The “lucky” 13th annual Diamond Mineral Water Hockey Festival will commence from 17:00h today at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall and now has the distinction of being the longest running indoor hockey competition in the Region.
At a press conference on Tuesday morning at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC), the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) head Philip Fernandes pointed out that the tournament continues to attract top teams from the Caribbean region as well as North America and remains a key feature in Guyana’s annual calendar or sport events.
Who will be the best? The answer to that question will be known today at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall
With the GHB’s recent success of hosting the Indoor Pan American Cup (IPAC), Fernandes told the gathering that the GHB had the annual staging of the Diamond Mineral Water Festival to thank as the experience of hosting such a tournament contributed largely to the success of the IPAC on Guyanese soil.
He expressed gratitude to platinum sponsor Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) who has stuck with the GHB over the years noting that they have played an integral part in ensuring that the profile of hockey continues to grow as Guyana is now known as a key hockey destination in the region.
He expressed much gratitude to Gold sponsors ANSA McAL who has been with the tournament for 11 years.
This year will not match the number of teams that have participated over the past years but will attract some of the top players who participated at IPAC. Coming out of Trinidad and Tobago will be the Queens Park Hockey Club and YMCA. Meanwhile local clubs such as Pepsi Hikers, Old Fort, GCC and Saints will all be present seeking glory on home soil.
In the veterans tournament Queens Park and Malvern from Trinidad and Tobago will clash with the local boys from GCC and Hikers. Woodpeckers, Pizza Hut GCC, Old Fort Shooting Stars and Bingo Spartans will contest the female tournament.
Cash prizes and trophies will be up for grabs between the winners and runners-up of the male, female and veteran tournaments.
The winning teams of the male and female competitions will cart off US$ 1000 while the runners-up will pocket US$ 500, the veterans will clash for the top prize of US$ 500 while the runner-up will cart off incentive prizes.
Games continue on Thursday from 16:00h and will run until the final day on Sunday which begins from 10:00h.
(Michelangelo Jacobus)
