It promised to be one the most competitive finals in the nine year history of the Beach Polo Cup Dubai! Yesterday evening at Skydive Dubai, Rashid Albwardy, Saoud Khoory and Maxi Malacalza, playing for the team of the title sponsor, Tonino Lamborghini Residences Dubai, finally emerged victorious, with a tight score of 7-6, against Team Hills Advertising.
Rashid’s brother Tariq and his Hills Advertising teammates, Sam Instone and Ramiro Cordero, put the pressure on their opponents and took the lead from the beginning of the match up until the third chukka, when the Tonino Lamborghini Residences pushed back and tied the match 5-all. Rashid Albwardy’s team came back strong again in the last, and they succeeded to turn the game in their favour. Maxi Malacalza was awarded Most Valuable Player of the 2018 tournament.
The match for the third place was played between Team Altaaqa Global, featuring Faris Al Yabhouni, Michael Neisr and Santiago Gomez Romero, and Team Lindt, which saw the first female player in the tournament’s history compete: Dr Sabine Schaffer. Playing alongside Jan Bladen and Tomy Iriarte, Schaffer played an exceptionally good match. In the end, Team Altaaqa Global secured third place.
Dubai Sports Council partnership
Held under the Patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council for the fourth consecutive year, the Tonino Lamborghini Residences Dubai Beach Polo Cup Dubai 2018 Presented by Oriental Pearls concludes the 2018 sporting calendar in spectacular style.
His Excellency Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council said, “Polo has been around for more than 2,500 years, but we can proudly say that the beach version of this ‘sport of kings’ was born here on the sands of Dubai and we are really proud to see this tournament turn into one of Dubai’s premier sporting events.”
Gabriela Noser-Katiela, Event & Tournament Director of the Beach Polo Cup Dubai added, “Dubai is on a mission to be the most active city in the world and we want to make our mark supporting this goal.”
Polo Commentator Jan-Erik Franck, concluded, “There is no doubt that the Beach Polo Cup Dubai ranks among the top polo events in the world. The 2018 tournament has demonstrated again, how electrifying the spirit of beach polo is and how much easier it is to watch from the grandstands than field polo on grass. With the new presenting sponsor this unique event will remain at a high standard and we are already looking forward to the 10th Jubilee edition in 2019.”
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