Pond Hockey Classic canceled because of warm weather
<p><strong>Neale Coulter</strong> of the Stick Fix Six corrals a puck during the Montana Pond Hockey Classic at Woodland Park during the 2015 tournament. On Saturday, it was announced that the event had to be canceled for 2016 due to the warm weather and unsafe ice conditions. The 2017 classic may be moved to a January weekend.</p>
High temperatures that have spread across the western United States this month have produced unsafe ice conditions and have forced the cancellation of the Montana Pond Hockey Classic, which was to be held in Kalispell on Feb. 19–21.
“We are extremely disappointed to have to cancel the event,” said Diane Medler, Kalispell Convention and Visitor Bureau director. The visitor bureau organizes the annual pond hockey tournament with the national Pond Hockey Classic organization.
“Unfortunately, we have fallen victim to the mercy of Mother Nature, and the ice in the area has become too compromised to hold the tournament,” Medler said.
Last week, the Convention and Visior Bureau had announced that the event would be moved from Foy’s Lake to Woodland Park near downtown Kalispell, but the organizers informed players late Friday that the ice will not be playable next weekend due to a week of unseasonably high temperatures — plus a balmy weather forecast.
“We have tried to source frozen lakes at higher elevations but to no avail as conditions are unsafe at those locations as well. Unfortunately, this winter has not been kind to pond hockey and ice fishing enthusiasts,” Medler said.
Northwest Montana is not alone in this issue. Other winter events have been cancelled in the Northwest and Midwest. For 2017, organizers will look to move the tournament into January in order to accommodate the ever-changing weather conditions.
Although the Pond Hockey Classic refund policy states no refunds will be given within the 10-day window of the event, the event producer has offered to defer 100 percent of the registration fee and hold all of the teams’ spots for the 2017 Montana Pond Hockey Classic. Or players can choose to receive a 50 percent refund of this year’s registration fee.
“Our entire community is incredibly disappointed we cannot host the players this year. It is our favorite event of the season,” Medler added. “We will begin looking right away for a January 2017 event date that will hopefully bring us colder temps and favorable ice conditions for our pond hockey players.”