UnstoppableEllerstina take Tortugas Open again
By Herbert Spencer
The Pieres’ Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra won the Tortugas Open for the fourth straight year Saturday, swamping the Heguys’ Indios Chapalefú II 21 goals to 11 in the first of Argentina’s 2010 Triple Crown tournaments.
Ten-goaler Facundo Pieres, the world’s third-ranking player, scored 11 of Ellerstina’s goals to earn the Most Valuable Player award. Ellerstina is the only 40-goal team in this year’s Triple Crown: Facundo, brother Gonzalito, Pablo MacDounough (world’s second-ranked) and Juan Martin Nero, all with polo’s maximum individual handicap of 10.
Ellerstina’sfast, high scoring dominance of the final at Tortugas Country Club went beyond the handicap difference between the two teams. The team handicap of Indios Chapalefú II was 34 goals to Ellerstina’s 40, but in the last four of seven chukkas Ellerstina kept the lead by whopping 9 or 10 goals.
The die was cast from the first chukka on. In the first couple ofminutes, Nero scored for Ellerstina, answered almost immediately by Matias Magrini, the only member of Indios Chapalefú II squad no tfrom the Heguy family. Just this one early tie was all Ellerstina’s opponents could manage, however, as Ellerstina quickly retook the lead, kept it and progressively increased it throughout the match.
Chukka scores: 4-1, 8-3, 10-4, 14-5, 17-7, 18-9 and 21-11
The Triple Crown continues with the Hurlingham Open starting Tuesday 19October
Tournament Results:
– Pilara 12 vs Chapa Uno 18
– La Dolfina 11 vs Indios Chapaleufu II 15
– Ellerstina 18 vs Pilara 11
– La Aguada 14 vs La Dolfina 12
– Ellerstina 17 vs Chapa Uno 12