Most of the foreign players have arrived and the stage is set for the fourth annual Diamond Mineral Water Indoor Hockey Festival which gets cracking this afternoon with four matches at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The National Under-21 squad currently in training for next year’s Junior Pan American men’s championships in Trinidad and Tobago will go into action against Malvern Hockey of the twin-island republic in the Festival’s opener set to start at 15:30.

This match will feature defending ladies champions Raiders of Trinidad and Tobago against their countrywomen Malvern at 16:20 followed by Everest Hikers against Old Fort men at 17:10 and Guyana’s indoor champions Georgetown Cricket Club versus Notre Dame of (T&T) at 18:00.

Players began arriving in the country as early as Tuesday morning and according to Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) President all the players should be here by Friday morning.

While some of the top players from the region will be showcased, some former nationals of Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago will be rolling back the years in the veterans’ tournament sponsored by Carib Beer.

Old Old Fort comprising several former Guyanese national players now residing in the United States and Canada are here to battle against Guyana’s Carib Degenerates, and Trinidadian teams Malvern and defending champions Fatima.

The Old Old Fort team founded by former President of the (GHB) Cecil “Skip” Roberts in the late 70s will have their eyes set on the title and first prize of $500 US.

The team includes former national under-21 captain Ian Nicholson, Brian Hope, a former national striker and now a qualified coach and umpire in the USA, Jeremy Roberts, former national vice captain and Audwin Graham, a former senior and under-21 goalkeeper. They will be supported by locally-based former national striker Gavin Hope

The Carib Degenerates will have its share of former junior and senior nationals including David Fernandes, Gregory Sills, Troy Peters, James Mentore, Triston Gomes, Azad DeAbreu and Derek “Strong-Dance” Smith.

Malvern will feature former Guyanese national striker Charles Carter.

The veterans’ tournament will bully off tomorrow with Fatima playing Old Old Fort at 10:30, while Degenerates will come up against Malvern at 17:00.

All the local teams will be aiming to win the tournament for the first time; Everest Hikers men and GCC women came closest, both losing in the finals in previous tournaments.

The tournament’s main sponsors are Demerara Distillers Ltd., bottlers of Diamond Mineral Water and Ansa McAl Ltd. distributors of Carib Beer.