March 23, 2018

Europe, Polo News

23. March 2018

The 3. Rovinj Beach Polo Cup with six teams is coming up from June 7.-10. in Rovinj/Croatia. The international press conference for the 3rd edition of the ROVINJ BEACH POLO at the WESTIN Hotel in Zagreb welcomed journalists from local and international media as well as several ambassadors. Olive Hempenstall, ambassador of the Republic of Ireland from Croatia received a special warm welcome from the President of Rovinj Beach Polo, Uwe Zimmermann. In cooperation with Bentley Vienna, Leo Ivanjko presented the latest model of the Bentley fleet – just perfect for a trip to the beaches of Rovinj.

Six international teams will participate at the Beach Polo Cup in Rovinj 2018. The journalists got also some information about the technical setup and the improvements of this year’s beach polo tournament. David Flam, Marketing Director of the Maistra Group and his team organized this outstanding media event on the 17th floor of the newly acquired WESTIN HOTEL in Zagreb, providing an amazing view allover Zagreb.

POLO+10 is honoured to be again in charge of the production of the tournament magazine of the Rovinj Beach Polo Cup 2018.

Together with the press, croatian business people, sponsors and partners listened to Ivica Blazicko, a famous sport moderator in Croatia, and Uwe Zimmermann’s introduction to the four days program in June. This includes indeed some great surprises! With great pleasure they announced, that Sophie Ellis Bextor will perform on 9th of June in a private concert at the polo arena in front of the skyline of Rovin’s old town.

Several high profile celebrities are expected to visit Rovinj during the four days event. Among them Lothar Matthäus, formal captain of Germanys world champion team 1990. Each day up to 600 invited guests will be entertained by top class polo matches with players from twelve nations and 60 Argentine polo ponies.

A welcome party is scheduled for the 7th of June at the port of Rovinj. For the first time in history, „Polo by Night“ will be played under floodlight in Rovinj on 8th June, accompanied by a first class dinner. On Saturday, 9th of June, the traditional parade of polo players and horses through the streets of Rovinj will attract again thousands of spectators, who welcome the teams and ponies.

Of course, the exclusive stopping for a champagne reception in front of Hotel Adriatic is a must.

In the afternoon, three matches will be played as qualification for the final and define the two encounters, who play for the coveted trophy on Sunday’s final. But before the teams line-up for the decisive games on Sunday, 10th June, the organizers present a spectacular private concert of Sophie Ellis Bextor on Saturday night.

Sunday is seeing the final of the tournament framed by an amazing entertainment program and the award giving ceremony. In the evening players, sponsors and a selected group of invited guets is having a farewell party in the premises of the beautiful Hotel Mulini.

With it’s third edition the Rovinj Beach Polo Cup has grown into a international recognized event in the world of polo, attracting international players and guests. Croatia, Rovinj and it’s Beach Polo Tournament range among the top events in the summer of 2018. Uwe Zimmermann: „We like to thank our sponsors for their support and contribution to make this happen. Adris Group, Bentley Vienna, Franck Dubarry, Mevisto, Veuve Clicquot, La Martina, S.T. Dupont, POLO+10 Magazine and many others are contributing and helping to realize such event. We are looking forward to welcome all of you from 8th-10th June in Rovinj for the 3rd ROVINJ BEACH POLO CUP 2018.“

For more information and ticket reservation please check: www.rovinjbeachpolocup.com

1. Team
Celine Lawrence SIN
Markus Schalldach BRAZIL
Harold Hodges UK

2. Team
Frank Kirschke D
Philipp Zimmermann D/H
Agustin Kronhaus ARG

3. Team
Guillermo Steta MEX
Bruce Colley USA
Marcello Caivano ARG

4. Team
Denise Schurzmann D
Alexandra Plenk D
Santiago Schweizer ARG

5. Team
Marie-Isabel Wendeln-von Fricken D
Sunjay Kapur IND
Nicholas Sherring RSA

6. Team
Cedric Schweri CH
Uwe/Maxi Zimmermann D/H/CH
Sebastian Dawney IRE

Referee: Marc Holmes UK
Speaker: Tarquin Southwell UK

Photo: Slavko Midzor/PIXSELL

The 3. Rovinj Beach Polo Cup with six teams is coming up from June 7.-10. in Rovinj/Croatia. The international press conference for the 3rd edition of the ROVINJ BEACH POLO…

North America, Polo News

Flexjet win its first game of the USPA Gold Cup

23. March 2018

Flexjet rallied for four goals in the sixth chukker to win its first game of the USPA Gold Cup Thursday at International Polo Club Palm Beach. Flexjet (Melissa Ganzi, A, Nico Pieres, 8, Gonzalito Pieres, 9, Rodrigo Andrade, 9), tied 5-5 with Audi (Grant Ganzi, 2, Mike Azzaro, 6, Polito Pieres, 10, Nic Roldan, 8) after five chukkers, bounced back for a thrilling 9-6 victory in the battle of Grand Champions Polo Club-based pro teams. Nico Pieres : “This win is good for us. We need to win our next one to go through and if we lose, we still can have another chance in a shootout.”

In biting cold and winds gusting 10 to 15 miles per hour, the score was tied three times before. Nico Pieres opened the sixth chukker with a great goal run to give Flexjet its first lead of the game at 6-5. Flexjet never let up with another nice goal run by Andrade and second goal by Nico Pieres and won the throw-in each time. “We were saving everything for the last chukker,” Nico Pieres said with a smile. “We started playing more or less a bit better in the second half.”

10-goaler Polito Pieres, making his IPC winter season debut after arriving from Dubai on Wednesday, scored his fourth and final goal to cut the lead to two, 8-6. “I knew Polito was going to play because he arrived yesterday and told us last night he was going to play,” Nico Pieres said. “We are used to playing against family. Sometimes I play against Facu and Gonza, we are used to it.” Melissa Ganzi took possession of the ball in the final two minutes and worked the clock while going to goal to ice the win with her second score of the game between three Audi defenders.

“I am very happy with our team,” Ganzi said. “It’s always hard to play against your son. It was a really difficult day to play with the wind and cold. It was a nice win but now we have a really tough game on Sunday.” Flexjet improved to 1-1 to remain alive in bracket play in the six-team tournament. Audi dropped to 0-2.

“It was an important win, we are back again in the tournament at 1-1,” Gonzalito Pieres said. “This put us in a position that winning Sunday will put us in second place or if we lose we have a penalty shootout for fourth place. “We are trying to play good together as a team. We know the potential that we have and we have to prove it in the right games. I was missing a lot of goals in the beginning but luckily Nico, Rodrigo and Melissa had some good goals in the end. It’s how we have to play. When we have our chance, we have to take it and when things are not going well we need to be patient because we can win it in the end.” The game featured three members, brothers Gonzalito and Nico Pieres and cousin Polito Pieres, of the Ellerstina team that finished runner-up to longtime rival La Dolfina in the 124th Argentine Open last year.

USPA Polo Network is live streaming the IPC winter season, including the entire USPA Gold Cup tournament, with content from Wellington-based ChukkerTV.

www.gcpolo.com

Flexjet rallied for four goals in the sixth chukker to win its first game of the USPA Gold Cup Thursday at International Polo Club Palm Beach. Flexjet (Melissa Ganzi, A,…