A tournament dubbed “the Olympics of Recreational Hockey” will be played in Richmond next spring.
The week-long CARHA Hockey World Cup will involve 2,500 participants from March 29 to April 5, 2020.
The tourney will include 140 teams from 15 countries for games at Richmond’s Olympic Oval, Ice Centre and Minoru arenas, organizers announced Friday (March 29).
It’s “the world’s largest international adult recreational hockey tournament,” according to the event website, thecup2020.ca.
“The CARHA Hockey World Cup includes a Parade of Athletes as the attendees march into the Opening Ceremonies after travelling from around the world, an Athletes’ Village throughout the tournament at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel (Host Hotel) and lastly, the Closing Ceremonies to conclude the event,” a release noted.
“During the course of the week-long event, the community can look forward to free admission to over 240 games.”
Like the Olympics, the CARHA tournament is held every four years, previously in Windsor, Ont. (in 2016), Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. (2012), Québec City (2008), Ottawa (2004), Vancouver (2000) and Toronto (1996).
CARHA Hockey has a membership base of close to 10,000 players in B.C.’s Lower Mainland area, according to the organization’s communications co-ordinator, Tyler Broderick, and its Pacific Cup tournament attracts 140-plus teams to Victoria annually.
The association is described as “a national, not-for-profit sports organization that is dedicated to providing programs, resources and benefits to the adult recreational and old-timers hockey market in Canada.”
#TheCup2020 is ONE YEAR AWAY. The 365-day countdown is ON to the next edition of the @CARHAHockey World Cup in @Richmond_BC. We can't wait 😠pic.twitter.com/UPDtUzQ0Yk
— CARHA Hockey World Cup (@CHWorldCup) March 29, 2019
CARHA scheduled a media event at Richmond Olympic Oval on Friday (March 29).
In a release, tournament manager Lucy Peeling said, “the response from teams has been tremendous to date and the event has been virtually sold out since 2018.
“We are so excited to now be one year out from bringing the CARHA Hockey World Cup to Richmond, and we can’t wait for all of our participants to experience the same welcome that our organization has received from the community.”
The tournament’s estimated economic impact more than $12 million, event organizers say.
