Sports

Excitement building as countdown to puck drop nears

By Don Fennell

Published 10:40 PST, Thu March 5, 2020

Last Updated: 2:00 PDT, Fri March 20, 2020

The countdown is officially on.

In just over three weeks, the puck will drop on the 2020 CARHA Hockey World Cup in Richmond.

The largest international recreational hockey tournament on the planet, this year’s event from March 29 to April 3 will bring together more than 140 teams from 15 countries around the globe.

“We’re very excited to be bringing the CARHA Hockey World Cup back to Canada’s West Coast for the first time since 2000, when the tournament was hosted in Vancouver,” says CARHA spokesperson Tyler Broderick. “It’s such a beautiful part of our country and we can’t wait for our participants to experience all the City of Richmond has to offer.”

Built on an Olympic-themed approach, the week-long tournament is organized every four years in a select Canadian city and attracts participants from all across Canada, the United States, Asia and Europe. This year, upwards of 3,000 players will take to the ice in Richmond.

The last tournament, held in 2016 in Windsor, Ont., featured 2,500 players. The games attracted 40,000 spectators and brought in more than $10 million in economic impact. The tournament previous to that, held in 2020 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. was attended by 45,000 spectators and resulted in $9 million in economic impact. The 2000 tournament in Vancouver featured 4,500 players, attracted 15,000 spectators and pumped $12 million into the local economy. Ninety-six teams participated in the inaugural tournament held in Toronto in 1996.

The 2020 tournament will mark the first time the Czech Republic will be represented.

“In general, we’re just ecstatic to see the passion from so many great countries around the world, and to see such a wide representation of hockey players and fans from all corners of the globe,” Broderick says. “Finland, in particular, has a crazy 26 teams participating this time around. That’s unprecedented for an international country.”

CARHA (which stands for Canadian Adult Recreational Hockey Association) is a national not-for-profit sport organization dedicated to providing resources and benefits to the adult recreational and oldtimers hockey market.

The Opening Ceremonies of the Molson Canadian CARHA Hockey World Cup March 29 will welcome all participants to Richmond.

The event players the chance to make new friends and re-connect with old ones in true Canadian fashion all the while enjoying live entertainment and interactive activities.

The ceremonies are set to begin 5 p.m. at the Richmond Olympic Oval, where participants can enjoy a cocktail reception with food and drink until 6:30 p.m., at which point they'll begin their route on the Parade of Athletes. At the conclusion of the parade, participants will re-enter the Richmond Olympic Oval where the party continues.

The Closing Ceremonies provide the opportunity for athletes, guests, volunteers and organizers to come together to celebrate the success of the event. It's one last party before the conclusion of the event.

The closing of the 2020 tournament will begin at 6 p.m. April 4, also at the Richmond Olympic Oval, and is gala style with tables organized by team. Dinner is being served between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m., after which we'll have a video presentation and speeches, which is set to conclude with the band starting to play and the party continuing for hours.


Photo courtesy CARHA


A full list of the teams that will compete in this year's CARHA Hockey World Cup is below.


Molson Ultra (19+):

•Roadhouse (ON)

•Palkaneen Iukko (FIN)

•Calgary Hornets (AB)

•Nummelan KikkoVeljet (FIN)

•Simpsons (MB)

•Epscan (BC)


Red Bull (19+):

RAF Aces (UK)

•Ciapett (SWI)

•HC Mehtimakelainen (FIN)

•Dragons Switzerland (SWI)

•SOHO HC (FIN)

•Phantoms (BC)


Coors Light (30+):

•HC Torpedo (RUS)

•Burnaby Fire Dep’t (BC)

•Cowboys (BC)

•Team X (BC)


iPLAYHOCKEY.ca (30+):

•Dangleberries (BC)

•HC Baletky (CZE)

•Mr Taxi (FIN)

•Team Jelen (SVN)

•Fat Bastards (FIN)

•Kampin Karjut (FIN)


Gadar Promotions (35+):

•Greenline Yachts (SVN)

•West Wings (BC)

•HT Cream (FIN)

•West Hockey (FIN)

•Sioux Lookout Aces (ON)

•Nestorit (FIN)

•HC Luzern Srs (SWI)

•Pesinmaan Kisa (FIN)


Stanley’s Bar & Grill (35+):

•St. Moritz Selection (SWI)

•Swiss Polar Bears (SWI)

•AC Beduins 35 (FIN)

•Espoo Snails (FIN)


Cyclone Taylor Sports (40+):

•Osteraker Vets (SWE)

•Terrace Canucks (BC)

•Lethbridge Leafs 40+ (AB)

•Transgund 40s (SWE)

•Lloydminster Neversweats 40 (AB)

•NSWC Angels (BC)


Charter Bus Lines (40+):

Pitea VIP (SWE)

•Hopoki (FIN)

•Classics (BC)

•BIK Karlskoga (SWE)

•Italia Veterans (ITA)

•Border Guard Finland (FIN)


Molson Canadian (45+):

•SKA (RUS)

•Alta Tigers (SWE)

•Valley Vermin (BC)

•Vasby Legends (SWE)

•Val d’Or Oldtimers 45 (QC)

•Dubinet (SWI)


Keener Jerseys (45+):

•Arsenal (UKR)

•Lethbridge Leafs (AB)

•Seattle Wolves (USA)

•Sollentuna (SWE)

•Helsinki Vikings (FIN)

•Ladner Fishermen (BC)


River Rock Casino (45+):

•Muumiot (FIN)

•Lordco Islanders (BC)

•HC Luzern Veterans (SWI)

•AC Beduins 45 (FIN)


Tourism Richmond (50+):

•Traktor (RUS)

•Grad (RUS)

•Disepapat (FIN)

•Old Foxes (FIN)

•Hammarby 50 (SWE)

•Windsor Lightning (ON)


Richmond Hotel Destination Association (50+):

•Transgund 50 (SWE)

•Orebro (SWE)

•Osteraker Vets 50+ (SWE)

•Ft McMurray Sudseekers (AB)

•Voodoos Val d’Or (QC)

•Sioux Aces (ON)



Richmond Sport Hosting (50+):

•Holm’s Slakhawks (BC)

•HC Icebreakers (FIN)

•Fitchburg 50s (USA)

•Micro Age (ON)

•Arsenal 50+ (UKR)

•Tri City Dinos (ON)


Global BC (50+):

•Dragons (SVN)

•Flintstone Flyers (SCO)

•Black Sheep (BC)

•Partille (SWE)

•Hockey Show 93 Young (SWI)

•Quesnel Goldpanners (BC)

•SDE Vets (SWE)

•West Hockey 50 (FIN)


Richmond Sentinel (55+):

•Val d’Or 55+ (QC)

•Squamish Bald Eagles (BC)

•Disepapat 55+ (FIN)

•Fraser Valley Farm Boys (BC)

•Galletes EDF Bellechasse (QC)

•Motor City Chrysler (ON)

•Mariners (BC)

•Richmond Vintage Vets (BC)


Vancouver Is Awesome (55+):

•Cornwall Brew Crew (ON)

•Richmond Cowboys (BC)

•Windsor OT (ON)

•St Ukot (FIN)

•La Cage Brassiere (QC)

•North Star Bedding (ON)

•White Rock Nights (BC)

•Wrecking Crew (BC)


Rogers Media:

•Mamut (SVN)

•Hockey Show Old (SWI)

•HC Luzern Oldies & Friends (SWI)

•HC Salem (KAZ)


Lawrie Insurance Group (60+):

•Super Gallette EDFrance (QC)

•IMS Group (USA)

•Hammarby 60+ (SWE)

•Cyclone Taylor Sports (BC)

•Liberte 55 St-Georges (QC)

•Lloydminster Neversweats 60 (AB)


Vancouver Sign Group (60+):

•Les Boys (NS)

•Lindsay Pastimers (ON)

•Fitchburg 60+ (USA)

•Kanata OT (ON)

•Edmonton 60s (AB)

•Transgund Vets 60+ (SWE)


Beausoleil (60+):

•Rusty Cranks (BC)

•Global OT 60+ (UK)

•Stockholm Golden Camels (SWE)

•Mansen Ketut (FIN)


The Foz (65+):

•Peruspumppu (FIN)

•Newmarket Old Capitals (ON)

•Cornwall Seaway Blades (ON)

•Classics (BC)

•FOHA (FIN)

•East-West Pipeline (ON)

•Les Veterans de Beauce (QC)

•Northshore Huskies (ON)


Jimmy Jones (70+):

•North Van Selex (BC)

•Michigan Sting (USA)

•Oslo Oilers 70+ (NOR)

•Vancouver Flames (BC)

•Global Oldtimers 70+ (UK)

•Wynd Breakers (USA)


Lulu Island Winery (Women)

•Roadhouse Women (ON)

•Siouxnami (ON)

•Ka Kamp Ladies (SWI)

•Chicks Hockey (ON)

•VI Sirens (BC)

•Ontario Concrete Cementheads (ON)


Leah Sabourin (Women)

•RAF Pumas (UK)

•SCWHL (BC)

•Hockey Bags (ON)

•Smooth Pucks (BC)

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