The women‘s version of the Argentine Open will kick off next Wednesday at the Argentine Polo Association (AAP) grounds in Pilar. Only four teams will compete, as players with high handicaps – of which there are fewer than in the men‘s game, even with women-specific handicaps – are quickly ‘absorbed’ by the best teams. This makes it difficult for other teams to put together competitive line-ups. Argentina is not the only team to dominate in this regard, as seven of their sixteen players (44%) are foreigners.
Among the international stars is Hope Arellano, the number 1 in the US world rankings, whose talent the audience was able to admire in a memorable match between the USA and France in Chantilly last August. Elena Venot, who also took part in that historic game, will also represent French polo in this women‘s open.
It is expected that the title defenders El Overo and La Dolfina, the team of Adolfo Cambiaso‘s daughter Mia, will meet in the final. Millie Hine, who won the Open de France féminin in September, could thus face last year‘s opponent Lía Salvo, who is part of the La Dolfina team. A double revenge could be in store.
The teams:
El Overo Z7 UAE: Hope Arellano (10, USA), Hazel Jackson (9, GBR), Candelaria Fernández Araujo (9, ARG) and Millie Hine (8, AUS). Total handicap: 36
La Dolfina: Mia Cambiaso (8, ARG), Catalina Lavinia (8, ARG), Nina Clarkin (9, GBR) and Lía Salvo (9, ARG). Total handicap: 34
La Hache Thai Polo: Clara Cassino (8, ARG), Milagros Fernández Araujo (7, ARG), Maitena Marré (7, ARG) and Azucena Uranga (6, ARG). Total handicap: 28
Chapa Uno Finca La Rosina: Isabelle Parsons (9, GBR), Elena Venot (7, FRA), Sol López Llames (7, ARG) and Annabel McNaught-Davis (4, GBR). Total handicap: 27
Text by Pascal Renauldon/R&B Presse
