THE 14th edition of the Diamond Mineral Water-sponsored Indoor Hockey Festival started last evening at Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, where 18 teams in various categories, both male and female, began their quest for supremacy.

The festival continues to attract top teams from the Caribbean region and North America and has been a key feature on the Guyana annual calendar of sports events and the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) was high in praise for the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), who has supported the tournament since 2004.

“Diamond Mineral Water is synonymous with indoor hockey in this part of the world, thanks to the longstanding relationship with the popular brand and the sports fraternity. I therefore welcome our sponsors who are joining me this afternoon at the outset of this year’s festival and wish to express the gratitude of all of Guyana hockey,” said president of the GHB Philip Fernandes.

“Our gold sponsor Ansa McAl came on board two years after the inaugural festival and has stuck with us since then,” Fernandes related.
Meanwhile, Fernandes, in highlighting the tournament this year, noted that the Over-35 division once again enjoys the largest participation of foreign teams.

This year the STAG brand, the GHB president said, will be the new sponsor of this division. ExxonMobil began its association with local hockey last year November, when the entity was the main sponsor of the Pan American Indoor Championships held in Guyana.
For the very first time Exxon is teaming up with hockey again this year as a gold sponsor of the women’s division.

This year Fernandes anticipates receiving some of the top players from last year’s Indoor World Cup men’s Pan American champions Trinidad and Tobago.
The Queen’s Park Hockey Club of Trinidad and Tobago, who were finalists in 2013 and 2016, are the defending champions in both the men’s division and the STAG Over-35 division.

The quality side boasts several Trinidad national players, including Jordan Reynolds, Aden DeGannes and Jordan Vieira along with several former nationals.
Shacar are the other overseas side contesting the men’s division and will be first-time visitors. GTT national champions Pepsi Hikers and powerful runners-up Old Fort, who are further strengthened by a pair of Canadian guest players, are expected to put up a strong challenge. GCC and Saints have also been anxiously awaiting the chance to climb the podium.

The STAG veterans division will once again enjoy the greatest overseas participation this year, with three international teams in Queen’s Park, Fatima and Carib from Trinidad.
Queen’s Park are the defending champions in this division while Fatima have won it once before. Local sides Antonio’s Grill Hickers, who are four-time champions, Vintage GCC and Old Fort also will be vying for the STAG trophy.
ExxonMobil women’s competition sees the return of the inaugural champions, Magnolias from Trinidad, who will be joined by Ventures, also making a re-appearance after many years.

The GTT national champions, Woodpecker Hikers, will be looking to lead the challenge for Guyana, as will seven-time champions, GBTI GCC, along with Old Fort and Saints. Seven overseas teams are gracing our shores for this year’s festival from Trinidad making a total of 18 teams.
Fernandes told reporters at a Media Launch that the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and Pan American Hockey Federation Umpires manager, Roger St Rose, visited Guyana over the past weekend for a workshop to help prepare our local officials for the event. International Umpires manager Susan Gomes of Trinidad will perform those duties during the festival.

The winning teams in both male and female tournaments will each receive US$1 000 while the runners-up will cart off US$500.
The winners of the veteran tournament will receive US$500, with the second-placed team collecting incentive prizes.