Bartica host Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ this weekend

– Providence Stadium venue for national playoffs’ final

Who will represent Bartica in the prestigious national playoffs of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ competition will be known this weekend when the final zone of the competition is played in that dynamic Region Seven community.
Word emanating from that community is that defending champions River View will be hard pressed to retain their crown, won last year at the inaugural competition.
In that final, River View had squeezed past Police, and the lawmen have already vowed to exact revenge in this year’s edition, which also has at stake a place in the national playoffs slated for later this month.

The national playoffs are set to be staged on July 27th and August 3rd at the Pouderoyen Tarmac and Haslington Market Square respectively, while the final will be played at the National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara.

According to Guinness Brand Manager Lee Baptiste, ways have been explored to improve the tournament all-round, and he thinks the move to have the final played at the National Stadium for the first time is the right one; thus he expects a large turnout of fans, as usual.

“It is always our intention to have improvements every year, and with the projected addition of stands to accommodate seated patrons, I think we will witness a wider cross section of fans’ support,” Baptiste said.

The games will be played on the tarmac at the National Stadium, and entry is free.
The tournament is widely regarded as the most popular street format of the game. Attendance is usually massive, and the benefit of cohesion and friendship among competing communities is usually the primary objective of the organisers.

It must be noted also that Banks DIH, under its Guinness brand, has offered to give back to the respective communities from whence the winners of the zones originate. Sixteen teams will participate in the national playoffs.

Meanwhile, the qualifiers for the national playoffs are seen below:

Georgetown
Gold is Money-Champion
Sparta Boss
Leopold Street
Bent Street
East Coast Demerara
Uprising-Champion
Paradise
Melanie-B
Buxton Diamond
West Demerara
Showstoppers-Champion
ESPN
West Side Ballers
Linden
Silver Bullets-Champion
Dave and Celina’s All-Stars-National Champion
Swag Entertainment
Berbice
Trafalgar-Champion