Malaysia to host 2014 Champions Challenge 1 hockey tourney

New Zealand and Spain will be the star attractions at the tournament (Getty Images)

Malaysia will host the 2014 Champions Challenge 1 hockey tournament from April 26 to May 4.

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) recently allotted the eighth edition to the Malaysian Hockey Confederation. The Champions Challenge 1 is an international hockey event played every two years. The winner of this event wins a direct berth to the 2016 Champions Trophy.

The FIH started the concept of Champions Challenge hockey in 2011 in a bid to broaden hockey’s competitive base across the globe. It may be worth mentioning that the women’s Champions Challenge 1 hockey tourney will also be held around the same time next year in Scotland.

The men’s event will be played at the Kuantan Hockey Stadium in Kuantan, the state capital of Pahang, on the Eastern coast of Malaysia. The venue features two playing arenas, one with a capacity of 7,500 spectators for the main field of play and around 3,500 for the second pitch, with blue coloured turf laid out in April 2012 on both fields.

The city has earlier hosted the 2009 Asia Cup as well as the 2012 Hockey World League round 1 event.

As many as eight teams will feature in the nine-day tourney. World number five New Zealand will be the top-ranked side in the event, followed by joint 6th ranked Spain and Korea, 12th ranked South Africa, 13th ranked Malaysia, 14th ranked Canada, 15th ranked Ireland and 16th ranked Japan.

The inaugural Champions Challenge 1 men’s hockey tournament was first held in 2001 in Kuala Lumpur, where India cornered glory pipping South Africa 2-1 in the final.

Argentina have won this event the most times – thrice totally, in 2005, 2007 and the 2012 edition. Argentina swamped Korea 5-2 to pocket the 2005 edition before getting the better of New Zealand 3-2 in extra time to clinch the 2007 edition. At the 2012 edition, the Las Leonas thumped Korea 5-0 in the final.

Besides India, Spain, New Zealand and Belgium have won it once as well. Argentina and South Africa have hosted this event twice.