University of Nottingham's Canoe Polo athletes became back-to-back champions in the Open Team category in 2022, and headed into the 2023 championships with high hopes of adding more silverware to their collection. Taking place at nearby Holme Pierrepont, University of Nottingham entered teams into the Ladies and B competitions too with three sides representing the #GreenandGold across the weekend of 22 and 23 April.
As reigning champions our A team made their way comfortably through the competition, gaining confidence that they could claim their third straight title as the side hald a remarkable defensive record of not conceding a goal throughout their route to the final. This was a great credit to Nathan Hart's goal keeping and the whole teams defence, and despite conceding two goals in the final, the team put in a fantastic showing to claim their third straight gold, and once again see the University of Nottingham crowned BUCS Canoe Polo champions! This included outstanding performances from both of the teams scholars Bertram Noble and Toby Marlow, whilst Jonathan Lowe joined James Downs in being a part of all three gold-winning teams.
A Team; George Baglin (Captain), Toby Marlow, Bertram Noble, Nathan Hart, James Downs, Peter Ingram, Jonathan Lowe, Eddie Jobson
Our B team also delivered strong, battling performances throughout, only narrowly losing out to a better Southampton team in the semi-final. The club would like to make a special mention to Ollie Flaks making a comeback from tonsilitis to play on the Sunday, whilst first year students Callum Thomas, Sam Hill and Harry Williams all showed great potential for the future.
B Team; Chris Blackburn (Captain), Aiden Silcock, Alex Barron, Callum Thomas, Harry Williams, Oliver Flaks, Sam Hill, Will Scammell
Alongside our men's sides, the University of Nottingham women's team also saw stand-out performances despite narrowly losing a couple of knockout match-ups. This squad also included three first year students - Becky Green, Paula Egea, and Orlagh Ward - all playing in their first ever BUCS championship having only picked up the sport this year.
Women's Team; Hannah Maybury (Captain), Amber Jones, Amy Piggot, Becky Green, Maryann Cooke, Molly Knight, Orlagh Ward, Paula Egea
Overall, it was a hugely successful 2023 BUCS Canoe Polo championships for the University of Nottingham and our Canoe Polo club. Club president Jonathan Lowe was a part of the championship winning side and reflected by saying;
"The A’s making it a hat trick of gold medals in three years is a huge achievement for the team. Only conceding two goals throughout the whole tournament shows the strength of this group of players and is thanks the team’s dedication to training throughout the winter.
The ladies’ team were strong, however were unlucky to lose a couple of tight knockout games. Despite this they kept their heads up and continued to fight, earning a well-earned victory against Cardiff in their final game. The B teams bronze medal was another great achievement. A team that was made up of multiple freshers, it shows there is plenty of up-and-coming talent for the A team next year.
The all-round success of UoNCP this weekend is a credit to our coach Jess’ 5 years of dedication to the club. A win is a great way to finish off her time coaching the club, we wish her all the best with the baby! Overall it was a great weekend for the club as whole, despite the mud everyone got stuck in, making it a fun weekend for all."
We would like to congratulate the club on yet another championship and look forward to seeing the side go for four in a row next year! To keep up to date with the club's progress and success, you can follow them on social media here.
As well as a reputation for academic excellence, we have a history of sporting success and are passionate about supporting promising athletes during their time at the University of Nottingham. To find out more about our Sports Scholarship, please click here.
Posted on Wednesday 26th April 2023