polo clubs based in Ham, Epsom and Chobham.

Alternatively, why not get in the saddle and book a private lesson to fi nd out just how hard this sport is? In the words of American polo player Sylvester Stallone, “playing polo is like playing golf in an earthquake”. May the earth move for you. www.polointheparklondon.com www.londonpolo.co.uk

Y EDITORIAL

T

T

IMAGE: GE

Jodie Kidd launches the World Polo Series

W2L SUMMER 2009 85