Euro Hockey League News - 18th March 2009

In this issue:
EHL: KO16 Hamburg – Three weeks to go!
EHL: Dutch broadcaster Net 5 announces comprehensive KO16 coverage
NETHERLANDS: Amsterdam H&BC edge nearer to Bloemendaal
ENGLAND: Cannock face fight for EHL 2009-10 Qualification
BELGIUM: Ducks crowned Champions despite first defeat
IRELAND: Three Rock international players available for KO16 challenge
SPAIN: Club Egara top La Liga on goal difference
WORLD NEWS: “Self Pass” included in FIH Rules of Hockey 2009

EURO HOCKEY LEAGUE: KO16 Hamburg – Three weeks to go!
It is just over three weeks until the start of KO16 Hamburg, the hugely anticipated event that combines the second and third rounds of the Euro Hockey League. The 16 finest teams in Europe are entering the final stages of their preparation in the knowledge that they are just two matches away from a place in the EHL semi finals.

The event takes place in Germany at Uhlenhorster Hockey Club Hamburg between Friday 10th and Monday 13th April 2009, and will include Europe’s best teams in Knock-Out action. Many of the game’s greatest talents will be on show, including the three most recent winners of the WorldHockey Player of the Year Award: Teun de Nooijer (2006 – HC Bloemendaal), Jamie Dwyer (2007 – HC Bloemendaal) and Pol Amat (2008 – Club Egara). These and many more superstars of the game will be fighting hard to take their respective clubs to European glory in the world’s finest club hockey competition.

Tickets are still available for KO16 Hamburg, so you still have a chance to witness one of the most exciting spectacles in European club hockey. To purchase online tickets, simply visit the Ticketing & Accommodation section of www.ehlhockey.tv, click the link and follow the instructions.

EHL: Dutch broadcaster NET 5 announces comprehensive KO16 coverage!
In a move which has delighted Dutch Euro Hockey League fans, Netherlands-based television channel NET 5 has announced that they will be broadcasting action from KO16 Hamburg for four hours each day for the duration of the tournament. The broadcasts will go out between 12.30 and 16.30 from Friday 10th to Monday 13th April, and will feature a combination of live coverage, highlights and interviews.

NETHERLANDS: Amsterdam H&BC edge nearer to Bloemendaal
Despite scoring all three goals, H.C. Bloemendaal’s star pairing of Teun de Nooijer (2) and Jamie Dwyer could not secure a home victory over SCHC at the weekend. Bloemendaal showed a rare dip in form and mid-table SCHC claimed a 3-3 draw which allowed second-placed Amsterdam H&BC to narrow the lead at the top of the Rabo Hoofdklasse. Amsterdam scored a crushing 8-2 victory over Den Bosch to close the gap to just two points at the top of the table. Will Amsterdam and Bloemendaal both hit top form at KO16?

ENGLAND: Cannock face fight for EHL 2009-10 Qualification
Two time Euro Hockey League qualifiers Cannock HC are facing a fight to secure their place in next season’s competition following a 5-3 defeat against high-flying Beeston in the Slazenger England Hockey League at the weekend. The loss is a huge blow to their dreams of competing in their third straight Euro Hockey League competition, forcing them outside the all-important top three places with just two games left to play. The team will be hoping to return to winning ways ahead of their KO16 clash against Dutch giants HC Bloemendaal, who recorded a 5-2 victory against the Englishmen in Round 1a.

BELGIUM: Ducks crowned Champions despite first defeat
Waterloo Ducks HC fell to their first VW Hockey League defeat of the season but were still crowned champions due to KHC Leuven’s shock loss against Leopold. The high-flying Ducks went down 6-4 to Racing – a team still in with a chance of qualifying for next season’s Euro Hockey League – ending an incredible undefeated run that lasted 18 matches and included 17 victories this season.

IRELAND: Three Rock internationals available for KO16 Challenge
The Three Rock Rovers squad that will compete in KO16 Hamburg will be completely unaffected by Ireland A's international Series against Belgium U-21's between the 7th and 9th of April. The news comes as a huge boost for the Dubliners ahead of their crucial EHL Round 2 clash with KHC Leuven of Belgium.

SPAIN: Club Egara top La Liga on goal difference
Club Egara have the slenderest of leads at the top of the Princess Hockey Liga thanks to a convincing 7-0 win over C.D. Terrassa on home soil. The triumph puts the EHL side in first place on goal difference, leap-frogging local rivals Atletic Terrassa who were 3-1 winners away at Atletic San Sebastian. Egara are still unbeaten in all competitions this season, form which suggests that they will be a team to fear at KO16 Hamburg.

WORLD NEWS: "Self Pass" included in FIH Rules of Hockey 2009
It’s official! Following its staggering success in the EHL, the “self pass” has now been introduced into the FIH Rules of Hockey as a “mandatory experimental rule”. The guidelines come into effect internationally on May 1st 2009, with national associations having the discretion to decide the date of implementation at national level.

You can find more information about these and other stories at www.ehlhockey.tv – the official website of the Euro Hockey League.

info  by Euro Hockey League 

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