Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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The first-ever Sea Breeze 2026 International Beach Polo Tournament in Azerbaijan, Sea Breeze 2026, was held at the Sea Breeze resort.

Athletes representing Great Britain, Switzerland, Russia and Azerbaijan took part in the tournament. Azerbaijan was represented by the Elite Polo Club team.

In the final, Elite Polo Club defeated Switzerland's Sankt Moritz 6-4 to claim the tournament title. In the third-place match, Britain's Red Star beat Russia's Moscow 9-5 to secure the bronze medal.

At the awards ceremony, Elite Polo Club received the tournament trophy and gold medals, while Sankt Moritz were presented with silver medals and Red Star with bronze medals.

Raul Laplaset of Elite Polo Club was named the tournament's best player, while Ivan Romanovsky of Moscow was named the best team manager.

The awards were presented by Minister of Youth and Sports Farid Gayibov and President of the Azerbaijan Equestrian Federation Elchin Guliyev.

Beach polo is a variation of traditional polo played on a smaller, enclosed sandy or beach surface. It is usually played with fewer players on each team and a smaller field, which makes the game faster and more compact than conventional polo. Matches are divided into short periods known as chukkers, with teams competing to score by hitting the ball through the opponents' goal posts.

The smaller playing area means the ball stays in play more often and players have less time to react, making quick passing, accurate shots and close control particularly important.

Like traditional polo, beach polo is played on horseback, but the format is adapted to the smaller surface and shorter matches. The sport combines the speed and skill of polo with the distinctive atmosphere of a beach setting.

Photo: Azerbaijan Ministry of Youth and Sports' official Facebook