The road to the championship match of the 82nd. Tortugas Open, the first leg of the prestigious Triple Crown in Argentina and the most coveted polo trophy worldwide, is due to start on Saturday October 1, at Tortugas Country Club. The same weekend will see the semifinals of the of the Subsidiary Sarmiento Cup, as well. The 82° Tortugas Open sees eight teams between 29 and 39 goals, in participation.
There’s a lot of expectation for the semifinal due on Saturday, the first for the Emilio de Anchorena Cup, with the upcoming clash of the two powerful Cañuelas-based lineups, La Natividad and La Dolfina Saudi, which is also a familiar affair – the Castagnola brothers, Barto and Jeta going head-to-head against their uncle Adolfo Cambiaso and their cousin Poroto. It’s is likely a rematch of the final of the 2021 Argentine Open, as well, that memorable match that saw the green jerseys lift the object of desire to every polo player, the massive cup at Palermo. Both La Natividad and La Dolfina were victorious on their their quarter final matches of the Tortugas Open, against La Irenita Clinova and La Ensenada RS Murus Sanctus, respectively, by heavy scores.
Meanwhile, title holders, Ellerstina and Cria La Dolfina will battle for the second spot in the championship match on Sunday October 2. Ellerstina, who overwhelmed La Irenita G-Squared in their quarter final contest, is playing with their complete lineup, after they weren’t unable to make it in 2021, due to Hilario Ulloa’s and Nicolás Pieres’ injuries. Cria La Dolfina made a successful debut in the Triple Crown, after a win against La Irenita Grand Champions, in a very balanced match which they firecely decided in the last two chukkas, through the remarkable performances of Diego Cavanagh and Tomás Panelo.
Prior to the Emilio de Anchorena Cup semifinals, the semifinals of the Subsidiary Sarmiento Cup will take place on the weekend, too. La Irenita Clinova and La Ensenada RS Murus Sanctus are due to play on Saturday, while Sunday will see the clash of of two of the three teams the MacDonough family’s organisation brought to the Triple Crown, La Irenita GSquared vs. La Irenita Grand Champions.
82° TORTUGAS OPEN – SEMIFINALS
SATURDAY OCTOBER 1:
1,30pm, Semifinal Subsidiary Sarmiento Cup:Â La Irenita Clinova vs. La Ensenada RS Murus Sanctus
La Irenita Clinova: Facundo Fernández Llorente 8, Tomás Fernández Llorente Jr 7, Bautista Bayugar 8, Isidro Strada 8. Total: 31.
La Ensenada RS Murus Sanctus: Facundo Sola 8, Alfredo Bigatti 9, Guillermo Caset 9, Jerónimo del Carril 8. Total: 34.
Umpires: Federico Martelli & José I. Araya.                 Third man: Hernán Tasso.
4pm, Semifinal Emilio de Anchorena Cup: La Natividad vs. La Dolfina Saudi
La Natividad: Camilo Castagnola 10, Pablo Pieres 10, Bartolomé Castagnola Jr 10, Ignatius du Plessis 9. Total: 39.
La Dolfina Saudi:Â Adolfo Cambiaso 10, David Stirling 10, Adolfo Cambiaso Jr. 9, Juan MartÃn Nero 10. Total: 39.
Umpires: Guillermo Villanueva & y MartÃn Pascual.         Third man: Rafael Silva.
SUNDAY OCTOBER 2
1,30pm, Semifinal Subsidiary Sarmiento Cup:Â La Irenita GSquared vs. La Irenita Grand Champions
La Irenita Gsquared: Santiago Loza 8, Segundo Bocchino 7, MartÃn Podestá 7, Felipe Dabas 7. Total: 29.
La Irenita Grand Champions:Â Juan Britos 9, Francisco Elizalde 9, Pablo Mac Donough 10, Juan MartÃn ZubÃa 8. Total: 36.
Umpires: Gonzalo López Vargas & Rafael Silva.              Third man: Hernán Tasso.
4pm, Semifinal Emilio de Anchorena Cup:Â Ellerstina vs. CrÃa La Dolfina
Ellerstina: Facundo Pieres 10, Hilario Ulloa 9, Gonzalo Pieres Jr., Nicolás Pieres 10. Total: 38.
CrÃa La Dolfina: Rufino Bensadón 8*, Tomás Panelo 8,, Diego Cavanagh 8, Alejo Taranco 8. Total: 32.
*Subs in for Guillermo Terrera, due to an injury on a shoulder.
Umpires: Gastón Lucero & José I. Araya.                    Third man: Guillermo Villanueva.
The final of the Tortugas Open is set to be played on Saturday October 8. Â