The 4th Annual Pond Hockey Classic Returns to Lake Winnipesaukee

Although an unusually warm winter last year forced the Lakes Region’s event of the season to relocate to a smaller lake due to safety concerns about the ice on Lake Winnipesaukee, this year there is no doubt that the New England Pond Hockey Classic can take place as scheduled on the big lake, and Meredith Bay is already buzzing with activity as the organizers prepare the rinks that will host the region’s biggest pond hockey tournament!

The Pond Hockey Classic has quickly earned a reputation for providing players and fans alike with a traditional, nostalgic, and competitive pond hockey experience. Now in its fourth year, the tournament is fine-tuned and more popular than ever, with the event sold out at 200 teams that will compete for the coveted “WinnipeHockey Cup” on 21 classic rinks next weekend, February 1^st – 3^rd, 2013. Players will be traveling to quaint Meredith Village from as far away as California, Colorado, Illinois, Florida, and various parts of Canada to participate in the 4 v 4 round-robin tournament.

New England Pond Hockey Classic 2012

The weekend kicks off on Thursday, January 31^st with a Welcome Party and Skills Competition on the ice in front of Lago at Bay Point, in conjunction with the tournament’s check in at The Flagship Ballroom at Chase House. Over the weekend, The Common Man will host a Concession Garden in the Old Time Hockey Tournament Village, which also includes the Bauer Hockey Fan Zone as well as players’ locker room tents. A shuttle service will transport players and spectators to and from the event’s parking lots at Hart’s Turkey Farm, just a couple miles away from Tournament Village.

Pond hockey athletes are encouraged to bring their previously used equipment to donate to Restore Hockey, the tournament’s official non-profit sponsor. Restore Hockey cleans and restores the equipment and donates it to children, families, and organizations in need. Says Scott Crowder, PHC Commissioner, “All this stuff that would normally end up in a landfill is ending up on the ice… and a child gets a chance to fall in love with the game.” Restore Hockey also gladly accepts financial donations, which help the organization purchase new equipment for the community. The Pond Hockey Classic is proud to be a supporter of this great cause.

For more information about the New England Pond Hockey Classic or Restore Hockey, please visit the PHC website. Or to book your weekend in Meredith, call the Inns & Spa at Mill Falls at 800-622-6455. Good luck to the PHC teams!

Carrie Reed
The Mill Falls Blogging Team

images courtesy of Pond Hockey Classic