National Student Octopush Championships Return to North Wales

Bangor University’s Octopush Club will be hosting the National Student Octopush Championships at Llandudno pool on Saturday the 9th of March between 10am and 8pm.

Octopush, also known as underwater hockey, is played with 6 players and 4 substitutes on each team, each wearing snorkels, masks and fins and competing for a lead puck, or squid, at the bottom of the pool using small, handheld sticks. The sport was first invented in the UK in 1954, and since then has been played internationally and spawned other versions of the game, including an under-ice version which is played upside down with a puck which floats against the ice.

The National Student Octopush Championships were last hosted by the Bangor club at Llandudno pool in 2009, and thanks to the pool’s facilities which provide the perfect setting for Octopush games the club has been given the honour of hosting these championships once again.

Visitors are welcome to spectate during the day at Llandudno pool, where Upper Crust will be serving food and refreshments. The Championships will be followed by a private awards ceremony, hosted by event sponsors Embassy, before the club is opened again to the public for the official National Student Octopush Championships Afterparty.

In addition to support from Embassy, the club has been supported by staff at Llandudno pool and local business Upper Crust in Llandudno. The event will see 150 to 200 students from Universities across the UK visiting Bangor for the weekend, and benefiting from North Wales’ businesses’ hospitality.

Club Captain, Micha Wynne, said:

"This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase what North Wales has to offer to student Octopushers and spectators from across the UK. It has been wonderful to be supported by local businesses in this event, and we hope that many more will benefit from our guests' presence over the course of the weekend."

Emyr Bath, Students’ Union Vice President for Sport & Healthy Living added: “Octopush has been an active Club Sport at Bangor University for quite a few years.  It’s also a great example of the wide range of Sports Clubs and activities that are available for our students to get involved with.”

Publication date: 8 March 2013