Georgian Hockey League

[turk96]

Anyone have any familiarity with the Georgian Hockey League or can point me to a website to find out some information about it, particularly the schedule? I'm vacationing there over New Year's (2022-2023), and was thinking maybe I could catch a game in Tbilisi. But the official website is many years outdated, and I can't seem to locate any other sources, in any language. I'm not even entirely sure it still exists, as the latest results for any games I can find are for the 2018-2019 season on Eurohockey. Any help would be appreciated...

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[Albatros]

To my knowledge there's no hockey rink in Tbilisi. However, at least in the past there were hockey meetings once a week on Wednesdays that utilized the small figure skating rink near the Technical University metro station (75a Merab Kostava Street) for shinny.



In the ski resort or Bakuriani there's traditionally a full-size outdoor rink in winter, but that's quite a drive from Tbilisi.

 

[turk96]

Thanks for the info. I see Wikipedia lists a Georgian League of 4 teams, three of which are in Tbilisi. But, again, this seems outdated information. Unfortunately, although we considered Bakuriani, we are instead going to Gudauri for skiing, as I read the facilities are more modern and infrastructure there is much more developed. But it seems that Georgia doesn't have much information on the web for even restaurants or things like that, so maybe I can find out more when I arrive.

 

[Albatros]

Perhaps better said the teams are from Tbilisi, but the games can not be played there so they meet for championship tournaments in Bakuriani or Batumi that have sufficient ice surfaces. In Kutaisi there's also a skating rink but I'm not sure if it's been used for hockey league play. Both Batumi and Kutaisi facilities are inflatable domes rather than outdoors like Bakuriani. The goal is to construct a real arena in Tbilisi with IIHF participation but it is still a work in progress, the proposed site is in Digomi adjacent to some other modern sports facilities that were constructed for the 2015 Youth Olympics.

 

[kaiser matias]

There's not much of a league, despite what is posted online. The players use the link @Albatros mentioned, which is in the Sports Complex in Tbilisi, which is not full-size. Nothing in Gudauri though.

That said, reach out to them on Facebook. They are pretty active there and the person running the account speaks English, and they should be able to help you out a bit more.

Enjoy trip though, it's a really nice country. I've lived there for stretches over the past decade, looking to go back in the near future myself.