Varsity on ice

The Light Blues and the Dark Blues will clash on the ice at Peterborough's Planet Ice on Sunday 4 March, facing off at 8.30pm.

Ice hockey at Cambridge is a tradition that stretches as far back as 1885 and is recognised, by the Hockey Hall of Fame, as the oldest ongoing rivalry in the sport of hockey.

Cambridge are looking to avenge last year's 6 – 1 defeat at Oxford. Despite the fact that Oxford have an ice rink on their doorstep whereas the Cambridge team have to make an 80-mile round trip once a week to train on Sunday evenings, the Light Blues have a strong squad this year and are confident.

Winger Ben Lees (St Catharine's) is a fifth-year medical student who only took up ice hockey when he came up to Cambridge. He explains the attraction: “Ice hockey is quite simply the greatest spectator sport in the world. It is very fast, pretty rough and always exciting. With just five out-players on the rink at any one time, everyone is very involved.”

The commitment of the players is considerable, training late on Sunday evenings in Peterborough and paying between £700 and £800 a year towards the cost of kit and transport. Without the generous sponsorship of Cambridge University Press, Racing Green, Mountain Warehouse and Adams Kids, the cost would be even higher.

Coaches for the men's Varsity Match will leave from Queens' College Backs at 6.30pm on Sunday. To book a place e-mail the Captain, Chris Hurn (Pembroke) on ch399@cam.ac.uk. Alternatively, make your own way to Planet Ice, Peterborough (map at the Planet Ice website – click the link above right) in time for an 8.30pm start.

The women's Varsity Ice Hockey Match is at 10.30pm on Friday 9 March. To book a place on the coach e-mail women's captain on cw368@cam.ac.uk

The University is still exploring ways of securing an ice rink for Cambridge.