Two of the NZIHF’s leading officials have just returned from officiating the Southeast Asian Games in Manila.

Christchurch-based officials Ryan Cairns (referee) and Ted Howard (linesman) officiated at the tournament, involving senior men’s teams from Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. Both officials skated five games at the tournament through to the semi-finals, with Cairns additionally refereeing the final. Thailand won the gold medal, beating Singapore in the final, with the Philippines receiving the bronze medal. See a full story on the tournament on the IIHF web site.

Both officials will now return to New Zealand, but will head back overseas in 2020 with assignments to the 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship Division II Group A in Estonia (Howard, along with NZIHF Referee-in-Chief Ryan Hissong), and 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship Division II Group B in China (Cairns, along with Tyler Haslemore). Ashleigh Davidson will also be travelling, to the 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship Division II Group B in Mexico.