Hockey New Zealand looking to grab onlookers from all over in the Champions Trophy

Hockey New Zealand is quite optimistic to attract spectators from all over the globe, in the upcoming Champions Trophy that will be the biggest ever hockey tournament in the country. Owen G. Glenn FIH Champions Trophy, the tournament that moved from India
to New Zealand a few weeks ago, will be played from December 3 to 11, in Auckland.

With four weeks to go, Hockey New Zealand is making final arrangements for the mega event. The eight-day long tournament will be featuring the world’s top teams, Pakistan, Germany, Australia, South Korea, Spain, Great Britain, Netherlands and the host, New
Zealand.

The Champions Trophy is a premier annual event that is also the key tournament of the 2011 calendar-year.

Some 3, 000 people will witness the matches in the North Harbour Hockey Stadium that is being prepared for the mega event.

The Mayor of Auckland, Len Brown, while speaking to the media said that the hosting rights for the mega event were awarded to New Zealand only a few weeks ago.

He, however, applauded Hockey New Zealand’s efforts in making swift arrangements for the tournament.

He observed, “Seventy per cent of the tickets sold to date have been bought by out-of-towners and I have no doubt that these visitors will experience the best that Auckland has to offer when they visit in December”.

24 matches will be contested over a short span of six-days. It is not possible to host a well-organised tournament without a team of committed people.

The Mayor further stated, “We have had 160 volunteers put up their hand to help out – with many of these volunteers willing to work full time throughout the tournament”.

Hockey New Zealand Chief Executive, Hilary Poole, was of the opinion that hockey lovers from across the country wanted to work voluntarily in making the event successful and memorable.

Westlake Girls Hockey Coach, Ian Bartholomew, commented that it did not take him much time in taking a decision to become a volunteer for the tournament.

He further informed that he was working as a coach for the last 30 years and his three sons also play hockey. He is hoping to watch some enthralling and enchanting hockey in the tournament.

The efforts of the committed people will surely deliver and all the teams, as well as the onlookers, will enjoy the upcoming event, Owen G. Glenn FIH Champions Trophy.