2:00pm – 6:00pm Pre-Festival Warmup Matches (optional for teams)

8:00pm - until Lime at Crystal’s in Oistins for all teams (including live DJ music)
Banks and Food specials all night.

HOCKEY FESTIVAL UNDER WAY. During the next seven days there will be hockey, hockey and ever more hockey in Barbados. The late summer tradition known as the Banks International Hockey Festival is back, and started across the island yesterday with hundreds of locals and visitors flicking their sticks. This is the 21st version of the competition, and though action started yesterday with a lukewarm opening ceremony at the National Hockey Centre's Astroturf facility in Wildey, St Michael, things will really heat up from today with matches being played at five venues. Above, Alain Harris (left) of menÕs defending champions A Badd Connection battles for the ball with the one-handed Nick Champers of Roosters at the Astroturf Facility. (Picture by Antonio Miller.)

IN TOW! Vansittarts' Pauline Ellis (left) trying to make up ground in an attempt to tackle the YMCA's Mark Farrell in their Mixed Pool A action at the Astroturf Facility of the National Hockey Centre yesterday. Vansittarts won 6-0. (Picture by Charles Pitt-Grant.)

“Hockey Lime” at the Turf

Tuesday Aug. 22nd

9:00 am to 5:00 pm Festival Games at Grass Pitches Banks, Texaco & First Caribbean (former Barclays) Field

9:00 am to 6:00 pm Festival Games at Astroturf

7:30 pm – 9:00pm Buffet Dinner - $35.00 - The Ship Inn (Call to book)

9:00 PM UN T IL TALENT EVENING - The Ship Inn – Participants with ID FREE

Wednesday 23rd

9:00 am to 5:00 pm Festival Games at Grass Pitches Banks, Texaco & First Caribbean

9:00 am to 11:00 pm Festival Games at Astro-Turf

7.30 pm – 10:00pm “Carry your own Key” a.k.a KARAOKE - Astro Turf

Thursday Aug. 24th

9:00 am to 1:00pm Festival Games at Grass Pitches Banks, Texaco & First Caribbean

9:00 am to 1:00pm Festival Games at Hockey Centre

2.00pm - 6.00pm BEACH PARTY – Pebble Beach (Games, Drinks, Music)

ABC well set for semis

by CRAIG COZIER Compliments of the Nation News

A BADD CONNECTION (ABC) men and women continued their unbeaten surge towards semi-final spots in the 21st anniversary edition of the Banks International Hockey Festival yesterday.

ABC men, the defending champions, were given a tough assignment against Scotland's Family Ness before emerging 2-1 victors, their fourth straight win.

Family Ness took a first-half lead but a cracking strike from 17-year-old national player Laurando Davis and a controversial winner from Anthony Trotman sealed a second-half comeback.

The ABC women also made it four wins on the trot with victories over Raiders (2-0) and Paragon (6-0).

Royal Navy and ABC will progress from Pool B, with this morning's 10 a.m. showdown at the Astro Turf between the two deciding the group winner.

Navy also made it four straight with a decisive 3-0 drubbing of Empire yesterday morning.

Old Gold Roosters, the 2006 winners, and Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF), look favourites to emerge from women's Pool A despite mixed results.

Roosters, through a double strike from Tricia Ann Greaves, scored a fine 2-1 win over TTDF in the morning. Jissel Gilbert converted for the Trinidadians.

The Roosters, through their own Trini contingent of Pauline Joseph and Tonya Marie James, went 2-0 up against Deacons later in the afternoon but let it slip and settled for a 2-2 draw.

TTDF men also seem semi-final bound in Pool A, with local teams Maple and Dominion still maintaining interest.

The Trinidadian soldiers have also been dominant in mixed Pool B play and scored a crucial 3-1 win over ABC. Both teams should advance to tomorrow's final four.

There is a four-way battle to progress from mixed Pool A between Roosters, Maple, Dominion and All Stars.

The veterans title will be decided this morning at 9 a.m at Banks' when All Stars meet the Roosters in a virtual final.

Scores (Tuesday and Wednesday):

Men's Pool A: Do Bad Crew 6, Paragon 0; Maple 6, Paragon 1.

Men's Pool B: BDF 4, BUT 1; All Stars 2, Old Gold Roosters 0; ABC 2, Family Ness 1; Old Gold Roosters 3, BUT 1;

Women's Pool A: Old Gold Roosters 2, TTDF 1; Maple 1, Do Bad Crew 0; Old Gold Roosters 2, Deacons 2.

Women's Pool B: Royal Navy 3, Empire 1; Raiders 3, Avengers 1; ABC 6, Paragon 0; ABC 2, Raiders 0;

Mixed Pool A: Old Gold Roosters 3, UWI TT 0; Dominion 2, Vansittarts 0; Dominion 7, YMCA 0; Vansittarts 5, UWI TT 0; Maple 2, All Stars 1; Dominion 1, All Stars 1;

Mixed Pool B: ABC 5, Do Bad Crew 1; Deacons 2, Paragon 0; TTDF 4, Raiders 0; Do Bad Crew 5, Deacons 0 (forfeit); TTDF 3, ABC 1; ABC 2, Riverside 0.

Men's Veterans: Old Gold Roosters 1, Maple 1.

Friday 25th - Semi-Finals Day

9:00 am to 9:00 pm Festival Games at Hockey Centre

HAPPY HOUR/AFTER WORK DRINKUP

by CRAIG COZIER Compliments of the Nation news

HEAVY RAIN played havoc with the Banks International Hockey Festival yesterday but the first champions were crowned before the heavens opened up and today's semi-finals should not be affected.

Old Gold Roosters claimed the veterans title at Banks early yesterday with a classy 2-0 win over All Stars, winners of the previous two years.

Roosters, the lively festival contingent in their tenth tournament, got a goal in each half from their English regular Tim Baggett.

Baggett deflected from close range after good work down the left flank by former national Ralph Watson to give the Roosters a 1-0 lead at the half.

He added his second midway through the second period with a clinical strike from the top of the D.

All Stars, with their title ambitions washed away, were also toppled later in the day by New York Islanders, who ended as runners-up.

The men's semi-finals are set with 2003 and 2004 champions Dominion earning a place after a contentious victory over fellow local team Maple on Wednesday night.

Maple, needing a win or draw

to take second place in Pool A, were 1-0 down with 13 minutes to play when the sending off of captain Tyrone Walkes by umpire Colton Slocombe sparked a walk-off by the west coast club.

The match was correctly awarded to Dominion even though a cooled-down Maple belatedly wanted to complete the match later.

Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) finished with a 3-0 win over countrymen Paragon yesterday morning ensuring they topped Pool A.

A Badd Connection (ABC) secured Pool B top spot with a 2-0 victory over All Stars on Wednesday night. National representatives Dave Cox and Neil Franklyn provided the goals.

All Stars beat Family Ness 2-1 in the late-night fixture to virtually secure their advance in second place.

ABC, seeking their fifth men's crown, battles Dominion while TTDF faces All Stars in the semi-finals. ABC's women blanked Royal Navy 5-0 yesterday to emerge as Pool B winners but the Navy girls also advance as runners-up.

Pool A is more interesting with defending champs Old Gold Roosters in pole position but Maple, TTDF and Do Bad Crew are still in with a chance.

Roosters are already through in mixed Pool A, after a 5-0 win over Vansittarts Wedensday night. The match was marred by a nasty injury to Vansittarts Barry Thomas, who badly dislocated his right elbow in defending a penalty corner.

However Thomas was back in festival spirit yesterday at the 'Turf' to cheer on fellow English representatives, the Royal Navy.

Maple's mixed team is favoured to join Roosters although All Stars maintain hope.

Two teams which have dominated the 2006 festival have advanced from Mixed Pool B with TTDF topping that group ahead of ABC.

Scores (late Wednesday and Thursday):

Men Pool A: Dominion 1, Maple 0; TTDF 3, Paragon 0.

Men Pool B: ABC 2, All Stars 0; All Stars 2, Family Ness 1.

Women Pool A: no matches.

Women Pool B: ABC 5, Royal Navy 0.

Mixed Pool A: Old Gold Roosters 5, Vansittarts 0.

Mixed Pool B: Do Bad Crew 2, Raiders 2; TTDF 1, Paragon 0.

Men Veterans: Old Gold Roosters 2, All Stars 0; NY Islanders 0, Maple0; NY Islanders 2, All Stars 1.

Today's fixtures (at the Astro Turf):

9 a.m. Deacons v Maple (WA)

9:45 a.m. All Stars v BDF (MB)

10:30 a.m. Roosters v Family Ness (MB)

11:15 a.m. Do Bad Crew v TTDF (WA)

Noon Roosters v All Stars (MXA)

12:45 p.m. Maple v YMCA (MXA)

Semi-finals

1:30 p.m. TTDF v tba (Mixed semi)

3 p.m. ABC v tba (Mixed semi)

4: 30 p.m. ABC v tba (Women's semi)

6 p.m. ABC v Dominion (Men's semi)

7:30 p.m. Royal Navy v tba (Women's semi)

9 p.m. TTDF v All Stars (Men's semi)

Saturday 26th - Finals Day

9:00 am to 8:00 pm Festival Games at Hockey Centre

Presentation and Closing Ceremony

by CRAIG COZIER Compliments of the Nation News

TWO POWERHOUSES of the 2006 Banks International Hockey Festival, A Badd Connection (ABC) and Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) gained berths in the mixed final with contrasting wins in yesterday's semis at the Wildey Astroturf Facility.

TTDF, a club which has missed only a handful of the 21 Festivals, mauled All Stars 7-0 in the first semi-final. ABC were made to work much harder before edging past a determined Old Gold Roosters side by a single goal.

ABC made it a double over the Roosters when the women won the first semi-final later in the day, winning 3-0. The goals were scored by Allison Haynes, Maria Browne, and Kecia Jones.

ABC will face either Royal Navy or Maple, who met last night in the other semi-final.

First semi-final

The ABC outfit had the chance to keep alive their dreams of a treble hen the men faced Dominion in last evening's first semi-final.

TTDF, whose only title was in the mixed back in 1997, advertised their strength in this format with an awesome performance against the Stars, who defeated earlier in the day had Roosters 2-0 to qualify from their Pool.

Nicole Aming's reverse stick conversion from close range started the rout and Keshen Johnson, with a similar effort, and Nicholas Wren made it 3-0 at the half. All Stars' best attacks came through Dario Jordan playingup front, but the TTDF made sure the Bajan team found no way back.

Wren added a fourth while Johnson and Aming, with a penalty stroke, also added to their first half tally. Krizzia Lane completed the scoring.

ABC's path was less straight-forward and Neil Franklyn's drag flick from a penalty corner early in the second half was enough to see his team through.

ABC and TTDF meet in today's mixed final at 2 p.m. in a re-match of their group fixture which the Trinidadians had won 3-1. TTDF and All Stars also clashed in last night's men's semi-finals with the local team expected to put up a stronger peformance than in the mixed.

FINALS 2006

by CRAIG COZIER compliments of the Nation News

A BADD CONNECTION (ABC) dominated finals day at the Banks International Hockey Festival yesterday as they tasted double success

with victory in the mixed and women's competitions at the Astro Turf of the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex.

Their first title came from the mixed team, who finally prevailed 3-2 over Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) in a highly-entertaining encounter.

The women then wrapped up their third Festival crown, and first since 2000, with a comprehensive 4-0 thrashing of Maple. Allison Haynes began the rout with a cracking blast from the left side that took ABC into half-time 1-0 up.

Patrina Brathwaite added an equally crisp strike from a penalty corner to double the lead early in the second period.

Caribbean Hockey

Sporting islands

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