Hey Pond Hockey Lovers,
We want to share a few details about the 2020 Save Pond Hockey season. Thanks to everyone who participated and helped, your support really means a lot to us!
This year, we expanded the number of tournaments in Finland, organized our largest Helsinki tournament yet, grew our base of supporters, and attracted more big name Ambassadors to back our message. These include Lasse Kukkonen, Ossi Väänänen, Noora Räty, Meeri Räisänen, Jussi Olkinuora, Venla Hovi, and Annina Rajahuhta!
Next year will be bigger and better! If you want to organise a Save Pond Hockey tournament in your hometown (SPHx), get in touch and let’s make it happen! info@savepondhockey.org
Joensuu 8.2.2020 (1st time!)
SPHx tournament organised by Climate Joensuu & City of Joensuu
Teams: 12
Partners: City of Joensuu, Climate Joensuu, Jokipojat, Juniori Jokipojat ry, and Winter Cycling Congress
Sponsors: Karjalainen, Joensuun Vesi, John Deere, and ABLOY
Champion: Jokipojat
Donation: 3000€ to co-finance the ecological restoration of the biodiverse Murtosuo wetland and its surroundings. The area totals 15.5 hectares and has previously served as a peat production area.
Photos: Here
Helsinki 15.2.2020 (Largest yet!)
Teams: 40, 3 divisions
Partners: Liiga
Sponsors: Liiga, Ilmatar, JKMM, Nitor, Reaktor, Miltton, Telia, Oracle, Kemira, Salesforce, Hartwall / Booster, NOCCO, Web-Veistämö, Embassy of Canada, Vaasan, Ruohonjuuri, and Monttumestarit.
Champions: Competitive Division = SJRY All-Stars, Casual Division = Jukan Pulju, Business Casual Division = Ilmatar.
Donation: 10,000€ from the tournament profits to CO2Esto Oy to prevent 250 tonnes of emissions + 4,200€ from the PME/JPxAL Jersey Auction to CO2Esto Oy to prevent 113 tonnes of emissions. Together, we prevented 363 total tonnes of emissions!
Photos: Here
Lappeenranta 22.2.2020 (1st time!)
Teams: 12
Partners: City of Lappeenranta, SaiPa, Suomen luonnonsuojeluliitto Etelä-Karjala, and Luonto- ja tiedekeskus Saimaarium
Sponsors: Holiday Club Saimaa and Auto-Suni
Champion: Käppänät
Donation: 1300€ to Suomen luonnonsuojeluliitto Etelä-Karjala to support their critical climate adaptation work helping the endangered Saimaa Ringed Seal, and 1300€ to Saimaan ympäristö- ja tiedekasvatuksen tuki ry’s important climate education and awareness campaigns in the area.
Photos: Here
Turku 29.2.2020 (1st time!)
Opening Game: Saku Koivu, Timo Nummelin, Veera Oikara, Uche Udeh, Pauliina Salonen, & Minna Arve (Mayor of Turku)
Teams: 12
Partners: City of Turku, Turun ilmastojoukkue, HC TPS, TPS Naiset, TUTO Hockey
Sponsors: 358 Oy
Champion: Routa United
Donation: 1750€ to Powershift 2020 (350 Suomi ry) to help organize their 6th annual grassroots climate forum including workshops, presentations, and networking to give everyday people the inspiration, tools, and connections to join the climate movement!
Photos: Here
Tampere 7.3.2020 (4th time!)
Teams: 12
Partners: Ilves, Tappara
Sponsors: Makia Clothing
Champion: Ruoveden ska
Donation: 1500€ to Jälleenrakentajat-kerho (Reconstruction club) to support their newly established cooperative which aims to activate and engage local people interested in climate action in a positive way to start acting instead of talking.
Photos: Here
2020 Season Total
Tournaments: 5
Teams: 88
Players: ~800
Donations: 23 050€
In Media
(Video) Puoli Seitsamän – “Pipolätkä on monen suomalaisen suosikkitalviharrastus – nyt sillä otetaan kantaa ilmastonmuutokseen” (Finnish)
https://areena.yle.fi/1-50460438
(Video) Hockey Tutorial – “Why Pond Hockey Could Be Gone Forever – The Story of Saving Pond Hockey”
https://youtu.be/rVjn96NcGVw
(Video) Knight Rydazz – “PME ALLSTARS x EA SPORTS x SAVE POND HOCKEY” (Finnish)
https://youtu.be/2Y-p1ktrQzA
(Joensuu) Karjalainen – “Joensuussa järjestetty pipolätkäturnaus tuotti yli 3 000 euroa hyväntekeväisyyteen – rahat käytetään Murtosuon kosteikon ennallistamiseksi” (Finnish)
https://bit.ly/2B2f8t7
(Helsinki) Foreigner.fi – “Ice hockey stars and amateurs in a tournament against climate change”
https://bit.ly/3d1FDNg
(Helsinki) MTV Uutiset – “Presidentti Niinistö osallistui pipolätkäturnaukseen Helsingissä – ex-NHL-tähden viime hetken temppu vei vastustajan voittoon” (Finnish)
https://bit.ly/3gi1UIF
(Lappeenranta) Etelä-Saimaan Sanomalehti – “Kisapuistossa höntsättiin pipolätkän puolesta vesisateessa: “Meillä on menossa jo neljäs marraskuu peräkkäin”” (Finnish)
https://bit.ly/2yyPXxi
(Turku) Turkulainen – “Pipolätkää ilmastonmuutosta vastaan – Parkilla pelattavassa turnauksessa taistellaan ulkojäiden säilymisen puolesta” (Finnish)
https://bit.ly/2ziFVAU
Thanks to all the teams, partners, and sponsors for making the 2020 season such a huge success!
Pond Hockey Regards,
Steve & the Save Pond Hockey Team