Eleven foreign teams expected for today’s tournament opener

THE Diamond Mineral Water International Indoor Hockey Festival which gets underway today will be graced this year with the presence of as many as 11 foreign teams from Canada, Trinidad and Barbados.The 11 teams coupled with top local qualifying clubs: Hikers, Old Fort and GCC, are sure to put on an impressive show of high quality entertaining indoor hockey for which the Festival has become known.
This year the Canadians, Revamp Hockey Club, led by Guyanese Jonathan Roberts pose the strongest challenge for the gold in the men’s division.
Roberts migrated to Canada some thirteen years ago and has represented his adopted home internationally including the last indoor World Cup in Poland 2011.
Another member of the team of Guyanese linage is another Canadian International, Scott Sandison, whose mother would have represented Guyana several years ago before migrating to Canada herself.
Both Roberts and Sandison have competed and were victorious in the local festival on two occasions including the inaugural one in 2004.
The Canadians are further strengthened by several other Internationals and junior Internationals completing a side that will be difficult to defeat.
Local men’s indoor `giants’, the Hikers, boast the best results in the festival, winning it a record 4 times. The defending champions regain the services of indoor national Shane Samuels who will anchor the youthful additions of Jamarj Assanah and Aroydy Branford to produce a solid contingent.
Former Festival champions Old Fort of Guyana hope to regain their glory on 2010 but much will be riding on the shoulders of the phenomenal Aderemi ‘Dove’ Simon, whose misfortune left him on the injured list for the recently concluded national championships.
The YMCA of Barbados have competed in the festival before and have clearly improved with every outing. Judging from their last performance in 2011, they are not to be taken ligtly.
They are spearheaded by former Barbados national Captain Rohan ‘Teno’ Thomas who honed his hockey skills for some years in the United Kingdom before returning to the island.
Newcomers Queens Park is a top indoor side from Trinidad who will be testing the waters for the first time in Guyana and local national champions GCC round out the solid pool of top class sides.
This year, the men’s division is littered with contenders as each side appears a genuine contender for the title.
In the women’s competition the Canadians once again seem the side to beat as several of the players from last year’s victorious Toronto Academy return under the banner of the Toronto Toros this year.
The side was founded in 2011 and fields a full squad of top players from their home city of Toronto including national midfielder Krie Sher.
Last year’s silver medallists Magnolias of Trinidad with their super-star striker Stacey Sui-Butt return with a vengeance to improve on their second place finish. The inaugural victors have a good crop of young players who are sure to make them genuine contenders for the crown once again.
Three times festival champions and local top side GCC has entered their strongest side to date in this year’s festival. The team features a number of players who have trained on the Guyana national squad over the past few years including national sweeper Ulrica Sutherland and dynamic striker Gabriella Xavier.
Moving up from the junior ranks is the skilful Aliyah Gordon who will complete a potent GCC attack.
Malvern hockey club of Trinidad has also worn the festival crown in the past and will produce one of the more experienced sides in the festival while the rebuilding Hikers will be looking to establish a name for themselves this time around.
The Carib veterans Challenge will feature the largest collection of teams with eight sides vying for the top honours.
Local sides GCC, Hikers and Old Old Fort feature among the most consistent sides but former champs Fatima along with Malvern, Carib, Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force and Trinidad and Tobago Police forge a strong Trinidadian challenge.
Defending champs the Hikers will be strengthened this year by the inclusion of Jerazeno ‘Skillaxe’ Bell but will have their hands full with the challengers abound.
The tournament begins tonight with three matches between local sides and will continue the following evening running until Sunday December 2.