DEMERARA Distillers Limited (DDL) through their Diamond Mineral Water brand, on Friday partnered with the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) to launch the 19 edition of the premier Indoor hockey tournament set for the National Gymnasium from November 28 to December 1.

The tournament which began in 2004 after a challenge by the Joseph Red’s Pereira is back for another installment this year at the National Gymnasium.
The competition is set to again feature teams from Trinidad and Tobago, Canada and the Guyana top club teams competing in the men Open, women Open, and Master over 35 and masters 40 and over.

“The Diamond Mineral Water Indoor Hockey Festival has now become a well-recognised indoor competition among teams in the Pan Am region. We have hosted teams from Canada, the USA, Trinidad and Barbados over the years, and with the recent success of our Masters team at the Masters indoor World Cup, some attention is now being paid by teams further afield. As far as hockey goes, I believe our sport has been largely over-achieving given our conditions and in fact this year’s success was among the most challenging and so the most rewarding.”

The tournament has been staged uninterrupted save and except for during the COVID-19 pandemic and when the sport hall was under renovation.
DDL marketing manager Larry Wills says they continue to see the value in the tournament.

“We are very passionate about the Diamond Mineral Water Indoor Hockey Tournament, its one that we started many years ago……and it’s one that we are proud of and one we will continue to support, at DDL we really try to do as much as possible for sports in Guyana, whether it is a grassroot programme, or programme for adults to engage and develop their skills more, especially the Diamond Mineral Water Hockey Tournament where we have foreign teams coming in, we are happy to be part of this.”

The men’s teams listed are Trinidad and Tobago’s Defence Force and Police Forces as well as Queens Park, while Canada will be represented by the Toronto Lions.
The local sides include the Bounty GCC, Pepsi Hikers, Old Fort and Saints.

The ladies’ teams are Trinidad’s George United and TT Police Force along with GBTI GCC, Old Fort and Saints.
The Over 35 category will feature GCC, Hikers, Fatima, Toronto Lions and Queens Park while Over 45 will field four teams namely GCC, Hikers/Old Fort combined, Carib and Fatima.
A notable addition to the tournament this year is the inclusion of the regions first woman FIH Umpire Ayana McClean from Trinidad and Tobago.

McClean, a former player is the first female, from the Caribbean, to be qualified as an umpire at a World Cup or Olympic tournament and has officiated in over 100 international matches.
She will be joined by medical professional Aaron Finer from the USA to service the tournament’s medical needs.

Apart from the title sponsors, Ansa McAl, ExxonMobil, Republic Bank, Bounty Supermarkets and Sterling Products Ltd are also on board.
The event is also supported by Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport and the National Sports Commission.

The teams are battling for over $2 million dollars in cash and prizes in both male and female divisions.