3ICE Finland were crowned champions of the inaugural 3ICE World Cup after a commanding 6-1 victory over 3ICE Great Britain in Sunday's final, capping an exhilarating weekend of three-on-three hockey at the home of the Belfast Giants.

Broadcast to audiences around the world, the two-day international tournament drew thousands to The O2 Belfast as 3ICE Great Britain, 3ICE Canada, 3ICE USA, 3ICE Sweden, 3ICE Finland, 3ICE Germany, 3ICE Austria and 3ICE Switzerland battled for the Eddie Johnston Sr. Trophy.

Steve Thornton, Sports Director at The Odyssey Trust, said: "The 3ICE World Cup is a prime example of what can be achieved when likeminded organisations come together to produce something special. This weekend wasn't just a celebration of world-class hockey, but also of collaboration, community, and competition, and we feel incredibly proud to have hosted the first-ever World Cup right here in Belfast. Events like this put Northern Ireland on the global stage and showcase Belfast as a destination that's more than capable of hosting world-leading events, and we'd like to thank all the players, coaches, spectators, sponsors, and volunteers who made the weekend such a success." Staged as part of Northern Ireland's 'America 250' commemorations, marking 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the World Cup brought together a top-tier line-up of players and coaches from across North America and Europe.

Behind the benches were multi-time Stanley Cup winners Larry Murphy, Ken Daneyko and Johnny Oduya, joined by Belfast Giants head coach Adam Keefe, along with Ron Pasco, Christian Wohlwend, Raimo Helminen and Florian Pedevilla. On the ice, standout performers included Patrick Grasso, Peter Lenes, Jeremy Brodeur, Jayce Hawryluk, Teemu Pulkkinen, Dmytro Timashov and Jordan Kawaguchi.

E.J. Johnston, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of 3ICE, commented: "The city, the fans, and, most importantly, the hockey were all incredible. To bring this format overseas for the first time and for it to have been as successful as it has is a testament to everyone involved. The O2 Belfast has been the ideal location for the World Cup and has demonstrated Belfast's incredible appetite for world-class hockey. I'm excited for what the future holds."

For details on upcoming events at The O2 Belfast, visit theo2belfast.com.