India National Championship
| Indian Ice Hockey Championship | |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Founded | 2001 |
| No. of teams | 8 |
| Country(ies) |  India
|
| Most recent champion(s) | Indian Army |
| Official website | icehockeyindia.com |
The Indian National Championship is the national ice hockey competition in India. It was first contested in 2001. The national championship is composed of military teams.
Champions
- 2016: Indian Army
- 2015: ?
- 2014: Ladakh Scouts RS
- 2012-2013: unknown
- 2011: Indo-Tibetan Border Police (invitational tournament held in October 2010)[1]
- 2010: Indo-Tibetan Border Police[2]
- 2009: Ladakh Scouts
- 2008: Rimo Club Leh
- 2006: Indian Army Red (news release: "LEH, Jan 31: Army Red defeated J&K Blue by a solitary goal to lift the Ice Hockey Championship, the final of which was played at Biamathang Ice Hockey rink at Kargil today.")[3]
- 2005: Indian Army Red
- 2002: Ladakh Scouts
- 2001: Jammu & Kashmir Red Team
Other Championships
Kargil Open Ice Hockey and Skating Championship
There was an ice hockey tournament staged in Kargil in January 2009.[4] A team of foreigners, known as "Vermont, USA" won the tournament. The "Vermont" team won the first game 10-2, the second 9-1, and the finals 9-0.
There was some controversy about which team got to meet Vermont in the finals. In the previous game, a goal dispute had to be broken up by the local police. A team felt they had scored a goal, which was called off, and the team protested the game, which never finished. This dispute lasted for a full 24 hours, requiring mediation from local officials. The dispute was resolved the following day, with the goal being disallowed and the teams playing less than 5 minutes to resolve their match. The mini-game ended with no score, and the game ended the way the dispute began. The team that had been complaining refused to pay their entry fee as a result. They had lost to our team, and were not in the finals. Originally, the Vermont team was going to play SECMOL boys in the men's final, even though they hadn't played a single game in the tournament. After the disputed game was resolved, Vermont played the winner of this game after hours of delay.
Indo Canadian Friendship Cup
A February 2009 blog post noted the following: "For almost a decade now, members of the Canadian High Commission (Embassy) in Delhi have been coming up to Leh, Ladakh in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. They have been participating in a friendly tournament, the Indo-Canadian Friendship Cup, with local hockey teams, and have been bonding over the sport of ice hockey in the only region in India where ice forms naturally."
The final match between the Canadian team and a Jammu & Kashmir All-Star team was not completed due to poor weather conditions. The game was stopped in the second period with the score tied.
Drass Championship
The first Drass Ice Hockey Championship was played at the hockey rink in Bhimbak, starting on January 28, 2010. The tournament was organized by Your Welfare Association, Drass, in collaboration with 56 Mountain Brigade would conclude on February 1. Organizing secretary of the championship, Mohammad Amin, said that aim of the tournament was to promote winter sports in Drass.[5]
Inter-Village Tournament
Quote from a local newspaper: "Tangste (Ladakh), Dec 16, 2014: The Indian Army's Chusul Brigade organised an inter-village ice hockey tournament here on Sunday under the aegis of the Trishul Division. Ice hockey is a popular sport in Ladakh and particularly during the winter, the local youth take to the game as their favourite occupation. The sports is held on frozen water bodies during winter. The tournament, named after Stanzin Odzes, the 23-year-old woman officer cadet from Ladakh who died of snakebite last year while training in a jungle near Chennai, is a part of Operation Sadbhavna to encourage local talent in sports. The tournament saw participation of 12 teams from local schools and the local Lalok Sports Association actively involved itself with the initiative. The players displayed their skill and enthusiasm during the matches and a large number of people turned up at the venues to cheer their favourite teams. The occasion also saw cultural programmes being organised by local artistes who presented traditional Ladakhi dances and armymen performing Bhangra dance. The final match of the tournament will be played on December 17 and it will be followed by the prize-distribution ceremony."[6]
CEC Ice Hockey Championship
In 2009, the 2nd CEC Ice Hockey Championship was staged in Leh at the Karzu Ice Rink. On January 13, it was reported that Skara won the first match of the tournament 8-0. The second match between the Ladakh Scouts Blue and Lalok Sports Club ended as a 10-0 decision for the former club.[7]
On January 11, 2012, it was reported that the 5th CEC Ice Hockey Championship was set to begin in Leh, at the Karzu Ice Rink, hosted by the Ladakh Winter Sports Club in collaboration with the Youth Affairs and Sports Department. It was a seven day tournament and the first match was won by Skara Team and Ladakh Scouts Blue, with the former winning 4-3. The final was won by the Ladakh Scouts Red over the Indo-Tibetan Border Police 4-0.[8]
- Known winners
- 2012: Ladakh Scouts Red
Chief Minister Trophy
Also known as the Chief Minister's Ice Hockey Cup, this competition was first staged in 1998.
- 2000: Ladakh Scouts
- 2001: Ladakh Scouts
- 2003: Ladakh Scouts
- 2004: Indian Army Red (defeated Sputnik Sports Club 7-1 in the final)
- 2005: Indian Army Red (14 teams participated - 7 teams in the men's section, 3 teams in the women's section and 4 in the sub-junior section. Army Red won the cup after beating Rimo Club 3-2 in the final.)
Inter-Club Tournament
Also known as the Inter Club Championship.
- 1999: Spituk
- 2000: Star SC
- 2005: Skara Red Club
- 2006: Rimo Club Leh
- 2007: Rimo Club Leh1
- 2012: Skara United defeated Samrah Club 3-2. Game was played at Karzu Ice Rink.
National Winter Games
- 1998: Jammu & Kashmir Red Team
- 2000: Jammu & Kashmir Red Team
- 2004: Indian Army
- 2008: Jammu & Kashmir Blue Team
Photographs
The Canadian and Indian players from the 2009 Indo Canadian Friendship Cup.
Action from the 2009 Indian National Championship.
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Notes
- IIHF listed Rimo Club Leh as Indian national champions for 2007. It appears they earned this honor by winning the Inter-Club Championship, which was likely held in lieu of the official National Championship.
References
- ↑ [tt_news=5977&cHash=0cbc058e8c811d82f3e9b6dc659798ce IIHF - 2011 Champions]
- ↑ [tt_news=4844&cHash=be394a9789503c3fbfa4a7b8b69adf97 IIHF - 2010 Champions]
- ↑ India
- ↑ Ice Hockey in Ladakh, Part 2: Kargil Tournament
- ↑ season 2009-2010
- ↑ India (Ladakh-Leh-Himalayas)
- ↑ 2nd CEC Cup, Ice Hockey Championship
- ↑ CEC Ice Hockey Championship 2012 begins at Leh
- HockeyArchives
- IIHF Champions List