The seventh annual Battle of The Queenstown Cup takes place from next Wednesday, 5pm, till next Sunday afternoon.
This year there are six A grade teams, eight B grade teams and three from a new C grade.
Organiser Colin McIntosh says the new grade "opens it up to the players who were wishing they were on the ice the previous years, but weren’t quite at the level".
There’ll again be a majority of local teams, but players are also coming from the United States, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Alexandra.
"The rosters look stacked with talent and every game in every grade is going to be competitive and impactful on the final standings," McIntosh says.
Both last year’s A and B finals were nail-biters with the former seeing "old dogs" Whakatipu Giant — with nine over-40-players — beat former winners Enigma in overtime.
The A grade trophy’s a beer keg capped by an old Koru Club food bowl.
All games are free to watch at the Queenstown Ice Arena — the A grade final’s at 12pm on January 25.
— PHILIP CHANDLER
