The Polo Life, LLC has announced the launching of the ninth annual La Martina Miami Beach Polo World Cup, the world’s largest beach polo competition, taking place from April 25 to 28 between 20th and 22nd Streets on the sands of South Beach, Florida.
The four-day sporting event, considered the most coveted of its kind, features top polo players from around the world competing in two tournaments for both men and women. The La Martina South Beach Women’s Polo Cup V takes place on Thursday, April 25, featuring eight women’s teams in a one-day series of round-robin championship matches. Last year’s winning team of Cecelia Cochran and Alicia Harden will defend their title as 2012 champions, while competing against Pamela Flanagan, Cristina Hosmer, Tiffany Busch, Stephanie Kraml-Suttle and Lynn O'Connor, among others, who are all expected to play in this year’s tournament.
The La Martina Miami Beach Polo World Cup IX – a three-day men’s tournament, now in its ninth year, starts on Friday, April 27 through Sunday, April 29. Six teams will include some of the world’s top-ranked players, including England’s Jamie Morrison, Holland’s Vincent Mesker, past Miami Beach and Chicago Beach Polo winner, Guille Usandizaga from Argentina, Costa Rica’s Luis Escobar, 2009 MVP John Gobin and last year’s MVP, nine-goaler Kris Kampsen.
Attendees at this year’s Miami Beach Polo World Cup will experience the annual series of nightly VIP events that are parts of the four-day festivities, including a fashion show by La Martina in the VIP tent on Saturday afternoon. The event will see the inaugural participation by Miami’s own DJ Irie.
The traditional post-event awards ceremony will be held at the end of each tournament to commemorate both women’s and men’s competition winners. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Miami will receive a portion of funds raised through ticket sales from the event.
Aventura Mall will be the official retail partner for the design and creation of the retail village within the venue.
General admission to both competitions and adjacent retail village is free. A limited number of VIP tickets are available that allows entrance to the shaded Grandstand, where complimentary food and beverages are served.
More than 10,000 people attend the Miami Beach Polo World Cup over four days each year and the tournament attracts professional polo players from as far as Russia, Switzerland, Malaysia, and South America.
Photos by The Polo Life
