Great Britain’s under 21 teams stayed in semi-final contention after coming through the first group stage at the 2024 ICF Canoe Polo World Championships, in China.
Having sat out day one, the senior sides also joined the fray on day two in Dequig.
Following two wins on day one, the men’s U21 completed the first group stage unbeaten after a 6-3 win over Taipei and a 1-1 draw with Italy.
The latter result earned GB a second-place finish, on goal difference behind the world number three-ranked Italians, and still on track for the semi-finals.
The women’s U21 also kept alive their chances of a semi-final spot as they safely made it through the first group stage.
After a mixed bag of win, draw and defeat on day one, GB followed a creditable 1-1 draw against world number three-ranked Spain with a 6-0 rout of Singapore to seal third place.
The Great Britain men and women arrived fresh from winning Super Cup medals this week, but it proved a mixed day.
The men thrashed the United States 12-0 but then let a 4-1 lead slip in a 5-4 defeat to Poland, while the women overwhelmed hosts China 25-0 – the biggest win of this year’s championships – but were then dispatched 8-1 by reigning world and European champions Germany.
Great Britain U21 men were pushed hard by Taipei before making it three wins from three.
Chen-i Ho gave Taipei an early lead, but Jake Searle levelled within 22 seconds and very soon after put GB ahead.
Angus Boyle gave the Brits daylight, but Syu-Jia Chen cut the lead less than a minute into the second half.
Searle immediately replied to complete his hat-trick, but after Boyle’s green card Taipei hit back again through Li-Kai Chen to make it 4-3.
Yet again the British response was quick as Toby Marlow restored the two-goal lead before Flyn Hammond sealed a 6-3 victory.
Both GB and Italy came into their final game of Group C with 100 per cent records, and needing a win to become group winners.
Both defences were on top in a tight first half, with Marco Langellotti’s eighth-minute goal separating the sides at the break, and Searle’s fine save denying the European champions a second on the stroke of half-time.
The Italians were reduced to four men midway through the second half, but a series of blocks and saves kept out the GB siege.
Boyle did brilliantly to pick a way through a forest of paddles to level with a minute left, but a draw was enough for Italy to win the group on goal difference.
Second place means GB will face Denmark, France, New Zealand, Belgium and Portugal in the second group stage which starts on Thursday.
Great Britain U21 women opened day two with a pulsating draw against group leaders Spain and were denied a superb win by a fine last-gasp save.
They were defensively superb to hold Spain and snatched the lead shortly before the break through Leena de Mul’s penalty after Poppy Clews had been denied illegally.
Evie McNamara was denied by a good block and made fine saves of her own, but she was finally beaten when Spain created an overload and Sara Barba pounced midway through the second half.
Needing a win against Singapore to finish third in the first group stage and keep their semi-final hopes alive, GB eased into a 3-0 half-time lead thanks to Poppy Clews, Emmy-Lou Hussin and Jessie Hurtt.
The British women had created many more chances before the break and, after de Mul and McNamara extended the lead, Clews banged in a rebound to complete a 6-0 win.
Third place gives them the toughest possible test in the second group stage – a rematch with defending champions New Zealand and a clash with world-leading Germany.
The Great Britain men line-up featured four McCutcheon brothers who all got on the scoreboard in an opening 12-0 demolition of the United States.
Suryan got the ball rolling, Shivan added two and Santanam netted as GB led 5-0 at the break, with Alex Lowthorpe also on target.
Santanam and Shivan completed their hat-tricks in the second half, while Suryan and Lowthorpe got their second goals.
James Mallon also struck before Kartik completed the scoring as GB reached a round dozen late on.
In game two, the British men fell beyond inside a minute as Jan Bulira gave Poland a dream start, but Suryan restored order with two goals in a minute.
A powerful finish from Shivan then gave GB a two-goal cushion at half-time.
Kartik teed up Suryan for his hat-trick to open up a three-goal lead soon after the break, but
it was Polish siblings who would have the decisive say.
Juliusz Bulira began the comeback and Hubert Migdalski then cut the gap to 4-3.
Polish pressure told after James Mallon’s green card when Juliusz equalised, and with just three seconds left, the Bulira brother collected a rebound to claim his hat-trick and a dramatic winner.
Fresh from their Super Cup silver medal, the Great Britain women cruised through their opener against an inexperienced Chinese side.
GB raced into a 10-0 lead at half-time, and with goal difference in mind, continued their goal charge after the break with 15 more in the second half.
Bethan Littlewood helped herself to seven goals, bolstered by five apiece from Eleanor McBay and Sara Lanao-Madden.
Georgie Longbottom and Katie Howes added hat-tricks, with Ella Winterbottom and Kirsten Lee capping the rout.
But they then felt the force of a ruthless display by defending champions Germany.
The British women carved out chances, but clinical finishing was the difference as Hannah Kunz’s goal and a Katharin Gruenewald brace fired them into a 3-0 half-time lead.
The goal frame and German paddles continued to deny GB who were then picked off three more times, with Gruenewald completing her hat-trick.
Howes finished neatly to finally claim a deserved GB goal, but the world number one side were relentless and scored twice more late on through Kunz and a Jill Rutzen penalty to cap a resounding 8-1 win.
Action continues tomorrow which you follow across the Planet Canoe channels