I N V I T A T I O N : FESTIVAL OF UNDERWATER HOCKEY

The South African Underwater Hockey Federation cordially invites you to participate in the 2005 Southern Hemisphere Underwater Hockey Championship.

This prestige tournament will be hosted at the world renowned Kings Park Swimming Pool in Durban from 20th - 28th March 2005.

CATEGORIES

Teams for the following categories are invited to participate in the tournament.

ELITE : Ladies Men
UNDER 23 : Ladies Men
UNDER 19 : Girls Boys
MASTERS : Ladies Men

DATES

Proposed warm-up dates : Sunday, 20th TO Wednesday 23rd March 2005
Proposed tournament dates : Thursday, 24th TO Monday, 28th March 2005

CONFIRMATION OF ENTRIES

It would be greatly appreciated if the respective Underwater Hockey Federations could advise the SAUHF which categories they intend entering before 20th November 2004.

COSTS

The tournament fee has been set at R500.00 per player.
AUS ±$109 as at 28 October 2005
NZ ±$117 as at 28 October 2005

The entry fees include all pool fees and the final presentation, dinner and dance.


PUKS

Tournament puks will be made available to participating teams in due course. The surface of the Kings Park swimming pool consists of tiles approximately 200mm X 100mm in size with a ±10mm grouting between tiles.

PLAYING SCHEDULE

The playing schedule can only be drawn up once all entries have been received and confirmed. In the interests of providing players with as much playing time and international exposure as possible; each team may be scheduled to play three games per day - especially if other countries (eg France, Holland, USA) express and interest in participating in the Southern Hemisphere Championships. Please see the section below titled "Festival of Underwater Hockey".

The length of the games can also only be determined once all entries have been confirmed. The games will either be 30 minutes [2 x 15 minute halves] or 40 minutes [4 x 10 minute quarters] in duration.


FESTIVAL OF UNDERWATER HOCKEY

The South African Underwater Hockey Federation would further like to extend an invitation to Australian and New Zealand teams and players interested in participating in the South African Interclub Tournament which takes place at the same venue immediately prior (17th - 19th March 2005) to the Southern Hemisphere Championships.

The South African Interclub Tournament is the world's biggest Underwater Hockey tournament with as many as sixty teams having participated in past events. There are usually four men's leagues and two ladies leagues.

The SAUHF would also like to open invitations to BOTH tournaments to other countries and international teams in an effort to attract as many players as possible to congregate for a "festival of underwater hockey". Learn from each other and gain tremendous experience. However, only Australia, New Zealand and South Africa will be legible to play for the SHC trophies and medals.