Vienna Uni challenges the Oxford Canadians at the Varsity Clash

The Canadians are the ‘travelling team’ of the world's second-oldest hockey club, the Oxford Blues (founded in approximately 1885). They can look back at over 100 years of club history and various achievements in international hockey. Until World War 2, the Canadian hockey players of the British elite university were one of Europe’s most successful hockey clubs. They are 4-time champion of the prestigious Spengler Cup in Davos.

Even the first Canadian national teams featured only players of the Oxford Canadians. It was in those appearances as representatives of the motherland of hockey in which the student club established its logo, the maple leaf. Nowadays Oxford’s hockey players are no more competing among the world’s best and play in the British University Hockey League (still with large parts of the players being from Canada). However, after losing the three previous games at the “Varsity Hockey Clash” the are definitely eager to get back on the winning track.

Vienna University Totonka – A 20-year-old success story

The history of Vienna University Totonka is not as long and prestigious, but they can still look back at 20 years of university hockey; Founded in 1995 by a bunch of hockey lovers, the club has now established itself as one of the biggest amateur clubs in Vienna. The Buffalos have won numerous tournaments and championships in the Viennese regional leagues. In 2012 they even had the honour of facing a national team, as they played a game against the national team of Israel.

Totonka’s A-team (the club has three teams) is composed of cracks from no less than 8 countries, who study at all major universities in Vienna. This season is also the first season of the university hockey club to compete in Vienna’s top hockey league, the Eisner Auto Elite League. Thus far, the students have shown to be a dangerous team on this level as well, as they are currently on 3^rd place in this 3^rd tier Austrian league.

To celebrate the 20 year of existence, the team obviously will want to win against the guests from England. However, it will not be an easy task for the Buffalos to beat Oxford’s university club on Wednesday, 20th of January, at 19.30. The Canadians will also play in Groningen, Munich and Budapest as part of their annual tour through the European continent.

More than 200 spectators attended the Varsity Hockey Clash 2015 and could witness the game in the amazing atmosphere in Vienna’s third district. Also this year, the game will be played outdoor on an ice rink between the ‘Konzerthaus’, a historic concert hall, and Hotel Intercontinental. The teams already can’t wait to display their skills in front of a respectable crowd and to enjoy themselves after the contest at the traditional Players Party.

Vienna Univesity Totonka vs Oxford Canadians
20.01.2016 – 19:30, Wiener Eislaufverein
oxfordicehockey.com
www.totonka.at
www.wev.or.at

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