Press releases

31 Dec 2019

Minsk to host Christmas Amateur Ice Hockey Tournament for 16th time

An archive photo

MINSK, 31 December (BelTA) – Belarus will open a new sports year with the 16th edition of the Christmas Amateur Ice Hockey Tournament for the Prize of the President of the Republic of Belarus. All the games will be played at the Chizhovka Arena from 3 to 7 January 2020, BelTA has learned.

Competing will be 12 teams divided into four preliminary groups. Group A will feature Belarus, IIHF Team, and the United States. Group B will comprise China, the UAE, and Balkans Team; Group C – Ukraine, Switzerland, and Finland, Group D – Baltics Team, Germany and Russia. The semifinals are scheduled for 6 January, with the medal games to be played on 7 January.

A part of the proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the Mozyr orphanage. The children from the Mozyr orphanage will be invited to attend the games of the Christmas tournament. A tickets for an evening game played at the big rink of the Chizhovka Arena is Br5. All other games can be attended for free. The participants of the competitions are also expected to visit four family-type orphanages in Minsk’s Frunzensky District as part of the Christmas Tradition charity campaign. These orphanages have already received Br32,000 in assistance from the President's Sports Club and the Belarusian Ice Hockey Federation.

The Belarus president team is the 12-time winner of the Christmas international tournament (2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019). Team Russia is a three-time champion (2007, 2011 and 2015).

The Golden Puck national competition for the prizes of the Belarusian president will take place during the Christmas tournament, too. Representatives of the Christmas tournament teams will hold a clinic for the Golden Puck finalists on 6 January.