Victories for the favourites on the first day of the Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz
Cartier and Badrutt’s Palace Hotel are the first winners of the Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz 2017. Under a bright blue sky but at temperatures below the freezing point, close to three thousand spectators watched two fascinating games that ended with wins of the favourites.
In the first game of the day, last year’s runners up, Cartier, took on Team Perrier-Jouët to battle it out for The President’s Cup. Spectators had flocked from across the Alps and wider afield to bask in the glorious Engadin sunshine, enjoy the world renowned hospitality that is synonymous with St. Moritz and of course the action packed polo.
The large crowds were certainly not disappointed as both teams rapidly sought ascension. Team Perrier-Jouët’s Swiss captain, Fabio Meier, was first to score with an impressive field goal at full pace. Their lead was short-lived as the omnipresent Chris Hyde rallied the Team Cartier’s players into action resulting in two well engineered team goals in quick succession.
It was this teamwork that would ultimately prevail as Team Cartier characteristically led for the rest of the match with Argentine dynamo, Dario Musso alongside the goal scoring powerhouse of Chris Hyde racking up an impressive tally of field goals, with the final score resting at 7-4.
A clear victory for Badrutt’s Palace Hotel team
The afternoon of fantastic polo action on the frozen Lake St. Moritz continued with the game between Team Badrutt’s Palace Hotel and Team Maserati for the Badrutt’s Palace Hotel Cup. Team Badrutt’s Palace were once again headed up by Melissa Ganzi, last year she made her snow polo debut in St. Moritz and she is back this year keen to impress on the ice again. Their blue-shirted opponents were four members of the Beh family from Malaysia, new to The Snow Polo World Cup and eager to make their mark on the tournament, whilst of course having fun and enjoying playing in such a fantastic and special location.
Team Badrutt’s Palace Hotel were dominant from the start, with the 8 goal Argentinian Alejandro Novillo Astrada notching the first of his four goals shortly after the first throw in after a great set up by Melissa Ganzi and he scored again at the beginning of the second chukka. But the Beh family were not going down without a fight and Chevy Beh slotted a ‘worm burner’ through the goal in reply. Another goal from Tito Gaudenzi brought the scores to 4-1 in favour of Badrutt’s Palace at the half time bell.
Unfortunately for the quartet of Behs on the field in the second half Team Badrutt’s Palace Hotel continued to assert their dominance, with another three goals notched up on the scoreboard and the final score resting at 7-1 in their favour as the game ended. An ecstatic Melissa Ganzi commented after the game, «I am delighted with our win today, the field was in pristine condition and it was a treat to play on it», continuing «I hope we can make it all the way to the Finals!»
On Saturday, Badrutt’s Palace Hotel will play Perrier-Jouët (12h00) and Cartier will play against Maserati (14h15).