The Biggest Snow Polo Event in the World

fortune-heights-snow-polo-world-cup-2014-final-england-chinaThe Snow Polo World Cup is the biggest snow polo event in the world, including twelve teams. In 2015 the Chinese tournament will once again set new standards. Tomorrow starts the prestigious tournament at the Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club in China.
When the Snow Polo World Cup will be held from 28th January to 8th February 2015 for the fourth time at the Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club, China will once again become the international hotspot for snow polo. Twelve teams from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, England, France, Hong Kong / China, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Spain and USA will turn the tournament, held in the port megacity, into the biggest snow polo event in the world. In 2015, the Snow Polo World Cup will again be supported by the Federation of International Polo (FIP) and the Chinese Equestrian Association.

In the prior years, the teams from Argentina and Hong Kong / China had dominated the happenings on the snow-covered pitch, but in January 2014 Team England had surprisingly achieved victory. In the final Max Routledge (+5), Jack Richardson (+5) and Max Charlton (+6) defeated the title holders from Team Hong Kong / China narrowly by 6-5. Facundo Fernandez Llorente (+4), John Fisher (+4) and Guillermo Terrera (+8) of Team Hong Kong / China had to settle for second place. After an initial lead of Team Hong Kong / China, England shot ahead the trio during the first chukka and held on to the lead until the end. In the two prior years England had only been placed third both times. Accordingly the winning team celebrated its victory.

With team handicaps of 14 to 16 goals, in 2015 the chukkas once again promise exciting polo action and highly competitive matches. To offer best possible playing conditions for the teams, a lot of work is put into the snow polo arena. In January the temperatures in Tianjin indeed often drop below freezing point, but at the Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club nobody relies on snow.

Domenico Palumbo, General Manager – Club, explains the preparations: “When the first intense cold weather hits Tianjin, we make snow with machines until forming a thick, one-meter high coat throughout the field. Then we add water to lower it and make it more compact. Bull­dozers will then be driven that ground cover and reduce the cushion to an extremely resistant mass that’s a three-centimeter layer. Once that layer gets hardened, the whole process is repeated several more times like making a Mille Crêpe Cake to ensure that the ice won’t break and the field will withstand all the wear and tear (with the snow on top) throughout the tournament.”

For more information please visit: www.snowpoloworldcup.com

The teams:

Zone 1
Group A
England (+16)
Jack Richardson (+6)
Max Routledge (+5)
Matt Perry (+5)

New Zealand (+16)
Glenn Sherriff (+5)
Christopher Brooks (+5)
Thomas Hunt (+6)

Canada (+15)
Brandon Phillips (+5)
Marcelo Abbiatti (+5)
Todd Offen (+5)

Group B
Brazil (+16)
Guilherme Lins (+5)
Gustavo Garcia (+4)
Aluisio Vilela Rosa (+7)

Argentina (+16)
Juan Cruz Gregouli (+4)
Juan Maria Echeverz (+6)
Hector Jacinto Crotto (+6)

Peru (+14)
Iago Masias (+3)
Guillermo Li (+5)
Jose Mulanovich (+6)

Zone 2
Group C
Hong Kong / China (+16)
Juan Britos (+5)
John Fisher (+4)
Pablo Juaretche (+7)

Mexico (+18)
Valerio Aguilar Sotelo (+5)
Mariano Gracida Marin (+3)
Roberto Gonzalez Gracida (+5)
Julio Gracida (+5)

U.S.A. (+16)
Delmer Walton (+3)
Thomas Biddle Jr (+6)
Mike Azzaro (+7)

Group D
Chile (+16)
Martín Zegers (+6)
Alejandro Vial (+6)
Ignacio Vial Mazieres (+4)

France (+14)
Clement Delfosse (+5)
Patrick Primael Paillol (+4)
Brieuc Rigaux (+5)

Spain (+14)
Juan Clemente Marambio (+4)
Pelayo Berazardi (+4)
Santiago Marambio (+6)

http://http://www.poloplus10.com/fip-fortune-heights-snow-polo-world-cup-the-biggest-snow-polo-event-in-the-world-45306/