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For
Immediate Release – August 03, 2004
Contact: Jody Meacham, 408 / 288-2934, jody@sjsa.org
SAN JOSE (August 3, 2004) – For
the first time since they began in 1931, the Men’s
Hardball Roller Hockey World Championship will come to
the United States when San Jose hosts the event one year
from now.
The championships, which occur every
two years, will bring the top 16 national teams in the
world to
the Event
Center at San Jose State University beginning Aug.
6, 2005 for a week of competition in a non-contact version
of hockey faster than that played on ice or on in-line
skates.
"These world championships will be
a fantastic event for San Jose, and they continue our
city’s
tradition – established
with events such as the men’s and women’s
soccer World Cups – as the focal point for international
sports in the Bay Area," said Dean Munro,
executive director of the San Jose Sports Authority.
Hardball
roller hockey, played in 60 countries worldwide,
is usually played on a wood floor. A goaltender and four
skaters using traditional roller skates are on the
floor
at one time. A world championship game consists of
two 20-minute halves.
"Roller Hockey teams from around
the world have wanted to come to the United States
for many years to
play in
a World Championship," said Ruben Leni,
chairman of the 2005 Roller Hockey World Championship
Organizing Committee. "Hosting the world in San Jose
will give us the opportunity to showcase our sport
and to leave a legacy for future roller hockey players."
Although
the International Roller Sports Federation is recognized
by the International Olympic Committee
as the world governing body for all sports occurring
on roller skates including figure skating, speed
skating, inline hockey and hardball roller hockey, only
roller
hockey has been included in an Olympics. It was a
sold-out exhibition sport in Barcelona in 1992. Portugal
is
the defending world champion in this sport, defeating
Italy
1-0 in the second overtime of the championship game
of the tournament played in Oliveira de Azemeis, Portugal.
Spain won the bronze medal over Argentina, and the
U.S.
team finished 13th with a 3-3 record.
"USA Roller
Sports is very proud to host this championship," said
George
Kolibaba, chairman of the board and president
of the national federation, which successfully bid
for the event. "Hardball hockey is the dominant form
of
the sport in Europe, and we’ve had several good
U.S. teams, but until now we haven’t had the
opportunity in our country to display our sport at
the highest level.
San Jose has given us that opportunity to put on
a show."
The 2005 Men’s
Hardball Roller Hockey World Championship are among
more than 120 sports events brought to the
city by the San Jose Sports Authority. Visit our website
at www.sjsa.org. |
