The Marist Hockey Club (MHC) is preparing to welcome back the Eastgate Memorial Hockey Open tournament, scheduled for next weekend. Celebrating its 27th year, this tournament honors the legacy of Reginald and Dorothy Eastgate.
MHC president Paul Fraser stated that the anticipation has been building, highlighting that the tournament had not taken place since before the COVID-19 pandemic. “The last time we had the tournament was before COVID-19,” he noted. He mentioned that the four-year hiatus was extended due to necessary renovations at the facilities.
The event will kick off on the evening of Friday, September 27, and conclude on Sunday, September 29. It is a significant event on the Fiji Hockey Federation’s calendar and stands out as the only club-hosted tournament in Suva, attracting a wide range of talent from the region.
Fraser revealed that 14 teams from across the country will participate, excluding Levuka, marking this as one of the largest tournaments to date. “This is the biggest tournament in the past and it feels so good to have it back,” he expressed.
This year’s tournament will include eight men’s teams and five women’s teams, featuring the Australian Wanderers, adding an exciting international dimension. The men’s division will showcase clubs like Suva’s Stingers and Ventures, as well as the visiting Nadi Stingers, all competing for the top honors. Marist, the defending champions in the women’s category, will face stiff competition from Ventures, Mates, and the Australian Wanderers, raising the stakes for all participating teams.
The men’s team from Marist aims to make a strong impression, highlighting a mix of scholarship players and core members of their junior program stepping up to the challenge. “It is exciting and we look forward to a thrilling tournament next weekend,” Fraser concluded.