Sat 30th Jan 2016Snow Polo World Cup St Moritz 2016 Day One Wins for Cartier and Maserati
Cartier vs Perrier-Jouët for the Maserati Cup At the fabulous reception held at the Kulm Hotel, St Moritz, Reto Guadenzi, founder and organiser of the Snow Polo World Cup St Moritz, opened with the wise words “Polo without champagne would be like polo without horses.” And so began the celebrations in St Moritz, with champagne flowing and good humour warming the chilly guests, as the players and their sponsors gathered to be formally presented. The Snow Polo World Cup St Moritz tournament officially began and the excitement was just getting underway. Champagne may be a happy perk of the polo lifestyle, but it is the action that the sold-out crowds have flocked to the glamorous mountainside town to see. They were not to be disappointed as the action kicked off at midday on Friday 29 January 2016 with a thrilling match. The opening game saw Cartier, the reigning champions and fully British team, take on relative new-comers to the tournament Perrier-Jouët. With the breath-taking backdrop of the Engadin Mountains surrounding St Moritz and framing the polo field, the tournament got off to an exciting start. The frosty morning turned into a sunny day with bright blue skies and the sun beating down on the eight players who took to the field. Cartier started the match as they meant to go on, with rock star, Chris Hyde, taking first blood with a converted penalty. Elegant team play between the experienced backs, saw Cartier storm ahead with 2-0 at the end of the first chukka. Determined to get themselves on the score board, chukka two was all about the boys in yellow. Perrier-Jouët started quickly with a run down the boards to score a high speed goal before equalising with an epic backhand goal from Olavo Novaes. Having caught up, Perrier-Jouët were piling on the pressure forcing Hyde and Nacho to work hard to close down the game, but it was one step forward and two steps back as the unstoppable Hyde brought the score to 3-2. Chukka three got underway with two quick goals from Hyde, 5-2 before a penalty saw the gap increase to 6-2. A minute or so of hectic play and missed backhands meant a goal-less last minute before the whistle was blown on the penultimate chukka. Cartier were in control early on in the last chukka and spectators watched on breathlessly as the game started to speed up, the players’ competitive natures taking over and their confidence on the ice growing. Determined not to go down without a fight, Perrier-Jouët did manage to close the gap slightly with a penalty hit in from Aluisio Rosa bringing the final score to 6-3. Maserati vs Badrutt’s Palace Hotel for the Trois Pommes Trophy The second game of the day between the white shirts of the Maserati team and Badrutt’s Palace Hotel team in the blue shirts began in a snow flurry of action packed runs. Badrutt’s team Captain, Melissa Ganzi, the first lady Captain to play in the Snow Polo World Cup St Moritz, certainly didn’t show any nerves in her approach to the game as her teammates took on the pressure from the opposition. Badrutt’s Palace Hotel were immediately on the offensive but to no avail as the minutes ticked by with no goals. Both teams were pushing hard, testing each other’s skills, but it was Maserati’s Musso who scored the first goal of the game. Chukka two started with a missed penalty by Merlos followed by some sticky play, eventually resulting in a goal for Maserati by the Italian Gianni. A tennis-esque interlude ensued, with each player trading possessions but achieving little. The second chukka ended with Maserati leading 2-0. Badrutt’s Palace Hotel started the third chukka still without a goal on the scoreboard, the Maserati team having decided that the only way to win was to shut down the top player of the tournament – Merlos. Their strategy was working well, but they couldn’t close everyone down and Ganzi took a fantastic run down the field, to the crowd cheering, but it was Gracida who scored the first goal for Badrutt’s Palace Hotel. Maserati answered this with another goal straight out of the line-out, to end the chukka, 3-1. The blue shirts entered the last chukka trailing and in trouble. Desperate attempts to win goals, combined with the fierce play from the Maserati team, meant the final chukka started with scrappy and stressed play. A careless mistake from Maserati in front of their defending goal gave Gaudenzi the perfect opportunity to score the second goal for Badrutt’s Palace Hotel. It wasn’t enough though and the Maserati team took the win with a score of 3-2 for the Trois Pommes Trophy. The Maserati Cup teams: Cartier (14) Spencer McCarthy (1), Charlie Wooldridge (1), Chris Hyde (6) & Nacho Gonzalez (6) Perrier-Jouët (15) Aluisio Rosa (7), Olavo Novaes (7), Luca Zindel (1) & Cédric Schweri (0) Result: Cartier beat Perrier-Jouët, 6-3 Trois Pommes Trophy teams: Maserati (16) Rommy Gianni (1), Luciano Vazquez (2), Dario Musso (7) & Frankie Menendes (6) Badrutt's Palace Hotel (15) Melissa Ganzi (0), Agustín ‘Tincho’ Merlos (9), Mariano Gracida (4) & Tito Gaudenzi (2) Result: Maserati beat Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, 3-2 Photograph: Mariano Gracida on the attack for Badrutt's Palace Hotel. By Lucy Wilson
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