Tianjin, China, 20th July 2014 - Metropolitan Intervarsity Polo 2014 – The Cambridge Challenge came to a grand finale today at Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club, revealing this year’s champions.
Following the success of last year’s tournament, teams returning to compete in this year’s event included the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, Harvard University and Yale University. This year also saw the inclusion of two impressive newcomers to the tournament, the University of London and Stanford University.
At last year’s event, following a nail-biting final battle with Harvard, the University of Cambridge managed to scoop the final prize. This year, anticipation is high to see whether they will be able to secure their title for another year.
The annual event attracts large groups of university alumni, many of whom have flown in from their home countries to support their alma maters in Tianjin. The sidelines are also frequented by VIP guests, international polo experts and media, who are able to enjoy the games in the luxury setting of the Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club.
The tournament, which is now in its second year, is not only a means of presenting some of the impressive upcoming polo talents, but also a thoroughly enjoyable way to promote the game of polo among today’s young Chinese. The Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club hopes to encourage more interest and enthusiasm for the historical sport, and present more unique opportunities for academic, cultural and social exchanges among representatives from universities, as well as local students and parents.
For centuries, polo has been known as the “Game of Kings”. Now, Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club is making this aspirational lifestyle accessible to China’s youth, enabling young people to find passion in a sport that encourages teamwork, responsibility and, above all, fun.
The first four days of the tournament saw some passionate play from all teams, showcasing the unique skills, the athleticism and elegance at the heart of the glorious game of polo. On day five, the pressure was on to see who will be named the final victor.
It was decision time for these six elite teams in sunny Tianjin on the final day of this year’s thrilling tournament. Things started off with the fifth and sixth place match, presenting Yale with their last opportunity to win a match as they challenged Stanford. Stanford defeated Yale 5–3.5 the previous day, while giving Yale 2.5 points due to the handicap difference, which they repeated today. Stanford made the first strike, with a goal from Eric Birdsall, making the score 2.5–1 to Yale. The second chukka opened with a goal from John Cook, followed by a beautiful neck shot from Erich Schloss, giving the Stanford team a 3-2.5 lead. But they didn’t hold on to that lead for long, as Yale quickly turned things around with a goal by Arthur Sonnenfeld, who knocked it through the posts. Another quick goal from Chelsea Messinger and the first half was over, with Yale on top for the first time in the tournament, with a 4.5–3 lead. Yale continued their drive on Stanford with two more goals from Arthur, one of them a penalty. As things started to look as though Yale would run away with the match, Stanford were able to score once more before the end of the third chukka at the hands of Eric. The third chukka ended with Yale still leading, 6.5–4. The fourth chukka showed great determination from both teams. Cyrus Shahabi was able to score for Yale after a drive up the field from Arthur, stretching out Yale’s lead. Stanford managed to score one last time before the match ended, but it was too late, as Yale secured its first win of the tournament with a 7.5-5 victory.
The subsidiary final hosted Harvard and Oxford. In yesterday’s match, Harvard defeated Oxford in great form, managing a spectacular comeback in the second half of the match, outscoring Oxford 4-1 to win the match 6-5. Fighting for the third place today, Oxford made a strong start, scoring first in the match with a goal from Tomas Reynal, finishing a shot taken by Elli Gilje. Another shot scored by Jerome Kamm was quickly answered by a drive and goal from Harvard’s Johann Colloredo-Mansfeld, ending the chukka with Oxford in the lead, 4-1. In the second chukka, Neil Purdy took a beautiful shot, sending the ball under the belly of his horse and through the posts. Oxford scored twice in this quarter and took a 6-2 lead to end the first half. The second half started out with a free hit from Johann, who was unable to convert it to a point. At the other end of the field, Tomas managed to take it to the Harvard defense, scoring for the Oxford team. Johann answered, as he patiently moved the ball down the field to find the centre of the posts with a big shot for another Harvard goal. Both teams displayed some aggressive play, but were unable to score in the rest of the third chukka, leaving the score 7-3 to Oxford. In the fourth, Johann was able to power through the tough Oxford defense to close the lead to three. Immediately after, Tomas Reynal broke away for an easy score, bringing their lead back up to four. Another big goal from Lawrence Wang gave Oxford a five-point lead in the back end of the fourth chukka. Thomas Waite scored one more for Harvard, hoping to spark another comeback, but Harvard did not have it in them today, leaving Oxford to take their revenge and win the match 9-5.
The championship game of the tournament presented a fierce line-up from Cambridge, with a 0.5-point handicap, up against the London team. On the previous day, London defeated Cambridge, giving them a confidence boost to start the fifth and final day. The final match of the tournament opened with strong defense shown from both teams, preventing any opportunity of changing the scoreboard. Charles Scott, presented with an opportunity to score, did so with a high shot that made its way through the posts for the first goal of the match. The quarter ended with London in the lead, 1-0.5. Cambridge took control in the beginning of the second chukka with a drive from Sam Browne all the way to the front of the goal, which was eventually knocked in by Cambridge’s Angad Singh. Charles managed to break out of the group of players with the ball and drive it through the posts for another London goal. The second chukka ended 2.-1.5 to London. In the third chukka, Charles worked his way toward the goal, wound up, and ripped it through the posts for another London point. Charles found another opportunity to score a penalty, and did so, giving London a two and a half-point lead. Charles was on fire as he went on to score one more for London off of a penalty that was almost denied by the mallet of Sam Browne. Arthur Cole-Fontayn knocked one through the posts off an assist from Charles Scott. The third chukka ended 6-1.5, with London in the lead. In the fourth chukka, the Cambridge squad made a valiant effort, with Sam Browne scoring two for Cambridge, hoping to make a comeback against the London team. Missing a few golden opportunities late in the fourth, the Cambridge team fought hard till the final horn sounded, but could not change their fate, having to pass the championship crown of the Metropolitan Intervarsity Polo Tournament to the University of London.
At the closing ceremony all the teams were suitably celebrated for competing in the 2014 Metropolitan Intervarsity Polo Tournament. The outcome of the day’s matches left London as the new Metropolitan Intervarsity Polo Champions, after defeating last year’s champs, Cambridge, who, this year, earned second place. Oxford took third place after defeating Harvard, who ended the tournament in the fourth place. Yale, with their first win in the tournament, claimed the fifth place after defeating Stanford, who ended in the sixth place. The “Most Valuable Player” award of the tournament went to London’s Charles Scott, after a marvelous performance, scoring 13 goals in 3 matches, following a late arrival to the tournament, missing London’s first match against Yale. “Best Pony” of the tournament went to Scott’s pony, Beetle. Charles gave Beetle high praise and credit for London’s comeback against Cambridge on the fourth day of play, when he scored four points in the fourth chukka to take the win. The award for “Most Improved Player” went to Lawrence Wang from Oxford University.
When asked about his experience during the tournament, Charles Scott gave thanks and praise to Mr. Pan Sutong, Chairman of Goldin Group and Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club for organising such an amazing tournament. “It was really well organised, the pitch was amazing, the horses were lovely, and staying at the hotel was a great experience; everything ran very smoothly, and I would like to thank everyone involved in the tournament,” he said.
The full results:
Sunday, 13 July 2014
Result:
London vs Yale
10 – 7.5
Stanford vs Harvard
4 – 11
Wednesday, 16 July 2014
Result:
Oxford vs Cambridge
2.5 – 6
London vs Harvard
9 – 4
Thursday, 17 July 2014
Results:
Cambridge vs Stanford
17 – 5.5
Oxford vs Yale
10 – 1
Saturday, 19 July 2014
Results:
Oxford vs Harvard
5 – 6
Stanford vs Yale
5 – 3.5
Cambridge vs London
5 – 7
Sunday, 20 July 2014
Results:
Stanford vs Yale
5 – 7.5
Harvard vs Oxford
5 – 9
Cambridge vs London
3.5 – 6
ORGANISERS
Tianjin Polo Association
Hong Kong Polo Development and Promotion Federation
Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club
TEAMS
Cambridge University Polo Club
The University of London Polo Club
Oxford University Polo Club
Harvard Polo Club
Stanford Polo Club
Yale University Polo Club
OFFICIAL JERSEY SUPPLIER
La Martina
OFFICIAL GLOBAL MEDIA PARTNER
E
Questrio
About Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club
Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club currently features three standard-size polo fields, stabling over 200 horses, all-weather training facilities, a riding school and a luxurious Club House and a 167-room resort-style hotel. The state-of-the-art equestrian facilities are used and maintained by professionals from all over the world.
Apart from being the host venue of the 2012, 2013 and 2014 FIP Fortune Heights Snow Polo World Cup, major international fixtures on the Club’s annual calendar include various spring and autumn tournaments and matches for different levels of play from youth to professional.
Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club was opened in November 2010 as the sporting and social flagship of “Goldin Metropolitan”, a mega-development by Hong Kong-listed developer Goldin Properties Holdings Limited comprising three zones: a Central Business District, home to the 117-storey Goldin Finance 117; the 898,000 square metres’ (222-acre) Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club and Fortune Heights, a low-density luxury residence.
For more information or high-resolution images, please contact:
Fiona Gu
Assistant Manager, Marketing and Communications
Office: +86 022 8372 8888 ext. 7902
Mobile: +86 138 2053 3909
Email:fionagu@metropolitanpoloclub.com
Susie Yang
Marketing & Communication Assistant
Office: +86 022 8372 8888 ext. 7912
Mobile: +86 138 2116 4102
Email:susieyang@metropolitanpoloclub.com
The successful completion of Metropolitan Intervarsity Polo 2014
Stanford (in red) compete against Yale (in white)
at the Metropolitan Intervarsity Polo 2014 on the final day
Stanford (in red) compete against Yale (in white)
at the Metropolitan Intervarsity Polo 2014 on the final day
An adrenaline-charged match between Harvard (in burgundy) and Oxford (in dark blue)
at the Metropolitan Intervarsity Polo 2014 subsidiary final
An adrenaline-charged match between Harvard (in burgundy) and Oxford (in dark blue)
at the Metropolitan Intervarsity Polo 2014 subsidiary final
An adrenaline-charged match between Harvard (in burgundy) and Oxford (in dark blue)
at the Metropolitan Intervarsity Polo 2014 subsidiary final
A tough fight for the Championship between London (in red and white)
and Cambridge (in light blue) at the Metropolitan Intervarsity Polo 2014 on the final day
A tough fight for the Championship between London (in red and white)
and Cambridge (in light blue) at the Metropolitan Intervarsity Polo 2014 on the final day
A tough fight for the Championship between London (in red and white)
and Cambridge (in light blue) at the Metropolitan Intervarsity Polo 2014 on the final day