The 34th edition of the legendary Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz, which will be held from the 26th to the 28th of January 2018, comes up with a novelty: for the first time, two women will be captaining a team. Another first is Azerbaijan, the homeland of polo sports, as patron to one of the competing teams. The teams will again include a selection of world-class players. The interest from sponsors, partners and VIP guests is stronger than ever. Already, all of the team sponsors, the global lead partner and trophy sponsors have renewed their commitments; also, new partners have come on board.
The Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz 2018 is, once again, set to be a top event with spectacular polo being played and a first-rate social programme. Four international, top-flight teams will be competing for the coveted Cartier Trophy against the backdrop of the magnificent mountains of the Engadine. Melissa Ganzi, USA, will be captaining the Team Badrutt’s Palace Hotel; she has played in St. Moritz on several occasions and is very experienced at playing on snow. The Russian Zhanna Bandurko will be giving her debut on the frozen Lake St. Moritz as captain of Team Maserati.
The Italian Rommy Gianni, winner of the previous two tournaments, will, yet again, be playing for Team Cartier. Azerbaijan, who, in January 2017, had come to St. Moritz as the host country, will now be fielding a team around the talented young team captain Elchin Jamalli. Not wanting to miss out on the opportunity to compete in the world’s only high-goal tournament on snow, notable world-class players will be joining the teams. “We are proud to be able to stage another top-rate event next year, presenting both social and sporting highlights to our guests and spectators,” says the organizer Reto Gaudenzi. “We owe this to our loyal sponsors, partners, and players, and their continued trust in us. On top of that, we are pleased to have won new backers, and, another first, to be able to count on the support of all five-star hotels in St. Moritz.” The tournament, created in 1985 as the world’s first snow polo tournament, is held on the frozen Lake St. Moritz every January on the last weekend. Access to watch the games has been free to the public from the outset, and this will continue to be so. A limited number of VIP and Chukker Club tickets can be purchased in advance through www.snowpolo- stmoritz.com/tickets.
Photo @Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz
