Photos: Bikes, mallets, balls and concrete make for heck of a game

Greg Lessard battled Peter Baker.
Greg Lessard of Mankato, left, battled with Peter Baker of Minneapolis for control of the ball.
Jackson Forderer for MPR News

The Mankato Bike Polo Club hosted the Carnivore 4v4 bike polo tournament this past weekend in Mankato, Minn. Bike polo is an emerging sport that combines the game of polo with bicycling, and game play that many compare to hockey.

Players enjoyed competitive bike polo matches where all skill levels were represented.

"It's really good for the newer players to get into this kind of environment where you see all types of skill levels," said Brian Gosewisch, vice president of the Mankato Bike Polo Club, "They got to play with a lot of different people that they normally wouldn't see."

Aside from the bike polo matches, players enjoyed food and drink, a mural created by a graffiti artist, a bonfire, hammerschlagen and the company of fellow bike polo players. Dave Meagher, who traveled from Winnipeg, Canada to play in the tournament, said he joined the sport years ago when he was new in town. "There was this instant friend circle and it just kinda stuck because it was so much fun. It's such a welcoming sport."

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