Sky Riders were crowned the first-ever Floorball 3×3 Men’s Champions as the Floorball Federation of Solomon Islands (FFSI) hosted its inaugural 3×3 tournament on Sunday, June 22, at Friendship Hall.
A total of nine teams competed in the men’s division, split into two pools. The top two teams from each pool advanced to the semi-finals, leading to an intense grand final where Sky Riders edged out a determined Moonwalkers side to claim the title.
Speaking to Star Sports after the final, Sky Riders captain Ricky Fairamo thanked their sponsors and the Floorball Federation for organizing the event.
“I thank my teammates for their fighting spirit and strong mindset. Though 3×3 is new to us, we managed to come out on top. This tournament really helped us learn more about the sport, and I could see today that everyone gave their best”,he said.
Commenting on the fast-paced nature of the 3×3 format, Fairamo added that it suits Solomon Islands players well.
“Yes, 3×3 is very fast and quite similar to futsal because of that, we Solomon Islanders have a natural feel for this kind of high-speed game”.
In the women’s division, Parrots were crowned champions after finishing top of the table ahead of second-placed SINU Panthers. Five teams competed in the women’s division, which was played in a single round-robin format at the same venue.
The 3×3 format—a faster-paced, non-stop, and more dynamic version of traditional floorball—continues to gain popularity both locally and internationally.
By TIMOTHY INIFIRI JNR
Solomon Star, Honiara