The trio of Defence Force (men's Open), Magnolias (women's Open) and Queen's Park Cricket Club (QPCC) in the veterans Over-40 will put their titles on the line when the 20th edition of the Ventures Hockey Club International Invitational Indoor Hockey Tournament flicks off at the Woodbrook Youth Facility, Hamilton-Holder Street, Woodbrook, Wednesday from 5 pm.
In the men's Open Division, the Army/Coast-Guard combination team who edged QPCC 4-3 on sudden-death penalty-strokes shoot-out after a 2-2 draw to secure the 2024 title will first come up against T&T Police Service, Paragon, Barbadians UWI Black Birds and Notre in their five-team round-robin series from which the top two will advance to the semifinals while T&T Defence Force, Fatima, UWI Lions, Malvern and Saints of Guyana will do battle in Group A for the top two places.
Magnolias lifted last year's women's title courtesy a 5-1 defeat of Paragon and will start a bid for a repeat of their title triumph in tomorrow's opening match of the competition from 5 pm against long-time rival and host club Ventures in Group A before facing T&T Police Service 'A' and UWI Black Birds.
Group B comprises Paragon, T&T Police Service 'B'. Saints and UWI Lions.
In the Veterans Over-40 Division, QPCC, 3-2 winners over Police in last year's decider will come up against Lawmen, Notre Dame and Fatima at the end of which the top team will qualify for the final, while the second and third-placed clubs will meet in the lone semifinal for the right to contest the gold medal contest.
Teams and groupings
Women's Open Division:
Group A: Magnolias, Ventures, TT Police Service 'A', UWI Blackbirds
Group B: Paragon, TT Police Service, Saints, UWI Lions
Men's Open Division:
Group A: TT Defence Force, Saints, Fatima, UWI Lions, Malvern
Group B: QPCC, TT Police Service 'B', Paragon, UWI Blackbirds, Notre Dame
Veterans Over-40: QPCC, TTPS, Notre Dame, Fatima
Tournament Fixures:
Wednesday, January 8:
Women's Open A: Ventures vs Magnolias, 5 pm
Men's Open A: Malvern vs Fatima, 5.45 pm
Women's Open B: TT Police Service 'B' vs Paragon, 6.30 pm
Veterans Over-40: QPCC vs TT Police Service, 7.15 pm
Men's Open A: TT Defence Force vs UWI Lions, 8 pm
Men's Open B: QPCC vs Notre Dame, 8.45 pm
Men's Open B: Paragon vs T&T Police Service, 9.30 pm
Thursday, January 9:
Women's Open B: TT Police Service 'B' vs UWI Lions, 5 pm
Men's Open B: Paragon vs Notre Dame, 5.45 pm
Veterans Over-40: QPCC vs Fatima,6.30 pm
Women's Open A: UWI Black Birds vs TT Police Service 'A', 7.15 pm
Men's Open A: TT Defence Force vs Fatima, 8 pm
Men's Open B: TT Police Service vs UWI Black Birds, 8.45 pm
Men's Open A: Saints vs UWI Lions, 9.30 pm
Friday, January 10:
Men's Open B: QPCC vs Paragon, 5 pm
Women's Open B: UWI Lions vs Paragon, 5.45 pm
Men's Open A: Malvern vs TT Defence Force, 6.30 pm
Veterans Over-40: QPCC vs Notre Dame, 7.15 pm
Men's Open B: UWI Black Birds vs Notre Dame, 8 pm
Women's Open B: TT Police Service 'B' vs Saints, 8.45 pm
Men's Open A: TT Defence Force vs Fatima, 9.30 pm
