Zacara edge Les Lions to win British Open
By Herbert Spencer
Lyndon Lea’s Zacara came from behind in the sixth chukka Sunday to defeat Joachim Gottschalk’s Les Lions 12-11 and capture the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup in the 2011 British Open Championship at Cowdray Park Polo Club.
The final was played partly in the rain and on a sodden ground, but despite the weather conditions it was a fast and open match from start to finish.
Zacara drew first blood when their Hilario Ulloa snatched the ball out of the opening throw-in and broke away to find the posts less than a minute into the match. Lea’s side ended the first chukka 2-1 up. But Les Lions held Zacara scoreless in the second period, equalised and took the lead 4-2.
Les Lions increased their advantage to 5-2 in the third chukka before Zacara rallied with three straight goals to tie the game up. Les Lions retook the lead, 6-5, with a penalty conversion at the bell.
Zacara equalised again when Ulloa took the ball straight from the initial throw-in to score, but Les Lions recaptured the lead and increased it to 10-8 by the end of the fourth period. Lea’s boys denied Les Lions any goals in the fifth chukka and reduced their deficit to 9-10.
In a tense sixth period Zacara tied up the match again and went ahead before Les Lions equalized at 11-11. Zacara finally won the match five minutes into the final chukka when their Gonzalo Deltour scored from the field.