BANGKOK – Thailand’s sizzling ice hockey tournament is ready roll for the 15th straight year in October with organizer JOG Sports promising even stiffer competition and more off-ice fun.
While ice sport and the balmy Thai climate may seem an unlikely combination, hockey has blossomed in this steamy Southeast Asian nation. Thirty teams from North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia participated in the 2008 tournament.
The 15th annual “Land of the Smiles Hockey Classic” kicks off October 28th- October 31st, 2009, and the always-competitive tourney will be even tougher as new squads vie for the coveted hardware.
Last year’s international final was a gargantuan battle between the Gulf Scorpions and the Taipei Typhoon, with the Mideast squad barely coming out on top. Teams from China, Japan, Switzerland, and United Arab Emirates also take part.
Featuring 400 players from around the world, the four-day ice hockey extravaganza also raises hundreds of thousands of baht to assist Father Joe Maier's Human Development Foundation and the many impoverished Bangkok children his efforts have saved.
“The popularity of this tourney is unmatched, not just in Asia but around the globe,” says JOG Sports Managing Director Scott Whitcomb. “Despite hard economic times, we still have teams knocking on the door.”
Thailand’s host team – the Bangkok Flying Farangs – has spearheaded the tourney once known as the OK Cup since 1995.
Started by Flying Farangs members in 2004, the apparel and events company JOG also organizes a series of off-ice events that keep players coming back for more.
Ice hockey has captured the imagination of the locals. Thailand deploys its national team to compete in international play, and the young squad is always one of the toughest in the Land of Smiles Asian Division.
Thanks beforehand to our wonderful sponsors: San Miguel (Platinum sponsor), D’Pelican Inn, BNH Hospital, Point of View Media, Santa Fe relocation services, and Amari Hotels.
For more information:
Website: www.jogsports.com , www.jogsportswear.com
Email: info@jogsports.com
Telephone: +66-2-743-9366
Fax: +66-2-743-9367
In the news:
http://www.thehockeynews.com/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
http://www.taipeitimes.com/
http://slam.canoe.ca/
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/
http://flyingfarangs.com/
http://www.leaguelineup.com/
