The third edition of The Gauntlet of Polo kicked off on Wednesday February 17, with the first leg, the CV Whitney Cup. The 22-goal tournament series, that also include the USPA Gold Cup and the US Open, is played at International Polo Club Palm Beach, and sees nine teams compete, split in three leagues.
Pilot, the first ever champions of the entire series, back in 2019, earned a hard fought 13-12 victory against Coca Cola, with a golden goal scored by Gonzalito Pieres in extra chukka. The match – which was also the clash of the Pieres brothers – on one side, Pilot’s Gonzalito and Facundo and on the other, Coca Cola’s Nicolás – was very balanced and very close, with both teams exchanging tight leads as well as several ties, including those in the last two periods, 10-10 and 12-12, which forced the match into extra chukka. That was when Gonzalito produced his fifth goal in the match to give Pilot their first win in the 2021 Gauntlet of Polo.
The final is scheduled on Sunday March 7.
The Gauntlet of Polo is streamed live on GLOBAL POLO.
PILOT: Curtis Pilot 0, Keko Magrini 2 (1 goal), Gonzalito Pieres 10 (5), Facundo Pieres 10 /7). Total: 22.
COCA COLA: Gillian Johnston 1 (1 goal), Mackenzie Weisz 4 (1), Nicolás Pieres 9 (5), Julián de Lusarreta 8 (3). Total: 22
Score Pilot: 1-2, 3-3, 5-5, 8-7, 10-10- 12-12, 13-12.
The CV Whitney Cup will resume on Thursday February 18, with the following order of play:
11am: Cessna vs. Scone
3pm: Park Place vs. La Indiana.
IMAGES by AGUSTINA FONDA