Lord Mayor gets his skates on ahead of Friendship Four
Lord Mayor of Belfast Brian Kingston has been getting his skates on amid preparations for the city to host the return of the prestigious Friendship Four ice hockey tournament.
The mayor hit the ice alongside the Belfast Giants to mark 10 weeks until top college teams from the US line out at the SSE Arena in a major sporting and tourism boost for the city.
The tournament attracted 20,000 spectators in its inaugural year and was also televised coast-to-coast in Canada, and in Boston and New York.
It marked the first ever time that competitive NCAA hockey had been played outside North America, with teams competing for vital league points – as well as the honour of lifting the ‘Belpot’ trophy.
The event also helps foster the link between Belfast and her sister city Boston, with an emphasis on promoting educational opportunities in the US for local young people.
The mayor told UTV he might leave the skating to the experts though …
WATCH: Lord Mayor Brian Kingston on the success of the Friendship Four and its return to Belfast
Chairman of the Odyssey Trust Eric Porter said that everyone involved in organising the tournament was keen to see it become an annual event in Belfast’s calendar.
They were also particularly thrilled by the work that went on in local schools, including visits by the college teams.
He added that, after a successful launch last year, the Friendship Four can only continue to grow.
WATCH: Eric Porter on the Friendship Four going from strength to strength
One of the Giants’ newest signings, Boston native Steve Saviano, knows what a big deal the Friendship Four tournament is as he played NCAA hockey when he was at college, albeit closer to home.
“When I was in college at the University of New Hampshire, we would have played exhibition-type tournaments in different parts of the US - but never got to go outside of the US,” he said.
“I couldn’t imagine the experience that would be for the players and the coaches!
“It’s probably a great bonding experience for them, great for their team, and of course to show their university to the world.”
He’s disappointed to have missed the buzz of the inaugural event in Belfast, but says sport fans are once again in for a treat when it returns over Thanksgiving this November.
WATCH: Steve Saviano on the quality and intensity of NCAA hockey and how he's settling into life with the Belfast Giants