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Jawwad Qamar
Moorpark, CA, May 25: The 2007 California Cup International Field Hockey Tournament begins today with play in the Super Divisions on the newly laid artificial surface in the hockey stadium of Moorpark College. 132 teams from six nations will compete in 12 divisions ranging from Mixed Under-9 to Men and Women Super Divisions at the Moorpark College and Cal Lutheran University venues during the four days of the Memorial Day weekend.
This 36th edition of the tournament more popularly known as the Cal Cup, will feature over 1,400 players. The inaugural tournament in 1972 included only six teams and Cal Cup has continuously grown ever since, attracting teams from all over the world. This year, in addition to teams from USA and Canada, there are teams from Argentina, India, Mexico and Taiwan.
While the competition will be exciting through out the tournament, the fiercest action is most likely to take place in the Super Divisions, where both men and women will be competing for the winner take all $5,000 first prize. Ciudad De Buenos Aires of Argentina are the heavy favorites to take their third title in as many appearances in the Men’s Super Division. With an armada of international players led in the past by the mercurial field general Jorge Lombi, the Argentineans are always wonderful to watch. However they will get a run for their money from Namdhari, one of the top club teams of India. The Indian have a young and exciting cast of their own that includes current and former national team players such as striker Dider Singh who was awarded the Ross Rutledge Award for being the highest scorer with 14 goals in the entire Super Division in 2005. Both teams played a memorable semifinal in front of a packed house two year’s ago and with only six teams in the men’s division this year, playing in a round robbin format, the two are likely to face each other in the finals on Monday for all the cash.
The competition in the Women’s Super Division seems wide open with 10 teams playing in two pools to reach the semifinals. Defending champions Monarcas could be in contention again but it all depends on the availability of Marina Di Giacomo, Argentina’s 2004 Olympic Bronze Medalist and the NCAA scoring record holder, for them. Ciudad De Buenos Aires women, consisting of a number of players from Argentina’s junior national squad, are making their first appearance here and will no doubt have a say in the outcome. Malvern from Brooklyn, New York, boasts an international cast that includes two speedy forwards; Petrina Brathwaite (Barbados) and Orie Trotman (Trinidad & Tobago) and are likely to be in the hunt for money on Monday.
“We are once again looking to a great tournament this year,” said Ravi Kanwal, the tournament director. “And are very happy to have a new playing surface and new seating for the fans in the main hockey stadium.”
For hockey schedule, match results and/or directions to the venues, please visit www.calcup.net.