MINSK, 29 December (BelTA) – The 14th Christmas amateur tournament for the prize of the President of Belarus will open with the match China vs Switzerland in Minsk on 4 January 2018. The first game of the traditional tournament will begin in Chizhovka Arena at 12.30, BelTA learned from the press service of the Sport and Tourism Ministry.
China will make its debut at the Christmas tournament while Switzerland will make its 11th appearance in the Belarusian capital. The best result of the Swiss team at the Christmas tournament was the 4th place in 2010. The other match in Group A will feature Belarus vs the United Arab Emirates, the bronze prizewinner of the past tournament (Chizhovka Arena at 19.00).
Group B will also hold two matches on 4 January: the Balkans Team will take on Russia (13.00 big ice rink), and Sweden will play the Czech Republic (19.30; small ice rink).
The schedule of other matches in the preliminary round:
5 January
Switzerland vs UAE (12.30; small ice rink), Czech Republic vs Balkans (14.00; big ice rink), Belarus vs China (19.00; big ice rink), Sweden vs Russia (19.30; small ice rink).
6 January
Sweden vs Balkans (12.30; small ice rink), China vs UAE (13.00; big ice rink), Belarus vs Switzerland (19.00; big ice rink), Czech Republic vs Russia (19.30; small ice rink).
On 7 January the two second-placed teams will play in the bronze-medal match (13.00). The first-placed teams will advance to the gold-medal game (18.00). Both matches will take place at Chizhovka Arena.
The team of the President of Belarus beat Finland 7-3 to win the tournament last year. The team of the President of Belarus is the ten-time winner of the Christmas international tournament (2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017). Team Russia is a three-time champion (2007, 2011 and 2015).
