Many of them might be out of shape, but the hundreds of waterpolo players who will descend on Knysna next week will be relishing the chance to show off their skills once again as part of the Masters Water Polo tournament.

Many of them might be out of shape, but the hundreds of waterpolo players who will descend on Knysna next week will be relishing the chance to show off their skills once again as part of the Masters Water Polo tournament.

By Francois Rank

Many of them might be out of shape, but the hundreds of waterpolo players who will descend on Knysna next week will be relishing the chance to show off their skills once again as part of the Masters Water Polo tournament.

This is the 19th year of the tournament, but only the second time it will be hosted in Knysna.

What makes this event unique is that the matches will be played in the salt water of the Knysna Lagoon. Three playing areas will be set up in the Knysna Quays for the tournament, which runs from March 16 to 18.

Waterpolo SA director Steve Douglas said: "Instead of a swimming pool, waterpolo teams will again enjoy the unique privilege of thrashing it out in the cool waters of the Knysna Quays, making the 2007 Masters Water polo tournament the only salt water tournament played in South Africa.”

There were two main reasons for holding the tournament in the quays, Douglas said.

"Firstly we do not have a venue big enough to have three playing areas. The quays will also expose people to the game who have never seen waterpolo before.”

Douglas said this year‘s field was the biggest in the tournament‘s history. "We hosted this tournament in 2002 and we had 36 teams taking part. This year we have 42 teams and 429 waterpolo players taking part.”

Teams will be entered into one of three pools: over-30s over-40s and over-50s.

"One of the rules of the tournament is that no-one under the age of 25 is allowed to play. Teams are categorised by taking the average age of the seven youngest players of the 13- man team.”

Although no-one younger than 25 will be allowed to play there doesn‘t seem to be an upper limit. This year‘s oldest competitor is 75.

"There will also be two international teams taking part. One from Zimbabwe and one from Britain – Avondale Waterpolo Club, one of the oldest waterpolo clubs in the world, which started in 1903.”

The tournament will also provide a jump-off point for waterpolo development in SA with the launch of the Waterpolo for Life programme.

"The masters will go out and teach a smaller version of the game. They will train school pupils and teachers,” Douglas said.

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