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This event is part of the 2026 International Magical Olympic Games.

February 17th, 2026

Lake Bear (frozen), Russian Federation

The first day of the Games had come and gone, and now it was time for the second day of festivities and lighthearted competition: the Ice Hockey tournaments, taking place in the early evening. So as to avoid tiring out the student athletes, each team of four would only play one match, and the judges sitting on the sidelines of Lake Bear would judge based on points scored and showmanship who exactly would win the gold medal.

The judges were, as usual, made up of a panel of headmasters from the various international schools. @Aulis Vorozheykin, as the host of the Games, sat on one end; then down the line came @Alan Dolus from Ilvermorny, @Lawrence Maynard of Tenūsa, and finally Durmstrang's @Emery Albrecht. There were also (anonymous, undescribed, and unnamed) referees who would be up close and personal with each match, ensuring that no cheating would dare make it past their scrutinising eyes.

Of course, there were also plenty of onlookers gathered to cheer on their friends and spectate the matches, both for the younger years and the elders! Who will be victorious among these competitors? Let's wait and see together...

HOW TO POST
This is a spectator thread for the Ice Hockey events of the International Magical Olympic Games. 200 words is still the requirement for all threads. Please remember that you are not able to interface with the players in the matches from a spectator thread. This thread is for reactions and cheers only.

You may find the younger-year matches of the Rookies vs. the Requested here, Wizards Playing Hockey vs. Subzero here, and Ultraviole(n)t vs. the Blanks here, and the only upper-year match of the Misfits vs. the Scaly Wings here.

Please do not godmod Aulis or any of the other judges.

Find the full calendar for the 2026 IMOG here.

Please refer to the Koldovstoretz official map and setting lore when describing the campus:

Reducio

Though Aly wasn't participating in any of the sports, if she had been, it probably would have been hockey. The Ravenclaw girl had read up on all of the games she'd be covering for the Hogwarts Headliner well ahead of time, and this one seemed the most Quidditch-like, if on skates rather than brooms; as such, she was one of the first to arrive for the early evening event, her stark all-black attire somewhat of a standout among the crowd's woolly fur coats and the school's rather snowy environment. Tipping rectangular sunglasses down on her freckled nose, Aly peered over them as she pulled out her wizarding camera and snapped several photographs of the setup the Koldovstoretz headmaster and other school directors had created here upon Lake Bear. Four rinks, all at once? Whatever were the referees thinking?

Her eyes roamed over the students in attendance, as well, making a mental note to herself to jot down all of their names later in case she needed to find some afterwards for a post-victory interview. Some, however, she was able to scribble down upon her little pad of parchment immediately, for she recognised them instantly - her longtime Castelobruxo pen pal and friend, for one, the one and only Manu. There was also Ebony, Aly's teammate back on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team for the past several years - and the two girls seemed to have been pitted against each other, on opposing teams in the elder-year match. The journalist on the shores winced, but offered kindly smiles and waves to both of her mates; at least whoever won, she'd have someone to congratulate and someone to console.

Of course, also on the older teams - on Manu's, by the looks of it - was the annoying fourth-year she'd found following her best mates Dee and Peri in the corridors months prior. They'd also played a month ago against each other on the Quidditch pitch in the Ravenclaw vs. Gryffindor match. What was his name again? Harlow? Harvey? Whatever it was, Aly did not give him the courtesy of a wave, but rather did her best to snap a photograph of him as he was warming up at the absolute wrong time. A silly face or odd gesture with his body would do wonders in the paper, and to teach him to mess with a photographer and journalist.

The younger teams, on the other hand, were full of unfamiliar faces and those Aly vaguely recognised from having been on opposing teams in Quidditch or having been spotted in the Ravenclaw common room between classes and meals. None she could particularly call a friend, though. So instead, the seventh-year simply set down her camera and notepad and clapped her hands together with a willful woop. "All right! Let's do that hockey!" (Alas, even five years of Muggle Studies had not prepared her for knowing how to chant at Muggle-esque sports games. Her professors could hardly be blamed - well, perhaps a little.)

Open to interactions | WC: 494/200
Feb. 17, 2025 | outfit in banner | #C47DDB | @Manu Macedo, @Harlan Montgomery, @Ebony Vetra
lovely & charmer affect everyone | sta 10, eva 14, str 5, wis 19, arc 7, acc 17

Made by Skylar Astor

Zephyr and his friends made their way through the spectator area for the ice hockey competition around the edge of Lake Bear. He shivered as he rubbed his gloved hands together, "Brr!! Russian chill is really different, it bites!" He commented to his companion. Among the six friends, they were the only ones not competing in ice hockey. He's joining the bobsledding competition with his childhood friend Rosalyn. He was looking forward to that thrill, but for now, he was fully focused on cheering for The Rookies. Apparently, that was the name his friends came up with for their ice hockey team.

He was holding a large and colorful banner he made himself using his skill in drawing and painting. It's showing the cartoon versions of the four members of The Rookies, complete with the Hogwarts crest. “I’m excited to see them play. Have you ever guys seen Rose or any of the others skate, or even play ice hockey before?” He only learned to skate a few months ago, and while he could glide across the ice or even move backward without falling, any fancy maneuvers were far out of his comfort zone.

Right now, he was content to stay on the sidelines and cheer for his friends. The anticipation of his own event was giving him the chill, but seeing them play first gave him something to enjoy in the meantime. Once seated, he looked out onto the lake, and just like yesterday, the glittering ice looked inviting. He scanned left and right. “I can’t spot them yet. They all look the same from here.” Maybe they’re doing some last minute strategy talk. "Anyway, whatever, once they skate out, we’re going to be the loudest supporters here.” He grinned at his friends as he waved the banner proudly.

"Falling, sinking deeper and deeper into the uncharted abyss..." Date: 17 February 2026 Interacting with: @Camille De Varenne Location: Koldovstoretz – Ice Hockey Spectator Stands

Erast was hurting everywhere. Yesterday’s figure skating competition had been strenuous, his programme leaving his muscle sore and joints crackling like heated kernels. Then, the very next day, the consequences of his generosity hit him, because the boy had agreed to volunteer at the Chinese New Year event happening on campus. While seeing familiar traditions felt like a refreshing taste of home, who knew volunteering could be such a headache? Spilled ink, zero scissor etiquette, and people in the snack station who thought themselves to be above tongs– Erast could only wonder who raised some of these people.

However, a blessing soon came, because Erast found out his break would be coinciding with a sports event. He was quite curious about what a Muggle sport would look like, so he decided to take a detour for the spectator stands. The venue was crowded, but an empty seat in a strategic angle caught his eye. The brunet snatched it before anyone else could.

Erast’s expression pinched slightly with confusion when the two teams in uncomfortably clunky gear and hooked sticks stepped onto the ice. Even knights wore less layers. He felt a little sorry for whoever paid for that. The gear looked a bit ugly.

“Ice Hockey” was what this sport was called. A group of students behind them whispered about it being a territorial sport, similar to Quidditch. He could see a heavy black disc being dropped onto the ice, so that must be the Quaffle equivalent. Could the stick be for bludgering? Where were the bludgers?

No bludgers were needed, apparently, because two players started exchanging stick blows with each other on the ice instead. Erast blinked. There were a few players who were tripping and skidding with the black disc behind the duelling duo. Were there two sports happening? Who was winning?

Amidst the chaos, Erast caught a slip in one of the players fighting. His jaw dropped as it brutally struck down hard on the opposing player, cracking against that awful helmet. The opponent collapsed in a heap onto the ice, and a sharp whistle sound paused the match to carry the fallen off the ice. Who knew muggles were so sadistic, watching such barbaric fights for sport? He felt a strange respect for them growing.

Beside him, Erast heard a loud gasp and French muttering. He looked at his side. He instantly turned back. Camille De Varenne. 天啊…Good gosh. He resisted the urge to cover his face. After seeing Camille and Cecilia’s programme, his respect for Camille had increased astronomically. The other boy was handsome from the beginning, but it was almost impossible to imagine that that perfect, faux tenderness on Camille’s face yesterday used to be a silent cry for a restroom. Erast felt that he should compliment Camille after the boy has improved so well, but it was kind of embarrassing to face someone you just competed with and wanted the downfall of. He could barely reconcile his thoughts of praise with the previous thoughts of 'please trip (safely), please let there be a dent in the ice...'

Camille continued to give colourful and frankly entertaining commentary on the game, murmuring something about not breaking someone’s face. Erast listened along, now equally concerned about the faces beneath those helmets.

”Plenty of people. Quidditch is also kind of violent, we just don’t see the ugly parts up close, since spectators sit so high up and the players splatter at the bottom.” An answer rolled off his tongue at Camille’s question before he could stop it. Erast paused, realising that he just revealed himself like an idiot. Now feeling that a greeting was mandatory, he offered an awkward “Hello.” A beat of silence. Feeling the awkward silence grow, Erast brought up the first thing that came to mind.

“Your skating programme yesterday with Cecilia was very nice. Your face was more handsome once you fixed that awful face that you made during rehearsal,” Erast’s expression remained blank while talking, too focused on remembering the other boy’s programme, “You two worked hard. That lift you did was good too.” His accent slipped once or twice in his distracted recount.

At the end, he gave a small nod when he made sure all his criticisms have been replaced with praise, meeting the other boy with a sincere face.