Top teams to take centre stage

Diamond Mineral Water Indoor Hockey Festival…

The 13th edition of the Diamond Mineral Water Indoor Hockey Festival which is billed for November 24-27 at the home of local indoor hockey, the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue will see an influx of top teams from North America and the Caribbean coming to Guyana to vie for an attractive purse.
The tournament, which features three divisions, i.e. Male and Female, as well as veterans, has already registered teams from the United States of America, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana in more than two categories each.
Canada has been the standout foreign team in the competition’s history with The 6ix winning in the male category last year, however, they will not be returning to defend their title but a number of key players have transitioned themselves into a new look Toronto Lions team, including last year’s Most Valuable Player, Canada’s most capped international player Jeewan Bath. The Toronto Lions boast a formidable line-up, which includes four Canadian nationals, including goalkeeper Premakanthan Shankar who will also be conducting a goalkeeping clinic here in Guyana leading up to the tournament.

Canadian international Jeewan Bath on the attack in last year’s festival
Canadian international Jeewan Bath on the attack in last year’s festival
Queens Park midfielder Jerazeno “Skillaxe” Bell on the attack in last year’s festival
Queens Park midfielder Jerazeno “Skillaxe” Bell on the attack in last year’s festival

Trinidad and Tobago will be well represented by 2013’s runners-up, Queens Park and will send a team in both the men’s division and the Carib Over-35 veterans’ class. The ream will be led by former Guyanese international Jerazeno ‘Skillaxe’ Bell. National and under-21 captains, Daren Cowie and Jordan Reynos, who will both add quality to a skilful side that is a strong contender for gold.
Perennial attendees, Carib Hockey Club, visit for the 5th straight year and have reached as close as second place in the Carib over-35 division. Last year’s over-35 MVP, Kern Ramsammy, one of several Ramsammy relatives on the team, will lead their charge for gold this year. Malvern Hockey Club, who has been the overseas club with the highest attendance record, appearing in all but one year, round out the Trinidad contingent with their over-35 side led by former Trinidad internationals, Damian ‘Junior Gong’ Gordon.
Debutants, The Bal Wash Ers, will compete in both the men’s and over-35 divisions. As their name suggests, these players originate from the Baltimore and Washington areas of the USA and are many will be first-time visitors to Guyana. Returning with this team however, is former Guyanese national, Jeremy Roberts, who makes his third appearance in the festival this year. This side is not short on experience and features several players from the USA master’s national team including former player/coach Peter Jones.
The Toronto Academy visits this year for the second time and this time around, boasts a stronger line-up after being the losing finalists in 2013. Captain of the Canadian Indoor Team that went to the World Cup in Germany in 2015, Kaelan Watson, will lead the Academy. Watson has played for the Canadian National outdoor team from 2011 to 2015. She is known as a strong defender with quick stick skills and powerful shot on net.  Supporting Watson will be international teammate Angela Lancaster who has represented Canada since 2010. Canadian-based Guyanese international Leigh Sandison adds to the powerful line-up which will prove quite a challenge for defending champions Pizza Hut GCC.
Top local sides Hikers, GCC and Old Fort are each represented in all three divisions with the Pepsi Hikers men and Pizza Hut GCC ladies being the defending champions. The games begin at 17:30h each day.