Ipatas Cup gains interest

By MELTON PAIS
The number of teams interested to compete in the National Capital District leg of the annual Coca-Cola Ipatas Cup (CCIC) has increased to 16.
The teams are Erima Wanderers, Hurunawini Raiders, Paga Panthers, 54 Bears, 5-Mile Watch Dogs, 24 Thunder Warriors, Boarder Storm, 6-Mile Tigers, ID24 Rangers, Well Coat Paints, Komagin Kongos, Tia Bronos, Waigani Iralais, Ialibu Sharks, Debona Hornets and Telikom Spiders.
Southern leg coordinator Simon Maima said 12 teams had registered while four were yet to pay their registration fee.
Maima urged the teams to pay their registration fee of K1000 before Dec 12.
The tournament will be launched on Dec 12 and games will start on Dec 14.
Maima said the Central leg of the tournament was delayed by a week because teams were slow to register.
Maima said eight teams were set for the Central leg.
“The venue for the NCD leg is yet to be confirmed but I will let the teams know on Dec 12 when a venue is secured,” he said.
Maima, who has been coordinating the CCIC in NCD for the last three years, said he was confident of a successful tournament. Maima said Well Coat Paints, last year’s Gold pass winners of the NCD leg, were among the 16 teams.
He said the other sides like the Tia Broncos — a new team in the CCIC — were ready to give their opponents a good run for their money.
Maima said players based in Port Moresby would only be allowed to participate in the NCD leg and not the Central leg.