Top-class exploits expected in inline hockey tourney

COASTAL Pirates Inline Hockey club will celebrate its tenth anniversary in style this weekend with its biggest tournament ever, when 40 teams with players from Germany, South Africa, Botswana and Namibia flock to Swakopmund for what has become the highlight of the southern African inline hockey calendar.

The event, which is also the climax of the 2005 Namibian Ice and Inline Hockey Association (NIIHA) league, has attracted eight foreign teams this year and will be played over four days instead of the usual three. All games will take place at the SFC grounds, beginning at mid-day tomorrow and running through to Sunday afternoon.Two teams from the Bissendorfer Panthers, currently on tour in Namibia, will take part in the tournament in what promises to be an unprecedented inline hockey bonanza of 86 games in eight age divisions.Renowned for its high levels of professionalism and organisation, the tournament has also attracted several other overseas players who will appear as guests of Namibian clubs.For the ‘star match’ on Friday night, the foreign players will form a ‘rest of the world’ team to take on the Namibian men’s open team, which recently returned from the Inline Hockey World Championships in Finland.A referee from the International Ice Hockey Federation will also be on hand to ensure that the non-stop schedule of back-to-back games is played according to world standards.Excitement is running high among the Namibian clubs.The NIIHA league standings for 2005 still have to be decided in several age divisions.The men’s open division and the 16-and-under division are particularly hotly contended.Both will face very strong challenges from South African teams, eager to take revenge after Namibia knocked them out of the world championship race last December.Sponsored by Amila, Autohaus Swakopmund, Fruit and Veg City, Freshmark and Shoprite, the tournament will culminate in a grand prize-giving ceremony on Sunday afternoon, which will also announce the outcome of the 2005 NIIHA League.The event will be filmed by SuperSport on Sunday morning.Entry to the tournament is free and there will be food and drinks on sale from early morning till late at night.All games will take place at the SFC grounds, beginning at mid-day tomorrow and running through to Sunday afternoon.Two teams from the Bissendorfer Panthers, currently on tour in Namibia, will take part in the tournament in what promises to be an unprecedented inline hockey bonanza of 86 games in eight age divisions.Renowned for its high levels of professionalism and organisation, the tournament has also attracted several other overseas players who will appear as guests of Namibian clubs. For the ‘star match’ on Friday night, the foreign players will form a ‘rest of the world’ team to take on the Namibian men’s open team, which recently returned from the Inline Hockey World Championships in Finland.A referee from the International Ice Hockey Federation will also be on hand to ensure that the non-stop schedule of back-to-back games is played according to world standards.Excitement is running high among the Namibian clubs.The NIIHA league standings for 2005 still have to be decided in several age divisions.The men’s open division and the 16-and-under division are particularly hotly contended.Both will face very strong challenges from South African teams, eager to take revenge after Namibia knocked them out of the world championship race last December.Sponsored by Amila, Autohaus Swakopmund, Fruit and Veg City, Freshmark and Shoprite, the tournament will culminate in a grand prize-giving ceremony on Sunday afternoon, which will also announce the outcome of the 2005 NIIHA League.The event will be filmed by SuperSport on Sunday morning.Entry to the tournament is free and there will be food and drinks on sale from early morning till late at night.