Rinks around the Capital Region will be full up this weekend, as the 37th annual Pacific Cup tournament takes over the town for recreational hockey.
Sanctioned by the Canadian Adult Recreation Hockey Association, the fully international event brings in teams from around the Pacific Northwest and across Canada as well as dozens of local squads. They're drawn by the camaraderie, the competition and, for many out-of-towners, the chance to escape the ice and snow and visit moderate Victoria in winter.
“The Pacific Cup Tournament annually attracts the most teams that attend our tournaments held across Canada and with added ice arena availability, we have outstanding registration again this year,” said CARHA spokesperson Lucy Peeling.
The draw, which gets underway today, features men's age categories in five-year increments from 35 and over up to 50-plus. A women's division is also part of the mix, as are three separate 19-over divisions. In total, 143 teams are registered, with more than 2,100 players on their rosters.
Finals in the various divisions go Sunday at rinks around Greater Victoria. Visit carhahockey.ca/pacificcup for team and schedule information.