Women’s polo teams from Argentina, Brazil, the United States, Ireland, Italy and the United Kingdom, for the first time, will decide who plays the best polo in the world.
A milestone in polo will be marked this April 9, 2022, when the first women’s world championship will begin under the tutelage of the International Polo Federation. The tournament will take place from April 9-16 on Argentinian polo fields and will feature six teams: Argentina, Brazil, Ireland, Italy, United Kingdom and the United States.
Two groups of three teams will play against each other, then the first from each zone will face a semifinal with the second from the other to play in the final.
Delfín Uranga, president of the Asociación de Argentina de Polo (AAP), explained the event. “During the week of the women›s polo world championship, the idea is that the Argentinian field of Palermo will be a place for women. Many women who pioneered their sports or activities, such as Gabriela Sabatini, Luciana Aymar and Paula Pareto, will be invited to the tournament. The gastronomic (experience) will be led by (chef) Narda Lepes and will feature bartender Inés De Los Santos.”
On the level of female Argentine polo players, Uranga commented, “Argentine polo is growing (quickly). There are other nations, such as the United Kingdom or the United States, that are older in terms of what is women’s polo; we (in Argentina) are newer, but we are growing a lot.”
“There are good tournaments, and many more girls are… participating in the sport. Unlike men’s polo, women’s polo is still played in a more amateur way, it’s not so many clubs (yet), but girls who get together to play. Teams are assembled according to the level of the participants.”
The players have two different handicaps: the global handicap where they compete with men and a separate handicap that is only for women.
Team Argentina: Paulina Vasquetto 1, Agustina Imaz 4, Azucena Uranga 5 and Fatima Balzano 6. Total: 16
Team United States: Audry Persano 5, Erica Gandomcar-Sachs 5, Lilian Laqurica 3 and Jenna Davis 3. Total: 16
Team United Kingdom: Fran Towsend 1, Milly Hughes 3, Heloise Wilson Smith 6 and Emma Tomlinson 6. Total: 16
Team Ireland: Caroline Keeling 1, Siobhan Herbst 4, April Kent 4 and Inés Lalor 7. Total: 15
Team Brazil: Eduarda Vilela Rosa Engler 3, Ana Claudia Marinho 3, Alice Hopp Meireles 3 and Lucia Junqueira Du Plessis 3. Total: 12
Team Italy: Ginevra Camila Visconti 1, Alice Coria 3, Maria Vittoria Marchiorello 3 and Camila Rossi 5. Total: 12