planned for 25th anniversary
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) – Teams from regional powerhouses Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Jamaica are expected here for the popular Banks International Hockey Festival which celebrates its 25th anniversary this summer.

This year, the week-long tournament has attracted teams from South Africa for the first time and they will clash with the usual contingents from the Caribbean, United States and Europe.

“For the first time in the history of the festival, teams from South Africa will meet at the Hockey Centre to compete against our local teams and others from Germany, UK, USA, Canada and many more across the globe,” David Rouse, chairman of the Festival Organizing Committee, told CMC Sports.

The tournament, which will run from August 14-21, will be contested in women’s men’s, mixed and veterans’ categories,

Rouse said the festival would be expanded this year to include activities to bring a celebration element to the event.

“This year the organizing committee is planning a range of fun-filled entertainment events to help players and supporters re-live the early years of the festival when fun and frolic and all-night partying played a major role in the enjoyment of the festival,” he revealed.

“In order to do this the committee will try to schedule matches in such a way that they end earlier on specific days, and at the same time maintain the number of matches.”