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HUA HIN, Thailand, Sunday (AFP) - Nepal lumbered to victory Sunday in the world's first international elephant polo tournament, as the heavyweights of the sport clashed at this seaside resort in Thailand.

Thailand's A team came home with silver and the bronze went to SRI LANKA in the novelty event played out before 400 spectators which raised 10,000 dollars for elephant conservation work in Asia.

Christopher Stafford, general manager of the Anantara resort which hosted the event, said he was thrilled with the turnout and the drama of the tournament.

"We had close calls in all the games, it was a very tight match between Singapore and Thailand followed by an extra time match between Sri Lanka and Australia which Sri Lanka won 3-2," he said.

"The final was an absolute cliff hanger, and Nepal just tipped it to win 3-2 over Thailand."

Teams from Australia and Singapore also took part in the three-a-side matches, played with 10 minutes a chukka.

The 12 elephants who took part in the tournament were provided by the Elephant Conservation Centre in the northern town of Lampang, and trucked south to Hua Hin two weeks ago to acclimatise to the balmy conditions.

Elephant polo was first played by Mongol Indian kings and revived in the past two decades by expatriates in Nepal.

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