Perfect Start For Defending Champions Hong Kong China As Third
Fortune Heights Super Nations Cup Gets Underway
Twelve months ago, the polo stars of Hong Kong China
were popping champagne corks on the podium at the Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan
Polo Club; today they galloped back into their stride once again, demolishing the
USA by 13 goals to 6 in the opening game of the 2014 Fortune Heights Super
Nations Cup.
One of the highest goal tournaments in world polo, the Fortune Heights Super
Nations Cup is the jewel in the crown of China’s rapidly developing international polo
scene. Hong Kong China’s victory will see them advance to Sunday’s grand final to
play either England or Argentina; USA will be fighting for third place in the subsidiary
final on Saturday.
Under rainy skies and the eager eyes of spectators from China and beyond, players
and officials took to the field for the opening ceremony of the third Fortune Heights
Super Nations Cup. The emerald green polo field, lined with grandstands, crisp white
event marquees and television cameras, was dressed for the occasion as the
national anthems echoed off the luxury residences of Fortune Heights. A prestige
collection of European-style villas and apartments, Fortune Heights has China’s
finest polo club at its heart, and towering above it all, the majestic Goldin Finance
117 building, soon to be crowned one of the world’s tallest skyscrapers when
completed in 2016.
Hong Kong China was sporting a changed line-up from last year: Fortune Heights
Super Nations Cup veterans John Fisher and last year’s Most Valuable Player (MVP)
John-Paul Clarkin were joined by six-goal Argentinean polo star Lucas Lalor, with
Santiago Cernadas coming in as a late replacement for the injured Gaston Moore.
USA fielded a side that included eight-goal veteran Mike Azzaro, voted MVP at the
inaugural Fortune Heights Super Nations Cup back in 2012 and one of an elite few
athletes to hold the sport’s highest handicap of ten goals for over ten years. Top pro
and pin-up Nick Roldan, also playing off eight goals, was joined by Andres Weisz
and Carlos Gracida Jr, son of the Mexican legend Carlos Gracida, who tragically
passed away in February this year, just weeks after competing for his native Mexico
as part of its first ever snow polo team at the FIP Snow Polo World Cup in Tianjin.
The world of polo had lost a legend; the crowd reflected.
The game got underway with a quick exchange of penalties, John-Paul Clarkin
rolling his home before USA’s Nick Roldan calmly evened the odds from forty yards.
After the restart, USA’s number four Mike Azzaro picked out teammate Andres
Weisz with a cannonball pass that sailed all of 60 yards, Weiz galloping between the
posts to put his side ahead. The game was on.
The penalties continued to go Hong Kong China’s way, however, Clarkin adding
another two to put his side into the lead. But the best goal of the chukka came right
at the bell, a rampant charge downfield and neatly cut shot by Santiago Cernadas,
Hong Kong China leading by four goals to two after the first chukka.
Cernadas exploded into life again in the second chukka with another dashed goal,
this time slotted sweetly inside the post from a tricky angle to stretch Hong Kong’s
lead. The game started to settle, and it wasn’t until the final minute that the next goal
came – another for John-Paul Clarkin, out-muscling his marker to roll it neatly over
the line and put Hong Kong China in a commanding position.
Trailing far behind in the third, USA needed a moment of inspiration, and Nick
Roldan dutifully obliged, shooting from the boards at pace and overcoming the
tightest of angles to score the goal of the game and give the USA fans something to
cheer about. Newly energized, Carlos Gracida Jr. and Nick Roldan combined soon
after to narrow the gap to two goals, trailing Hong Kong China by four goals to six.
But USA’s momentum was soon snuffed out by Hong Kong China, John Fisher
scoring a brace of penalties to put his side ahead at the halfway mark, 8-4.
The next two chukkas were fractious and closely-fought, neither side finding much
rhythm as rain continued to pelt the field. USA desperately fought to put points on
the board, but Hong Kong China did their best to stifle their opponents as the
seconds ticked away. At the end of the penultimate chukka, the scores were 11-6 to
Hong Kong China.
Trailing by five goals, it would need a Herculean effort from the USA to get
themselves back into the match. In fact, by throwing everything at Hong Kong, USA
left themselves vulnerable to the counter attack. John-Paul Clarkin connected with
Cernadas to make it an even dozen for Hong Kong China. And right at the death,
Cernadas scored again to claim his fifth of the match, Hong Kong China sealing a
comfortable victory 13 – 6 .
—
Daily polo matches are contested as follows:
Wednesday, 1 October 2014
Result: Hong Kong, China VS USA 13 – 6
The tournament schedule will continue as follows:–
Date Time Team Team
02 October 2014 (THU) 2 pm Argentina VS England
03 October 2014 (FRI) 2 pm Rest Day
04 October 2014 (SAT) 2 pm Subsidiary Final
05 October 2014 (SUN) 2 pm Final
Information on Fortune Heights Super Nations Cup 2014
Gates open: 1 pm
Match Time: 2 pm
Address: 16 Hai Tai Hua Ke Ju Lu Bin Hai Gao Xin Qu, Tianjin, China
Official website: www.supernationscup.com
You may wish to catch the matches:
Live in Hong Kong on nowTV, Channel – Sports Prime 630,635,100
Or catch delayed telecasts onlin
https://www.hurlinghampolo.com/polo_videos.php
https://www.youtube.com/user/thepoloclubchannel
Team List
HONG KONG, CHINA
Handicap
Player 1 Lucas Lalor 6
Player 2 Santiago Cernadas 6
Player 3 John-Paul Clarkin 8
Player 4 John Fisher 4
24
Reserves Bautista Sorzana 6
USA
Handicap
Player 1 Carlos Gracida Jr. 3
Player 2 Andres Weisz 5
Player 3 Nicholas Roldan 8
Player 4 Mike Azzaro 8
24
Reserves Joel Baker 2
Jason Crowder 6
ARGENTINA
Handicap
Player 1 Pablo Dorignac 6
Player 2 Tomás Ruiz Guiñazú 6
Player 3 AgustÃn Máiquez 6
Player 4 MartÃn Tassara 6
24
Reserves Pablo Llorente 6
ENGLAND
Handicap
Player 1 George Meyrick 5
Player 2 Jack Richardson 5
Player 3 Max Charlton 6
Player 4 Tom Morley 6
22
Reserves Jonny Good 5