The semifinals for both the main trophy and the subsidiary of the 79° Tortugas Country Club Open have been set after the two remaining games were played in Pilar, on Thursday.
Cría Yatay and La Dolfina Polo Ranch resumed the match that had been postponed on Tuesday. After six chukkas, Cria Yatay ran out the winners. The 13-11 win secured their place in the tournament semifinals. This is the first time the team has qualified for the semifinals of a Triple Crown competition.
Following the first match, title holders La Dolfina defeated La Albertina Abu Dhabi by 15 goals to 8.
Tortugas Open – Thursday highlights:
-Pablo Mac Donough, who shares a record of 11 titles in Tortugas with no less than the legendary Alberto Pedro Heguy, made his debut in the tournament.
-Juan Britos completed his first match as the brand new member of La Dolfina Polo Ranch.
-Joaquín Pittaluga’s celebrated Cria Yatay’s win on his 34 birthday.
-It was an unforgettable day for Camilo Castagnola. The 16-year-old rising star, made his debut in the Argentine Triple Crown, when he replaced his uncle, Adolfo Cambiaso, at the start of the seventh chukka. Later on, he claimed the High-Goal Metro Tournament with La Natividad.
-Agustín Merlos, the top scorer in the history of the Argentine Open, a record he maintains since 2006 when he scored 18 goals against Indios Chapaleufu II, is back playing the Triple Crown. The last time he played the prestigious polo tournament was in 2016, with El Paraíso.
CRÍA YATAY 13-11 LA DOLFINA POLO RANCH
Cría Yatay: Lerín Zubiaurre 8 (3 goals), Magoo Laprida 8 (1), Joaquín Pittaluga 8 (4 penalties), Iñaki Laprida 8 (5). Total: 32.
La Dolfina Polo Ranch: Guillermo Terrera 8 (3 goals), Juan Britos 8 (5), Diego Cavanagh 8 (3, 1 penalty), Jejo Taranco 8. Total: 32.
Score Cría Yatay: 2-1, 6-1, 9-3, 10-5, 11-6, 12-9, 13-11.
Umpires: Guillermo Villanueva & José I. Araya.
Third man: Gonzalo López Vargas.
LA DOLFINA 15-8 LA ALBERTINA ABU DHABI
La Dolfina: Adolfo Cambiaso 10 (3 goals, 2 penalties) (Injured, replaced by Camilo Castagnola 6 at the start of the seventh chukka), Pelon Stirling 10 (3), Pablo Mac Donough 10 (7, 2 penalties), Juan Martín Nero 10 (2, 1 penalty). Total: 40.
La Albertina Abu Dhabi: Tincho Merlos 8 (2 goals), Fran Elizalde 8 (2), Cubi Toccalino 8 (2), Alfredo Cappella Barabucci 8 (2 penalties). Total: 32.
Score La Dolfina: 3-1, 8-2, 10-2, 12-4, 13-6, 15-7, 15-8.
Umpires: Martín Pascual & Rafael Silva. Third man: Federico Martelli.
Weather permitting, the Tortugas Open will continue as follows (venues TBC):
Sunday, October 13:
4pm, Semifinal Open: Ellerstina vs. Las Monjitas
1pm, Semifinal Subsidiary: La Aguada vs. La Ensenada
Monday, October 14:
4pm, Semifinal Open: La Dolfina vs. Cría Yatay
1pm, Semifinal Subsidiary: La Dolfina Polo Ranch vs. La Albertina Abu Dhabi
TORTUGAS OPEN: Fixture & Teams
IMAGES:
