The Cartier 23rd World Cup on Snow : 18-22 goal at St. Moritz

The four Teams who have entered - Cartier, Maybach, Brioni and Julius Baer – will battle it out for this coveted Cartier Snowpolo Trophy. A new team sponsor - Julius Baer is a private Swiss bank of tradition, endurance, teamwork, agility and experience, and these values play as important a role in the values of the Julius Baer Group as they do on the polo field. Spectators will be promised an event where the emphasis is on top athletic performance as well as elegance and glamour – all set in a spectacular location. The event is a heady mix of strength, elegance, speed, pride and that indomitable sense of sporting spirit, traditionally associated with the British. Grandstand tickets still available : +41 (0) 81 839 92 92.
Almost all eight professionals playing in the Cartier, Maybach, Brioni and Bank Julius Baer teams are in the World’s top 100. Eduardo Novillo Astrada from Argentina, the world’s number 1 (with 991 points), and compatriot Milo Fernandez Araujo, who stands at number 18 (338 points) will both be thrilling spectators at Europe’s most important winter tournament with their skills. The two 9 goal players will be joined by six other spectacular exponents of the game : two with an 8 handicap (Jaime Huidobro from Chile and Marcos Di Paola, Argentina) and four with 7-goal handicaps (David Sterling, Uruguay, Jose Donoso, Chile, Pablo Jauretche, Argentina and Jack Baillieu, Australia). All of these players occupy places between 20 and 80 in the world rankings. At the same time, four of the six amateurs appearing at St. Moritz are also up at the top of their own particular categories in a separate league. Guy Schwarzenbach (Switzerland/Australia) is currently number 6, Adriano Agosti (Switzerland) number 11 and English players Charlie Hanbury and Tony Pidgley numbers 66 and 44, respectively.
A separate ranking for those players who also appear on snow is topped by four players with 150 points. Of these, three are planning to appear in the Engadine at the end of January: Adriano Agosti, Jaime Huidobro and Jack Baillieu. The Maybach team will be led by the Swiss patron Philipp Maeder (hcp 0). In 2005 Philipp won in only his second polo year, the Swiss Open in Zurich, as well as the Arena polo tournament on snow in Kitzbuhel and he also reached the semi-final on the occasion of the Ellerstina Silver Cup in Argentina. The Argentinean Pablo Jauretche (hcp 7) and Nicolas Espain (hcp 6) will also be playing together with Philipp Maeder. The fourth player is to be confirmed.
Team Cartier :
1. Adriano Agosti (CH ) – Hcp 0
2. David Sterling (UK) – Hcp 7
3. Jose Donoso (CL) – Hcp 7
4. Jaime Huidobro (CL) – Hcp 8
Total : 22
Team Maybach :
1. Philip Maeder (CH) – Hcp 0
2. Nicolas Espain (AR) – Hcp 6
3. Pablo Jauretche (AR) – Hcp 7
4. TBA
Total :
Team Brioni :
1. Charlie Hanbury (UK) – Hcp 2
2. Eduardo Novilla Astrada (AR) – Hcp 9
3. Milo Fernandez Araujo (AR) – Hcp 9
4. Guy Schwarzenbach (CH/AU) – Hcp 1
Total: 21
Team Bank Julius Baer :
1. Tony K Pidgley (UK) – Hcp 1
2. Jack Baillieu (AU) – Hcp 7
3. Marcos Di Paola (AR) – Hcp 8
4. Andrew Hine (UK) – Hcp 6
Total : 22
Schedule of Play :
Thursday January 25th 2007 :
For the President’s Trophy : 12.30 pm - Team Maybach v Bank Julius Baer
For the Niachos Trophy : 14.00 pm - Team Cartier v Team Brioni
Friday 26th January 2007 :
For the Swiss Amterictin Airlines Trophy 11.30 am - Team Cartier v Team Bank Julius Baer
For the Strellson Trophy : 14.00 pm - Team Mayback v Team Brioni
Saturday 27th January 2007 :
For the ‘Das Magazin’ Trophy : 11.30 am - Team Brioni v Team Bank Julius Baer
For the Nespresso Trophy : 14.00 pm - Team Cartier v Team Maybach
Sunday 27th January 2007 :
The Mercedes AM Cup for 3rd and 4th place – 11.30 am
The Cartier Trophy & Final for 1st and 2nd place – 14.00 pm
Photos : from 2006 St. Moritz (courtesy of Tony Ramirez / La Bocha)