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La Dolfina, everyone's favourite for 2012 Triple Crown

People think Cambiaso's outfit could win the three events

La Dolfina, by Ram

On Tuesday, September 25th, Pilará and La Natividad –the two teams with the lowest handicaps in Zone A- will play the opening match of the 2012 Triple Crown series of events, on the opening day of the Abierto de Tortugas, por la Copa Emilio de Anchorena, Gran Premio Audi presentado por Citi.

The first of the world’s leading three events will thus kick off, at the beginning of a two-and-a-half-month period which is due to end on December 8th with the final of the Abierto Argentino at Palermo.

All the teams have been confirmed, the six that will take part in the Abierto de Tortugas, and the eight in the qualifying tournament that will be vying for two berths in the Abierto de Hurlingham and the Abierto de Palermo.

Looking back at the 2011 Triple Crown, only one team maintains its same line-up. This is the case of La Dolfina, with Adolfo Cambiaso, Juan Martín Nero, Pablo Mac Donough and Uruguay’s David Stirling. The only difference in this foursome will be its total handicap, as Stirling is now a 10-goal player (he was a 9-goal until last year), which means the team is a 40-goal one.

This means that the foursome that comfortably won the 2011 Abierto de Hurlingham and the 2011 Abierto de Palermo and lost the Abierto de Tortugas by only one goal, is the top favourite for maximum honours this season.

La Dolfina had a sluggish start last September, but gradually improved until ekking out an advantage over top rivals Ellerstina in last season’s final event at Palermo, and the same performance is expected from the team this year.

Ellerstina will as usual be Cambiaso’s team’s main rival. Mariano Aguerre (9) will be replacing Ignacio Heguy, and the team’s handicap total will now be 38 goals, with Gonzalo and Pieres at 10 each and the 9 goals of Nicolás Pieres.

Perhaps the biggest surprise in what refers to new otufits in 2012 will be La Aguada, that after a number of years with the same line-up, will be changed: Guillermo Caset, Jr. will replace Eduardo Novillo Astrada, and he will be playing alongside Javier, Miguel and Ignacio Novillo Astrada.

Hilario Ulloa will continue playing for Pilará, while Francisco Bensadón, Sebastián Merlos and Francisco de Narváez, Jr. will replace Cristian Laprida, Bautista Heguy and Luke Tomlinson.

The La Natividad foursome has been formed with Pablo Pieres, Ignacio Heguy, Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade and Bartolomé Castagnola, while Alegría will not have to qualify this year, having Agustín Merlos, Lucas Monteverde, Juan Ignacio Merlos and Frederick Mannix in its line-up.

A big change in the qualifying tournament are that Indios Chapaleufú II will this time have qualify for a place at Hurlingham and Palermo, with brothers Eduardo y Alberto Heguy now being accompanied by Guillermo Terrera, Jr. and Ignatius du Plessis. As mentioned above, Eduardo Novillo Astrada is leaving the La Aguada squad and will be playing the qualifying tournament as part of La Aguada - Las Monjitas, alongside Lucas James, Cristian Laprida and Alejandro Novillo Astrada.

Spectators and players are thus expecting a season similar to last year’s, with La Dolfina slightly ahead of Ellerstina, and with these two foursomes ahead of the rest. Ellerstina (also referred to as La Zeta) will obviously be going all out so as to change this notion, with the rest of the teams vying for a place in the finals.

The best polo in the world is about to start a new season. Only two weeks remain. Get ready!

Zones - Abierto de Tortugas (September 25th/October 14th)

Zone A

Ellerstina
Facundo Pieres 10
Nicolás Pieres 9
Mariano Aguerre 9
Gonzalo Pieres, Jr. 10
Total: 38

Pilará
Hilario Ulloa 9
Francisco Bensadón 9
Sebastián Merlos 9
Francisco de Narváez, Jr. 8
Total: 35

La Natividad
Pablo Pieres 8
Ignacio Heguy 9
Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade 8
Bartolomé Castagnola 9
Total: 34

Zone B

La Dolfina
Adolfo Cambiaso, Jr. 10
David Stirling, Jr. 10
Pablo Mac Donough 10
Juan Martín Nero 10
Total: 40

La Aguada
Guillermo Caset, Jr. 9
Javier Novillo Astrada 9
Miguel Novillo Astrada 9
Ignacio Novillo Astrada 9
Total: 36

Alegría
Agustín Merlos 9
Lucas Monteverde, Jr. 9
Juan Ignacio Merlos 8
Frederick Mannix, Jr. 8
Total: 34

Zones - Abierto de Hurlingham (October 16th/November 4th)

Zone A

La Dolfina
Adolfo Cambiaso, Jr. 10
David Stirling, Jr. 10
Pablo Mac Donough 10
Juan Martín Nero 10
Total: 40

Pilará
Hilario Ulloa 9
Francisco Bensadón 9
Sebastián Merlos 9
Francisco de Narváez, Jr. 8
Total: 35

Alegría
Agustín Merlos 9
Lucas Monteverde, Jr. 9
Juan Ignacio Merlos 8
Frederick Mannix, Jr. 8
Total: 34

Qualified team with the lowest handicap

Zone B

Ellerstina
Facundo Pieres 10
Nicolás Pieres 9
Mariano Aguerre 9
Gonzalo Pieres, Jr. 10
Total: 38

La Aguada
Guillermo Caset, Jr. 9
Javier Novillo Astrada 9
Miguel Novillo Astrada 9
Ignacio Novillo Astrada 9
Total: 36

La Natividad
Pablo Pieres 8
Ignacio Heguy 9
Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade 8
Bartolomé Castagnola 9
Total: 34

Qualified team with the highest handicap

Zones - Abierto de Palermo (November 17th/December 8th)

Zone A

La Dolfina
Adolfo Cambiaso, Jr. 10
David Stirling, Jr. 10
Pablo Mac Donough 10
Juan Martín Nero 10
Total: 40

Pilará
Hilario Ulloa 9
Francisco Bensadón 9
Sebastián Merlos 9
Francisco de Narváez, Jr. 8
Total: 35

Alegría
Agustín Merlos 9
Lucas Monteverde, Jr. 9
Juan Ignacio Merlos 8
Frederick Mannix, Jr. 8
Total: 34

Qualified team with the lowest handicap

Zone B

Ellerstina
Facundo Pieres 10
Nicolás Pieres 9
Mariano Aguerre 9
Gonzalo Pieres, Jr. 10
Total: 38

La Aguada
Guillermo Caset, Jr. 9
Javier Novillo Astrada 9
Miguel Novillo Astrada 9
Ignacio Novillo Astrada 9
Total: 36

La Natividad
Pablo Pieres 8
Ignacio Heguy 9
Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade 8
Bartolomé Castagnola 9
Total: 34

Qualified team with the highest handicap

Qualifying Zones for Abierto de Hurlingham and Abierto de Palermo (As from September 27th)

Zone A

La Aguada - Las Monjitas
Lucas James 8
Cristian Laprida, Jr. 8
Eduardo Novillo Astrada, Jr. 9
Alejandro Novillo Astrada 8
Total: 33

Indios Chapaleufú II Cardón
Alberto Heguy, Jr. 7
Guillermo Terrera, Jr. 7
Ignatius du Plessis 7
Eduardo Heguy 8
Total: 29

Las Praderas
Santiago Toccalino 7
Joaquín Pittaluga 7
Diego Cavanagh 7
Ignacio Toccalino 8
Total: 29

Sauvaterre
Gonzalo Deltour 7
Gastón Laulhé 7
Ignacio Laprida 7
Joao Paulo Ganon 7
Total: 28

Zone B

La Irenita
Lucas Criado 8
Santiago Chavanne 8
Matías Mac Donough 8
Tomás García del Río 8
Total: 32

Magual
Alejandro Muzzio 7
Marcos di Paola 8
Facundo Sola 7
Jaime García Huidobro 8
Total: 30

Trenque Lauquen
Salvador Ulloa 7
Juan Agustín García Grossi 8
Guillermo Willington 7
Agustín Nero 7
Total: 29

La Vanguardia
Juan Martín Zavaleta, Jr. 7
Ezequiel Martínez Ferrario 7
Manuel Crespo 7
Diego Araya 7
Total: 28