RIYADH, 25 January — Saudi Arabia is to see its first-ever ice hockey tournament sponsored by Power Horse energy drink. Hermann Ritz, Power Horse country manager, and Lyle G. Soetaert, general manager of Riyadh Voyageurs team, said here today that the "First Power Horse Invitational Ice Hockey Tournament" will be played on Jan. 31 at the Fal Center Ice Skating Rink.
Ritz and Soetaert said that "Riyadh’s own team, the Riyadh Voyageurs will host a 3 on 3 ice hockey tournament and the players from Dhahran and Bahrain will play to see who has the best team, who has the best skills and who has the hot feet to play on the icy grounds". To this end, it is important to note here that the Riyadh Voyageurs have been playing locally and internationally for more than 10 years.
They said that the Riyadh Voyageurs
meet every Sunday for regular practice sessions and the also visit Dhahran. Internationally, the team has played in Dubai, Bahrain, Bangkok, Singapore and Turkey. The most senior player on the team Rob Dudar said that "I have seen a tremendous growth in interest for the sport of ice hockey in the Middle East".
Most major urban centers in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Manama, Dhahran have full size ice skating facilities besides a new state of the art facility located in Jeddah, he said. Next weekend’s tournament is the first step for Saudi Arabia’s entrance into international ice hockey play, an sport now known and played in the Kingdom.
"Ice hockey is a tremendously exciting sport", said Ken Pettigrew, Voyageurs’ team captain. "With our first tournament underway, the potential for ice hockey in Saudi Arabia is bright", said the captain adding that this is just the beginning.
The annual Power Horse Invitational Ice Hockey Tournament, he said, will begin this Thursday with men’s play followed by youth’s play and a skills competition. Spectators should expect to see a very good display of all aspects of ice hockey.
Voyageurs’ Manager Soetaert, who is an instructor pilot by profession and who is equally competent while on the ice rink, said that this year’s tournament sponsor Power Horse energy drink can see the potential for the sport. "Although Power Horse is relatively new to the Kingdom, they are actively involved in all areas of sport and believe that ice hockey will one day become an activity that all Saudi children will have an opportunity to experience", he noted.
He said that Thursday’s tournament will commence at 10:00 a.m. and finish at 8:00 p.m.
There is no charge for entrance and there is substantial seating facility for the spectators from the viewing gallery. As ice hockey is a sport played in cooler temperatures, warm clothing is advised. Power Horse energy drink and Riyadh Voyageurs have extended invitations to one and all to come and see "the coolest game on earth" ice hockey.
