MIGHTY CAMELS

With summer round the corner it's time for some coolest game in the desert. And what better sports than ice hockey to kick-start the season.

By Staff Reporter

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Published: Fri 16 Apr 2004, 4:17 PM

Last updated: Thu 2 Apr 2015, 12:32 AM

To borrow from the adage, the Russians are coming, ice hockey fans can expect some real action as eight members of the Russian ice hockey team that competed against Canada in the 1972 Summit Series and 11 members of the Moscow Dynamo Veterans Club take to the ice at AI Nasr Leisureland for The Desert Series 2004 on April 17-19.

The exhibition series precedes the Annual CEA International Ice Hockey Tournament hosted by The Dubai Mighty Camels between April 20-23 at the AI Nasr Ice Rink, featuring 18 teams representing seven countries: Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Malta, Kuwait, Switzerland and several UAE teams from Al Ain, Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

The first game of the three-game series will start at 7pm at the AI Nasr Ice Rink on Saturday, April 17 and admission is Dh5 for adults and children get in free. Games two and three will be held on April 18 and 19, commencing at 8pm. All proceeds will be donated to the Canadian Business Council's Afghan Children's Foundation.

The Desert Series 2004 will see the Russian players test their mettle against The Dubai Mighty Camels, a group of expatriate ice hockey enthusiasts representing nine countries, including 75 Canadian players.

The Russian line-up will include several international ice hockey stars including International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Hall of Famer and former coach of the Russian National Team, Alexander Yakushev, Victor Kuzkin, a superb defenceman and 1976 Olympic Champion, Alexander Gusev. Six-time world champion and 1980 winter Olympic silver medalist, Yuri Lebedev will also be in Dubai for the historic series. In addition, Alexander Golikov, who scored 18 goals during the 1980 Olympics, will play for the Russians. Vladimir Golikov, Alexander's younger brother, will also lace up to meet the Dubai Mighty Camels on the ice. Vjacheslav Anisin, Alexander Maltsev, Vladimir Zubrilchev, Igor Romachine, Mishat Fakhrutdinov, Viktor Glushenkov, Vladmir Sharin and Yuri Blinov will also play for Russia in the series.


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