Nairobi and John Smith Ayala claimed respective victories in the semifinals off the medium goal 50th Anniversary Gold Cup at Ayala Polo Club to qualify for the final, set to be played on Friday August 27. Both winners claimed the El Corte Inglés Cup. The high goal semifinals are due to be played on Wednesday. The 50th Anniversary Gold Cup marks the third stage of the 50th Anniversary Torneo Internacional de Polo by La Reserva Club de Sotogrande.

First up at Ayala, Nairobi defeated Cibao La Pampa – a team who had yet to lose a match – by 10 goals to 9 to earned the first spot in the medium goal final. Nairobi got off to a powerful start, taking wide advantages in the first fourth chukkas and leaving Cibao La Pampa in their wake. The second semifinal took place on ground 1; John Smith Ayala, recent winners of the Silver Cup, took an impressive 17-11 win over ATL Marine & Energy. Nairobi and John Smith Ayala will play for the title in Friday’s final.

The 50th. Anniversary Gold Cup resumes on Wednesday, August 25, with the high goal semifinals at Santa María Polo Club. Ayala will take on BP Polo, while Marqués de Riscal will play BN Polo.

Sotogrande’s 50th Anniversary tournament is being played at Ayala Polo Club, Santa María Polo Club, and Dos Lunas Polo & Dressage. The tournament sees twelve teams, split into two categories, compete. The high goal is for 18-20 goal teams, while the medium goal is for 12-14 goal teams.

BOTH THE HIGH GOAL 50th ANNIVERSARY TORNEO INTERNACIONAL DE POLO BY LA RESERVA CLUB DE SOTOGRANDE AND THE MEDIUM GOAL SEMIFINALS AND FINAL WILL BE STREAMED LIVE ON POLOLINE TV HERE. 

SUMMARY – MEDIUM GOAL 50TH ANNIVERSARY GOLD CUP SEMIFINALS:

NAIROBI 10-9 CIBAO LA PAMPA

NAIROBI: Grace Cariss 0, Hernan Pieres 3, Santiago Schweitzer 5, Juan Zubiaurre 6. Total: 14.

CIBAO LA PAMPA: Juan Pepa 1, Patricio Neves 4, Patricio Cieza 6, Jorge Pepa 3. Total: 14.

JOHN SMITH AYALA 17-11 ATL MARINE & ENERGY

JOHN SMITH AYALA: Gabriel Aguirre 0, Gregorio Gelosi 4, Alejandro Muzzio 8, Nicolás Álvarez 2. Total: 14.

ATL MARINE & ENERGY: Jan Niclas Johansson 0, Justo de Dominicis 0, Pablo Llorente 6, Agustin Garcia Grossi 7. Total: 14.

The 50th Anniversary Gold Cup continues on Wednesday, August 25, with the high goal semifinals:

17:00hs, ground 2, Santa María Polo Club: BP Polo vs Ayala (Semifinal #1)

18:30hs, ground 3, Santa María Polo Club: BN Polo vs Marqués de Riscal (Semifinal #2) 

THE 50th ANNIVERSARY GOLD CUP (HIGH GOAL): Fixture & Teams

THE 5oth ANNIVERSARY GOLD CUP (MEDIUM GOAL): Fixture & Teams

PHOTO CREDIT: MATÍAS CALLEJO.