World Pond Hockey tournament canceled after 'unseasonably warm weather' in Plaster Rock, N.B.

People hit the ice in Plaster Rock, N.B. (Laura Brown/CTV News Atlantic)

The World Pond Hockey tournament in Plaster Rock, N.B., is cancelled due to a lack of ice.

“The unseasonably warm weather we have experienced up to this point has resulted in a less than adequate amount of ice on Roulston Lake to administer the event safely and effectively,” World Pond Hockey wrote in a statement.

The tournament, which typically happens in February, was cancelled two years in a row because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This season, the organizer of the tournament, Danny Braun, said people were golfing in the area on Dec 28.

“The least amount of ice I can ever remember, there was 14 inches and we're not close to that yet. So, you know, it’s a real concern,” he told CTV News on Tuesday.

World Pond Hockey says the annual championship has become an important sporting and tourism event for northern New Brunswick.

“However, the safety of all participants, players, volunteers, sponsors, and spectators is our top priority,” the statement says.

For more New Brunswick news visit our dedicated provincial page.