Seventeen local and overseas teams will contest the 8th annual Diamond Mineral Water Indoor Hockey tournament scheduled to start on November 29th at the National Gymnasium.
President of the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB), Phillip Fernandes at the launching of the tournament said that five teams are expected from the Twin Island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, two from Barbados and one from Canada.
“Since its initial staging in 2004, this tournament has now become a landmark event on local and regional hockey calendars with its only year of absence being in 2010, when there was a lack of adequate playing facilities. The success of the festival has placed it among the best hockey tournaments in the region and one that attracts the widest cross-section of teams”.
Fernandes said he is grateful for the support of the sponsors: Demerara Distillers Limited, ANSA McAl and Digicel. ANSA McAl and Digicel are sponsoring the veterans’ and women’s categories of the tournament.
“An event like this requires a great deal funding and so we are pleased also to have the support of Scotia Bank, DeAbreu’s Creations, Bounty Farm Limited, Clear Connect, the Continental Group of Companies, E-Networks, C&V Shipping, Edward B Beharry, Horizon Constructions, the Barber Shop, Cell Phone Shack, The Grill and Big Daddy’s”.
The Hockey Board, he said, is thankful for the assistance it receives from the Guyana Olympic Association and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.
“Not having an artificial surface in Guyana makes it critical for us to have access to a quality indoor facility. The surface at the National Gymnasium is of top quality and has significantly enhanced the quality of hockey in the tournament and has made the tournament more attractive for visiting teams”.
DDL Sales Manager, Alexis Langhorne said the company is pleased to be partnering with the Guyana Hockey Board in the hosting of the 8th tournament.
“This partnership has had an indelible impact on the sport since it provided our sportsmen and women the opportunities to compete and enhance their skills. Diamond Mineral Water is also proud of its contributions toward the spectrum of sports and is committed towards the development and promotion of sports as a healthy form of entertainment”.
The company, she said, will continue to sponsor the tournament under its Diamond Mineral Water Brand.
Public Relations Officer of ANSA McAl, Darshanie Yussuf said the company has a number of reasons for being proud of its association with the Guyana Hockey Board.
“You guys put on an excellent championship where people from the Caribbean can come and excel at a skill that they otherwise will not get to showcase. How many other countries have indoor facilities that they play outdoor hockey and when they come here they have the chance to do just that, which is something we are getting known for”.
Digicel’s Public Relations Officer, Shonette Moore, said the company had no hesitation signing on to the tournament because it has grown into the number one event of its kind not only in Guyana but also the Caribbean.
“I would like to reiterate Digicel’s commitment to the development of sports across Guyana including hockey and we will definitely try to contribute whatever way possible apart from financial contributions to the success of the tournament”.
Moore said the company will be paying particular interest to the female aspect of the competition which it is sponsoring.
