Potter Cup 2013 - all you need to know ! draw, teams, report and results

9^th June 2013

Dear Conor,

 Re: Potter Cup XLI, Real Club de Polo, May 30 – June 2, 2013.

 It was an honour and a pleasure for me to Captain the IC of Ireland team competing in this year’s Potter Cup. I enclose copies of the completed drawsheet and of the result sheets of the three ties that the IC Ireland team participated in (vs, France, Belgium and Germany).

The winners of this year’s event were Spain who defeated the USA (for whom IC Ireland member Eoin Collins played at number 1).

The IC of Ireland team enjoyed the event thoroughly and their participation was, once again, clearly appreciated by the IC Spain and organizing committee. The camaraderie and commitment of the IC Ireland team was really excellent and, fortunately, no significant injuries were sustained (especially as we had only 5 fit players!). The Irish team was accompanied by two partners, Donna Wilson and Anne Gibney, and the team enjoyed their support and company. 

The organisation of this year’s event was superb, as in previous years, and the social events were most enjoyable.  Some pointers for future Captains:

·         We were drawn to play a preliminary round match vs IC Russia on Thursday afternoon but one of our players was unable to travel until Thursday night. Fortunately, the tie did not take due to the late withdrawal of the Russian team. Instead, the team had a very useful practice on the clay courts.

·         I think that the ideal team composition is five fully fit 45-50 year old players and one or two older players who are available to play in the event of injury, but are not unhappy to travel in a supporting capacity with the opportunity to practice on the lovely red clay courts.

·         We presented an IC of Ireland pennant to our opposition, as well as a small souvenir to each of their players. None of the opposing teams presented a pennant and only one of three teams had a souvenir for our players. We also presented small gifts to both Berta Tintore and Maribel de Santiago, the principal event organisers.

·         The IC Belgium team each had an inexpensive plain white teeshirt with the club logo on the front. I regret not arranging similar for our team.

·         Each of the team Captains gave a short speech after the dinner at the RCP on Saturday night. This year it was the turn of the IC Belgium and Italy to sing an after dinner song with lyrics modified for the Potter Cup; next year’s Captain might like to perform a modified version of Molly Malone or a U2 song! We had no musical enthusiasts in our 2013 team and one team member who was more nervous of having to sing than taking on the number 1 French player on clay! The poorer the singing, the more the effort is appreciated!!

In conclusion, my thanks once again for including me on the Potter Cup team.

I have conveyed the thanks of the IC Ireland team to Berta and Maribel by email; our President, John, might like to convey how much our team enjoyed its participation in this year’s event to the President of IC Spain, Snr Juan Maria Tintore who went out of his way to welcome us as President of IC Spain and an honorary member of IC Ireland.

 Yours sincerely,

 Robin