For six days, twelve teams competed against each other at the Fortune Heights Snow Polo World Cup in Tianjin, China, to gain one of the eight places in the quarterfinals. In zone 1 the teams from Hong Kong / China, England and Mexico qualified directly for the quarterfinals. England and Mexico both won two times and had to admit defeat once, Hong Kong / China was the only team to win all its three preliminary matches. Thereby Hong Kong / China will be the favourite team in the upcoming final matches. In the last two years the team from Asia had won the Snow Polo World Cup both times and now they have one end in mind: to manage the hat trick in 2014. Chile and Spain emerged victorious only one time in zone 1. Australia had to withdraw from the tournament after losing all its matches.
The same applies in zone 2 for South Africa (0 wins) and Canada (1 win), both are eliminated from the tournament. All other four teams – New Zealand, France, Brazil and USA – have each won two matches and thereby made it to the quarterfinals.
Mr. Ian McDuie, Snow Polo World Cup commentator and former player: “This year has been much more evenly matched than previous tournaments, with lots of close games and penalty shoot-outs. I think the countries are now realising what sort of teams they need to compete here at the Snow Polo World Cup.”
Today penalty shoot-outs were held to decide the match-ups for the next two days of quarterfinals as well as the last available place for the quarterfinals in zone 1. Spain was eliminated from the tournament by scoring two penalties to Chile’s three.
The quarterfinals schedule:
Wednesday, January 15th, 2014
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Hong Kong / China |
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USA |
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Brasilien |
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Mexiko |
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Thursday, January 16th, 2014
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Neuseeland |
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Chile |
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England |
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Frankreich |
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The semifinals take place on Saturday, January 18th. The grand final will be played on Sunday, January 19th at 1.00 pm (local time).
The Teams:
Australia (+16)
Edward Goold (+4)
Kelvin Johnson (+5)
John Baillieu (+7)
Brazil (+16)
Gustavo Garcia (+4)
Willian Rodrigues (+6)
Renato Junqueira (+6)
Canada (+15)
Brandon Phillips (+5)
Marcelo Abbiati (+5)
Todd Offen (+5)
Chile (+16)
Ignacio Vial Mazieres (+4)
Juan Eduardo Jaramillo (+6)
Matias Vial (+6)
England (+16)
Max Routledge (+5)
Jack Richardson (+5)
Max Charlton (+6)
France (+14)
Clément Delfosse (+4)
Pierre-Henri N’Gournou (+5)
Brieuc Rigaux (+5)
Hong Kong / China (+16)
Facundo Fernandez Llorente (+4)
John Fisher (+4)
Guillermo Terrera (+8)
Mexico (+16)
Julio Gracida (+5)
Valerio Aguilar (+5)
Carlos Gracida (+6)
New Zealand (+16)
Angus McKelvie (+5)
Christopher Brooks (+5)
Sam Hopkins (+6)
South Africa (+16)
Chris MacKenzie (+5)
Leroux Hendriks (+5)
Gareth Evans (+6)
Spain (+16)
Mario Gomez (+4)
Pascual Sáinz de Vicuña (+6)
Martin Ituarspe (+6)
USA (+15)
Del Walton (+3)
Pelon Escapite (+6)
Thomas Biddle Jr. (+6)
