International Polo Cup

The International Polo Cup, one of the highlights of the season at cote d’azur, came to an end on Sunday at Saint Tropez Polo Club. The final saw a full day of polo entertainment, with live shows, a fantastic cocktail party hosted by Restaurant Polo 1999, and a traditional Sunday Polo Party.

The 12-15 goal kicked the day off, with the final between Pull Love and Marquard Media. It wasn’t just any final for the Italians; in 2016 their team was beaten in the last match of the tournament and the title slipped away. This season the team came back stronger, showing an impressive level. Despite a good defensive performance by Marquard Media, lead by Tete Storni and Pablo Bolanterio, the team could not tame Flaco Garcia Grossi, who showed his skills once again.

Pull Love were two up in the last chukka; they went on to score three more consecutive goals, leaving no chance for Thomas Rinderknecht’s foursome. Pull Love claimed the 15-goal IPC title 11-8. It has been an awesome summer for Andrea Moretti so far, who also won the Grisogono Polo Masters at Villa a Sesta in June.

BPP: Borren El Tano, played and owned by Juan Agustín García Grossi.

Score Pull Love: 3-1, 5-3, 6-4, 8-6, 11-8.

Goals Pull Love: Flaco García Grossi 6, Nicolás Espaín 5.

Goals Marquard Media: Martincito Aguerre 6, Tete Storni 2.

Umpires: Esteban Ferrari & Federico Martelli. Third man: Alex Roldán.

Up next, the 8-10 goal category final was played between two powerful teams: Lions and St. Tropez. Although Corinne Schuler was replaced by Wilf Fine, her team got off to a good start, scoring 2.5 goals while keeping their opponents scoreless. But from then on Pierre Beylat’s foursome took control of the game, going into halftime leading 4 goals to 3.5.

It was a tight game until fourth chukka, when Guillermo Li opened the gap and Lions took the lead to win the game by 1.5 goals.

BPP: Lady Di, played and owned by Guillermo Li.

Score Lions Polo Team: (0-0.5) 0-2.5, 4-3.5, 6-5.5, 8-6.5.