It is a unique, top-class event that you have to see live at least once in your life: Every year on the last weekend in January – next time from 24 to 26 January 2025 – the legendary Snow Polo World Cup takes place on the frozen Lake St. Moritz, watched enthusiastically by around 25,000 spectators who come from all over the world. For three days, the glistening snow-covered ice surface becomes the absolute hotspot of polo. The best polo players in the world compete in this epicentre of speed, precision and team spirit. And locals, guests and the international polo community enjoy the spectacle in the crystal-clear air, sparkling champagne, glamorous events and glittering parties. Best of all, admission is traditionally free, so anyone can watch the matches!
But there was no way of knowing that it would come to this when Swiss hotelier Reto Gaudenzi played a polo match on a hot July day in Munich in 1983. And the fact that the world-class event is celebrating its 40th birthday in January 2025 is an almost unbelievable story: the St. Moritz polo team had just won a tournament in Munich when Reto Gaudenzi, who was born in the Engadine, appeared in front of the press and was supposed to simply talk about the history of polo in St. Moritz. However, as his friend and then St. Moritz spa director Hans Peter Danuser, who had travelled with him, was looking for a new event with a British connection to celebrate the centenary of the Cresta Club, he suggested to Gaudenzi shortly beforehand that he announce something that had never been done before: a polo tournament on snow on the frozen lake, which St. Moritz would host. No sooner said than done! The planned world premiere hit like a bomb and the journalists had their sensational headlines. Now there was no turning back!
Two years later, in January 1985, the crazy vision became reality: the polo players from Munich, Paris and Geneva travelled with their entourage to compete against each other in two teams. But on the night before the first match on 26 January 1985, a storm blew in and it snowed incessantly. So much so that the perfectly prepared pitch disappeared under almost a metre of fresh snow. With the courage of desperation, the entire team managed to clear a field measuring 80 x 40 metres within two hours. The first tournament could take place, a new sporting discipline was created and yet another sport was invented in St. Moritz… And of course the sensational headlines went around the world again! What began as a bold experiment rapidly developed into a permanent fixture on the international polo calendar in the years that followed, attracting the elite of professional players time and again over the years.
Uniqueness as a trademark
Since that memorable weekend in 1985, the Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz has established itself as the world’s only high-goal tournament on snow. It is this unrivalled combination of top-class sport, the breathtaking winter landscape and the exclusive atmosphere that makes this tournament unique and has secured it a firm place in the heart of the polo community worldwide. Whilst the tournament has remained true to its roots, it has also constantly reinvented itself to meet the high expectations of visitors. The 40th anniversary now offers the opportunity to look back on past successes as well as to take a look into the future of the Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz.
‘This 40th anniversary is a significant milestone for all of us.’
– Reto Gaudenzi
‘This 40th anniversary is an incredibly significant milestone for all of us,’ explains founding father Reto Gaudenzi. ‘It is a very special opportunity to look back on the impressive development of the tournament and at the same time celebrate the future of snow polo. We are very much looking forward to experiencing this fantastic happening together with our partners, players and visitors.’
A symbol of commitment and cooperation
In addition to the top-class polo matches on the frozen lake, the expected 25,000 guests can look forward to an exciting spectacle on the pitch, a large get-together in the Polo Village and glamorous events. The fact that the tournament has been successfully organised for four decades is not a matter of course. The Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz is the result of exceptional commitment and close collaboration between local and regional partners, numerous patrons and supporters as well as international sponsors. ‘Our tournament is not only a sporting highlight, but also a symbol of the passion and team spirit required to organise such a high-calibre event,’ says Reto Gaudenzi. ‘The Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz is a unique cocktail for all the senses. Polo, the most beautiful sport in the world, is played in front of an international audience in this wonderful natural arena. It’s a bit of a cliché, but our tournament has a truly incredible atmosphere. It was the close cooperation of everyone involved that made it possible for us to celebrate our 40th anniversary today.’
Advertisement for the first Snow Polo World Cup 1985
