Bautista Bello (5), Felipe Bargallo (5), Ignacio Bello (4), Matias Pistone (3), Nicolas Lambias (2) and Carlos Ortelao (2) are the six Argentinian polo players who will face off at I Arena Svetovna polo cup. The ecumenical event takes place at La Carona Polo Club in the Capilla del Señor (Exaltación de la Cruz party) and is jointly organized by the Argentine Polo Association (AAP) and the International Polo Federation (FIP). Admission will be free and open, and you can follow the action online at espnpolo.com.
The draw for the competition took place this Thursday, with the Argentina national team’s opponents in Zone A being the USA and France, while the other group will be bolstered by Austria, Morocco and Uruguay. They are teams with a handicap of 10 to 12 goals with players from -1 to 4 goals (grass handicap), to which value is added 1 goal for the tournament. How to play? “The field is smaller; play three against three; there are no boards, there are walls; bowls are balls and never go out of play; it is faster, more dynamic,” AAP emphasized on its social networks. The pitch is 100 meters by 50 meters, the sideboards are 1.65 meters high and have a 40° slope to avoid shots, and the playing field surface is dug sand, with a drainage system allowing play in all weather conditions, says Argentina Polo Day, host of the tournament.
As “important rules” for this World Cup, each match will be played in four 4.30 minute clockers, plus 30 seconds after the first bell; matches will be by advantage, which will be one goal for each handicap goal difference; if there is a tie at the end of regular time, the game will be decided by penalty kicks; the sides will not change after each goal, but will be done at the beginning of each chukker; when a goal is scored, the referee will indicate it by raising his hand and play will not stop; after each goal, the defending team will have the next play and the attacker must be ten yards away; there will be four penalties: Penalty 1 (goal + 25 yard penalty), 15 yards (without defense), 25 yards (with goal line defender) and half field.
“Together with the Argentine Polo Association, we were somewhat responsible for putting Argentina as a leader in this discipline, which was more advanced in Europe and the United States,” explains Ruben Jabib, owner of La Carona Polo Club, as quoted by the Deputy Secretary on tourism, from the province.
The first date will be played on Monday: from 14:30 Argentina vs. Austria; at 16, United States v. Uruguay; and at 5:30 p.m. France vs. Morocco. The next day – sometimes it will be confirmed – the United States will face. Morocco, France vs. Austria and Argentina vs. Uruguay; while the third day – Wednesday 3 – will be the United States vs. Austria, France vs. Uruguay and Argentina Vs. Morocco.
Each win will award three points to the winner and none to the loser, while a draw will award one point to each team and an additional point to the team that wins on penalties. Once the three qualifying dates have been contested, a single standings table will be formed with the six teams and, after a rest day – on Thursday -, on Friday the 5th, the semi-finals will take place: first vs fourth and second vs third, in addition to match between fifth and sixth. Saturday will be the turn of the definitions. (DIB) GML
