New Zealand Inline Hockey are delighted to announce that Team New Zealand have won the IIHF Inline Hockey Asia-Oceania Qualification Championship held in New Plymouth April 21 - 23. We congratulate all teams, Team Japan, Team Chinese Taipei and Team India and thank them for attending. The final game between New Zealand and Japan ended in a 5-3 win to New Zealand, sealing the outcome and allowing New Zealand back into the IIHF World Championships being held in Slovaklia in 2017. Box scores can be found on the IIHF website.
On behalf of our association and the operations team a huge thank you to our team of volunteers who supported the scorebench,assisted with goaljudging, announcing, administration, team supervision and preparation for the event. Special mention to our young flag bearers who led the teams onto the floor before each game during the National Anthems. Sport Taranaki, Venture Taranaki, New Plymouth District Council, Mayor and Councillors our sincerest thank you for your support towards the event. You all contributed to the successful hosting in New Plymouth and eventual outcomes.
A very special thank you to Dr. Gordon Tam, who provided his medical expertise during the event as required during practices and game time. We are indebted to your commitment.
And finally to our coach, Bevan Varney, the team manager, Pete Shields and the players, Lewis Taiapa, Adam Soffer, Sam Kay, Julian Beardman, Sam Beardman, Scott Collins, Daniel Reason, Tim Craig, James O'Donnell, Sam Hill, Alex Novak, Ritchie Hopkinson, Liam Shields, Ben Thompson, Paul Jameson, Aaron Stockman with Dan Garrow assisting from the bench, congratulations for a job well done, a committed group focussed on an outcome, a wonderful achievement.