For three days, the Jean-Bouin ice rink hosted the first ice hockey tournament sponsored by ASECA 2000. Alongside Briançon, the French champion, Chamonix, and Mulhouse, the Eagles were able to prepare in the best way possible for the start of the first division championship.
Nearly four months after organizing the first division U18 World Championship of hockey, the Nice club went all out to set up a three-day tournament. With the presence of Briançon, the reigning French champion, Chamonix, a quarter-finalist, and Mulhouse, a first division club (the second level in France), the Eagles faced top-tier French hockey teams. The program included six matches over three days, with the Nice Eagles playing on Friday and Saturday evenings, and a gala match on Sunday afternoon against the formidable Briançon team.
In terms of organization, this first event was a success according to the Nice club manager Alexandre Duyck: “It’s always complicated when it’s the first time, but we managed to set everything up. The initial feedback is positive, and the invited teams had an enjoyable stay.” The only slight regret was the number of spectators, which fell below the club management’s expectations. About 500 spectators took their seats in the stands of the Jean-Bouin ice rink for the Nice matches on Friday and Saturday nights. On Sunday, for the Nice-Briançon closing match, the stands were a bit fuller with 600 to 700 spectators. The end of the holidays and pleasant weather probably dampened the hockey fans’ enthusiasm…
“There is a desire to renew this tournament in the coming years. We saw with the U18 World Championship that we were capable of organizing a great event. The only question mark, as often, is the delivery of the ice,” adds Alexandre Duyck.
On the sports side, there were no surprises: Briançon, still in the running in the European Cup, won the first edition with three victories in three matches. The Nice team finished third with one win and two losses. Notably, on Sunday, the red and black team put up a strong resistance against the French champions, with a 4-2 defeat at the end of the third period. Before that, Nice struggled against Chamonix (losing 8-4) but easily handled their nemesis, Mulhouse (winning 4-1).
“From a sporting perspective, there is nothing but positives; it’s excellent preparation before the start of the D1 (this Saturday against Toulouse). The recruits did not disappoint, quite the opposite, with an outstanding tournament by our new goalkeeper (the Czech Vojtech Sedlacek). Our goal of a Top 4 finish is far from unattainable,” concluded the manager of Nice Hockey Côte d’Azur.
