Victory for the Vulcans as they take 2017 RAF Champions title

One of the great highlights of being the RAF Ice Hockey Association photographer is the annual RAF Championships which takes place at the end of summer each year in Dundee. RAF teams based across England and Scotland come together to compete for the highly coveted RAF Champions trophy. So with my kit bag all packed and lots of layers to […]

One of the great highlights of being the RAF Ice Hockey Association photographer is the annual RAF Championships which takes place at the end of summer each year in Dundee.

RAF teams based across England and Scotland come together to compete for the highly coveted RAF Champions trophy.

So with my kit bag all packed and lots of layers to ward off the chill of the ice, I made the long trek from Norfolk to Dundee.

Dundee Ice Arena is an impressive sporting facility, maintained to a very high standard by the hardworking staff.

Day one of the Championships saw an inter-trade pond hockey tournament, a fun warm up to the main event. The players were split into six different trade teams; Officers, Pumas Ladies, Logistics and Support, Force Protection, Armourers and GEF and AMM + TG4. The Trades Trophy was won for a second year running by the Logistics and Support Team.

Day two and the RAF Bluewings began the defence of their title. Six teams went into battle for the RAF Champs trophy. After the first day of play, both the Bluewings and the Vulcans White looked really strong and each finished the day on maximum points.

Day three and rivals, the Bluewings and Vulcans White met each other in the first game of the day. The Vulcans took the points, as they beat the Bluewings convincingly by four goals to nil and finished for lunch, the only team undefeated in the competition.

Smiles for the ladies of the Vulcans Blue, as they took their first points of the tournament and finished in 5th place.

Tempers flared in a heated clash between Cosford Stars and Lossiemouth Jets Black – the Jets taking 3rd place in the competition.

After lunch, the Final – so much pride at stake for this one and the Vulcans continued their winning form as they beat the Bluewings 5 – 2 to win the 2017 Championship.