Snow polo returns to downtown Aspen.
It’s 1,767 miles from Wellington to Aspen, Colorado- as the crow flies—that seemed to have little effect on the fire power that will take the field for the 2013 Piaget World Snow Polo Championship that will take place on December 19th and 20th in the western ski town.
Marc Ganzi’s Audi team will take the field once again this winter at the International Polo Club in Wellington, Florida, but under the patronage of his fledgling Aspen Valley Polo Club, he has managed to attract three of polo’s biggest names in 10-goalers Facundo Pieres and Gonzalito Pieres and everyone’s favorite, 6-goaler Nacho Figueras.
Facundo Pieres went on a run after winning the United States Open Championship for the second time this spring; playing on winning teams in the Queens Cup and British Open as well as Spain’s Gold and Silver Cups. One of only six 10-goal players in the world, Facundo was the number one ranked player in the game until last weekend when Adolfo Cambiaso’s La Dolfina team won the Argentine Open, propelling Cambiaso past Facundo into first place.
Facundo Pieres will be playing in his last tournament in aspen before returning to Florida where he will compete in the 20-goal competition with Steve Van Andel’s Orchard Hill team. Facundo will join George Rawlings and his Crab Orchard team for the 26-goal tournaments.
Gonzalito Pieres has been a mainstay of the Audi team, capturing the C. V. Whitney and the U. S. Open with them in 2009 and the USPA Piaget Gold Cup in 2011. Gonzalito will be joining Rodrigo Andrade on Jeff Hildebrand’s Tonkawa team in the 20-goal before returning to Audi again for the 26-goal competition.
Nacho Figueras might not carry a 10-goal handicap on the field but he s assuredly the most popular and most recognized player in the world. For years Nacho was a regular on the Black Watch team at IPC, but in recent years has lent his name and presence to promote the game around the world. A friend of Prince Harry, the Argentine polo player and Ralph Lauren model was appointed Sentebale Ambassador. Nacho also serves as St. Regis Connoisseur, and will be captaining the St. Regis polo team in the snow polo tournament.
Gonzalito Pieres will lead the Audi team onto Aspen’s Wagner Park, in the center of the ski resort while brother Facundo will be in charge of the Piaget entry.
Marc Ganzi and his wife Melissa Ganzi, also an IPC regular will also be competing.