CHELTENHAM MISS OUT ON SUPER FIVES!
Former champions Cheltenham suffered a 9-8 defeat against Sutton & Cheam in the final match of the men’s Division 1 programme on December 1st – and, for the first time, missed out on qualification for the Super 5s.
The last day of matches could hardly have been more dramatic. At the start, only champions City of Manchester and Solihull were guaranteed top five spots. Apart from bottom team Polytechnic, five teams were in with a chance of the remaining three places – and what a finish it produced!
Invicta were the first to qualify, thanks to a 14-11 victory over Poly. Sheffield’s 13-12 win against Lancaster then left Invicta, Sheffield and Lancaster level on points, with Lancaster destined to miss out . . . IF Cheltenham triumphed over Sutton.
Sutton were 6-4 down at the start of the final period but, inspired by five-goal Stephen Bayles, recovered brilliantly to grab both points. The win wasn’t enough to save Sutton from the drop to Championship 1 together with Cheltenham and Poly. The Super 5s line-up will be: Manchester, who finished the Division 1 programme with an impressive 100 per cent record, Solihull, Sheffield, Invicta and Lancaster.
In women's Division 2, City of Bristol completed a hat-trick of wins over the final weekend, which took them from sixth to second place and a move to Championship 1 alongside undefeated Tyldesley, Welsh Wanderers, Mid Sussex Marlins and Sheffield Stringrays. See News and Results pages for all the details.
Top of page: Focus on three players who ended up as divisional top scorers in the first phase of the season. L-R: Joe Jenkins-Delf (Welsh Wanderers, men's Division 2); Tyldesley's Addison Brown (men's 4); and Steph Whittaker, City of Manchester, (women's Division 1). Photos: Trevor Hyde.
The last day of matches could hardly have been more dramatic. At the start, only champions City of Manchester and Solihull were guaranteed top five spots. Apart from bottom team Polytechnic, five teams were in with a chance of the remaining three places – and what a finish it produced!
Invicta were the first to qualify, thanks to a 14-11 victory over Poly. Sheffield’s 13-12 win against Lancaster then left Invicta, Sheffield and Lancaster level on points, with Lancaster destined to miss out . . . IF Cheltenham triumphed over Sutton.
Sutton were 6-4 down at the start of the final period but, inspired by five-goal Stephen Bayles, recovered brilliantly to grab both points. The win wasn’t enough to save Sutton from the drop to Championship 1 together with Cheltenham and Poly. The Super 5s line-up will be: Manchester, who finished the Division 1 programme with an impressive 100 per cent record, Solihull, Sheffield, Invicta and Lancaster.
In women's Division 2, City of Bristol completed a hat-trick of wins over the final weekend, which took them from sixth to second place and a move to Championship 1 alongside undefeated Tyldesley, Welsh Wanderers, Mid Sussex Marlins and Sheffield Stringrays. See News and Results pages for all the details.
Top of page: Focus on three players who ended up as divisional top scorers in the first phase of the season. L-R: Joe Jenkins-Delf (Welsh Wanderers, men's Division 2); Tyldesley's Addison Brown (men's 4); and Steph Whittaker, City of Manchester, (women's Division 1). Photos: Trevor Hyde.
Other News:
PLAYER PROFILE: We are today (6 December) launching a new section of the BWPL website - called Features. It will include a regular player profile. And our first subject is one of GB's 2012 heroes, goalkeeper Matt Holland. Click on Features to read the full story - and also to learn how BWPL operates behind the scenes on match weekends.
Make sure you know about everything new in the British League by subscribing to the regular League newsletter (see panel at the top of this page).
PHASE 2 FIXTURES: Where will your team be playing in the second half of the season? Fixtures for all eight divisions are now published on the fixtures pages.
AWARD FOR AMY: Coventry's Amy Berry, aged 17, won the Swim England Water Polo Talent Athlete of the Year award. See News page.
PLAYER PROFILE: We are today (6 December) launching a new section of the BWPL website - called Features. It will include a regular player profile. And our first subject is one of GB's 2012 heroes, goalkeeper Matt Holland. Click on Features to read the full story - and also to learn how BWPL operates behind the scenes on match weekends.
Make sure you know about everything new in the British League by subscribing to the regular League newsletter (see panel at the top of this page).
PHASE 2 FIXTURES: Where will your team be playing in the second half of the season? Fixtures for all eight divisions are now published on the fixtures pages.
AWARD FOR AMY: Coventry's Amy Berry, aged 17, won the Swim England Water Polo Talent Athlete of the Year award. See News page.
FOLLOW THE BEST IN BRITISH WATER POLO!
Welcome to the website of the BWPL, UK water polo's premier league competition!!
The British Water Polo League was launched in 2010 following the successful merger of the men's National League and the National Women's Water Polo League. We have gone from strength to strength since then and the 2019/20 season features a full complement of 64 teams from England, Scotland and Wales - 40 men's and 24 women's.
Particular thanks to James Reddick, of Polytechnic, for his help in creating this website. For more information about advertising, please contact BWPL Secretary Chris Ducker, chris.ducker@bwpl.org.
The British Water Polo League was launched in 2010 following the successful merger of the men's National League and the National Women's Water Polo League. We have gone from strength to strength since then and the 2019/20 season features a full complement of 64 teams from England, Scotland and Wales - 40 men's and 24 women's.
Particular thanks to James Reddick, of Polytechnic, for his help in creating this website. For more information about advertising, please contact BWPL Secretary Chris Ducker, chris.ducker@bwpl.org.
