The Snow Polo World Cup in St. Moritz
Adapted from an article in The Rake by Ryan Thompson. Photos and video by Rian Davidson.
For anyone not familiar with life in the Alps, the idea of ponies charging about upon a frozen lake some 1,822m above sea level, mounted by players swinging mallets in rapid arcs of competitive intent, might seem rather preposterous. Throw into the mix an Azerbaijani dancing troupe and you could be forgiven for thinking the -20 degree air had prompted your brain to take leave of its cognitive duties. But your eyes, and those of 18,000 other spectators, would not be deceiving you. What you are witnessing is the Snow Polo World Cup, first played in St. Moritz in 1985, and on the last weekend of January ever after. This year's tournament was blessed with glorious alpine sunshine for all but the final game between Badrutt's Palace and Maserati, the former coming out on top, with Melissa Ganzi, Badrutt’s Team Captain, making history as the first female player to win the tournament.
Alps & Meters took to the frozen Lake St. Moritz with The Rake, kicking things off with a Friday night cocktail hour at the world-famous Badrutt’s Palace hotel following the action of day one.
It truly was the ultimate see-and-be-seen event, complete with world-class polo talent, unlimited champagne and caviar and an après scene that rivals anywhere in the world, and our cameras were there to capture the spectacle.
