50 days before the start of the Snow Polo World Cup 2015, St. Moritz is paying tribute to its polo players with the opening of the «Polo Bar»; the new bar was opened in the restaurant Cascade in the presence of all active and former polo players from the Engadin Valley. «The Cascade is like a good polo tournament: it has always been a place where locals and visitors met,» enthused Reto Gaudenzi, the tournament’s organiser. «At Reto Mathis’, a good meal and a good party are guaranteed—there is no better place for polo aficionados to meet all year round.»
The 31st snow polo tournament on the lake of St. Moritz promises to be outstanding not just as a social occasion but also in sporting terms: 8 of 16 players have a handicap of 6 or higher; the team handicaps range from 14 to 16. The tournament will be opened by the previous year’s winner Jonathan Munro Ford (0/AUS) and his Team Cartier (team handicap 16) on Friday 30 January. He is aiming for the hat-trick. Having won the tournaments in 2013 and 2014, he is looking to score the third win in a row with his former team colleagues Max Charlton (7/GBR) and Chris Hyde (6/GBR) as well as new teammate Jamie Morrison (3/GBR).
In their first match, they will be facing Team Trois Pommes (team handicap 14) lead by Thomas «Tutti» Wolfensberger (1/SUI). The other players on the team are Cédric Schweri (0/SUI), Pepe Riglos (6/ARG) and tournament old-timer Piki Diaz Alberdi (7/ARG). In Friday’s second match, Team BMW (team handicap 15)—with Rommy Gianni (1/ITA), Paolo Netzsch (1/GER), Dario Musso (7/ARG), and Lucas Labat (6/ARG)—will be playing Team Badrutt’s Palace Hotel (team handicap 16)—with Richard Fagan (1/IRL), Max Hutchinson (3/GBR), Richard Le Poer Beresford (6/GBR), and James Harper (6/GBR).
In Saturday’s Etihad Cup at 12 noon, Team Badrutt’s Palace Hotel will face Team Cartier. At 2:15 PM, Team Trois Pommes and Team BMW will be battling it out for the Kempinski Trophy. The small final for 3rd place and the La Martina Cup will take place on Sunday at 12 noon, and at 2:15 PM, in the Finals, the teams will be competing for the legendary Cartier Trophy, the most coveted trophy in snow polo.
The Snow Polo Night at the Badrutt’s Palace Hotel will take centre stage on Saturday night, with a fashion show by Trois Pommes and the Snow Polo Gala at the Embassy Club that is already sold out. The Pepe Lienhard Big Band and two surprise musical acts from the US are among those performing.
At the same time as presenting the teams and the programme, the organisers have also launched their new website www.snowpolo-stmoritz.com. The website, built in a responsive design for mobile devices, will provide detailed information ahead of the Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz and cover the event itself.
Notice to the members of the press: online accreditation is open
You may sign up for accreditation to the Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz 2015 as of now at www.snowpolo-stmoritz.com/media.