Members of the organising committee for the sixth Diamond Mineral Water International Indoor Hockey Festival are fine tuning arrangements for the tournament which takes place next weekend at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Fourteen foreign and local teams will vie for supremacy in three divisions – men’s, women’s and veterans.
Guyana’s Hikers and Georgetown Cricket Club’s Floras are the defending men’s and women’s champions and they will be looking to keep the title on home soil once again while Fatima of Trinidad and Tobago are the reigning veteran champions.
Philip Fernandes, President of the Guyana Hockey Board and Tournament Chairman, disclosed that preparations are at an advanced stage and hockey fans can expect a treat from next Thursday to December 6 at the Sports Hall.
Clubs from Trinidad and Tobago make up the bulk of the foreign teams but Barbados will also be sending a large contingent of players and supporters. The winning teams in the men’s and women’s Open categories will each receive $1000 US first prize with the runners up taking home $500 US.
The winner of the veterans category will take home $500 US. Jerries Restaurant, Bar & Snackette has added their name to the list of sponsors for the upcoming Diamond Mineral Water International Indoor Hockey Festival.
This is the first time that the business entity has come forward as an official sponsor of hockey.
Last year they assisted by providing meals for the umpires.
Proprietor Jerry Bacchus has indicated his willingness to support the tournament saying that he recognizes that the GHB has made great strides in developing the sport.
The festival’s official entertainment calendar will feature a karaoke night on December 3 at Jerries on Waterloo Street.
Fernandes thanked Jerries for the support and highlighted the vital importance of such sponsorship to the tournament and the development of sport in general.
