2025 Viking Cup Inline Hockey Tournament – Saturday

Australia Day Long Weekend is the traditional time for the North Vikings Inline Hockey Club, based at the Gawler Recreation Centre, Adelaide, South Australia to hold their annual Viking Cup multi-day tournament and this year was no different. One major difference to this year’s competition was the inclusion of teams from Western Australia (WA), bringing some formidable talent and experience. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday would see the Junior (Under 11 with 4 teams and Under 15 with 3 teams) divisions and Masters (with 3 teams of experienced older players) compete in round robin games before finals culminating on Friday. Division 1 (the highest grade, with 4 teams), Division 2 (7 teams), Division 3 (6 teams), Division 4 (3 teams), Under 17 (2 teams) and Womens Division (3 teams) competed on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Games comprise two 20 minute halves with a minute break between. Teams can have as little as 3 skaters plus a goaltender to as many skaters plus goaltender as they want.

Viking Cup rules state that for junior players to play in adult divisions they must first compete in their age specific divisions first, which meant some kids would be competing in both Under 17 division and then also in the higher adult divisions with some having to play 5 and even 6 games (in the case of players being both skaters and goaltenders) in the one day! Many players played in multiple Divisions, eg Div1/Div2, or Div2/Div3, or Under 17/Div2 or Under 17/Div2/Div1! For the WA entrants to make the expense of travelling such a long way worthwhile, their Division 1 players were allowed to also play in Division 2…which could make it difficult for Division 3 level players in Division 2 teams being confronted with Division 1 players…..hmmm. With only two Under 17 teams represented (North Gawler Viking and Blackwood Blaze) they would contest a best-of-5 game series. Most other teams would play at least 4 round robin games and have at least one final (except for the bottom team in Division 2). Division 2 fielded the most teams (7 teams including 2 from WA with their players also playing in Division 1).

Games photos shown here are from the Saturday of the tournament. Photos displayed are just some of those taken or available, contact me for others.

When selecting a photo to view, click on a thumbnail, and then click on the single thumbnail that appears to view the larger image (larger photos available off site).

All Under 17 (except for the last game) and Pelicans Division 2 game photos taken by Karen Kutsche.