Ryde is an English seaside town and civil parish on the north-east coast of the Isle of Wight. The built-up area had a population of 23,999 according to the 2011 Census and an estimate of 24,847 in 2019. Its growth as a seaside resort came after the villages of Upper Ryde and Lower Ryde were merged in the 19th century, as can still be seen in the town's central and seafront architecture. The resort's expansive sands are revealed at low tide. Their width means the regular ferry service to the mainland requires a long listed pier – the fourth longest in the United Kingdom, and the oldest surviving.
The Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), sometimes referred to as the British Elite League or, for sponsorship reasons, the Premier Sports Elite League, is an ice hockey league in the United Kingdom. Formed in 2003 following the demise of the Ice Hockey Superleague, it is the highest level of ice hockey competition in the United Kingdom.
Wightlink is a ferry company operating routes across The Solent between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in the south of England. It operates car ferries between Lymington and Yarmouth, and Portsmouth and Fishbourne and a fast passenger-only catamaran between Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde Pier. The company is jointly owned by Basalt Infrastructure Partners based in the United Kingdom and Fiera Infrastructure based in Canada.
The Solihull Barons are an English ice hockey team from the town of Solihull who play at Solihull Ice Rink on Hobs Moat Road. The current team, which is the third incarnation of the Barons, was formed in 2005; they are named after the original team of the same name who were formed in 1965, and played at the same ice rink between 1972 until 2000; when they moved to Coventry and became Coventry Blaze.
Planet Ice is a chain of ice rinks in the United Kingdom (UK). The company has historically had a working relationship with the English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA) and several Planet Ice facilities have served as home ice to EIHA teams.
Ryde Pier Head railway station is one of three stations in the town of Ryde on the Isle of Wight. Situated at the end of the town's pier, it is adjacent to the terminal for the Wightlink fast catamaran service connecting the island with Portsmouth on the English mainland. Passengers can use this to connect with the rest of the National Rail network at Portsmouth Harbour station, which is adjacent to the Portsmouth terminal. Through rail tickets for travel via Pier Head station are available to and from other stations on the Isle of Wight. These include travel on the catamaran service to or from Portsmouth as appropriate.
The British ice hockey league champions are the winners of the highest ice hockey league in the United Kingdom, currently the Elite Ice Hockey League. Previously, the highest league has been the British National League (1954–60), the Premier Division (1983–96) and the Ice Hockey Superleague (1996–2003).
The Isle of Wight Wildcats are a Youth Ice hockey team based in Ryde on the Isle of Wight and are coached by Justin Attrill. They are sponsored by Wightlink and play in the second-tier of the South under 18 youth Ice hockey league. The Wildcats are a source for the Wightlink Raiders and the Vectis Tigers to find junior talent, if needed. The Wildcats won the Southern B League in 2001 and gained promotion to the Southern A League, but were relegated the very next year.
Cambridge University Ice Hockey Club at the University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England, is one of the oldest ice hockey teams in the world.
The Isle of Wight Wightlink Warriors are a British speedway team. They last competed in the 2019 National Development League and ride their home meetings at the Smallbrook Stadium.
The Weymouth Wildcats were a British motorcycle speedway team based in Weymouth, England, who raced in the National League. The Wildcats won the first Conference League Championship in their history in 2008 after winning the Conference League play-offs. They closed down in 2010. In 2019 they are racing at Wimborne Road, the home of Poole Pirates in the newly formed Midland Southern Development League and hoping to relocate into Weymouth soon.
The Lee Valley Lions are an ice hockey team based in Leyton, East London where they play at the Lee Valley Ice Centre. They are the senior Ice Hockey team at the rink, with other users including the affiliated Lee Valley Lions Junior Ice Hockey Club, the Eastern Stars and London Devils recreational teams and the University of London Ice hockey Club.
The Wightlink Tigers was an amateur English ice hockey team from the Isle of Wight. The team was founded in July 2007 as the Vectis Tigers, and played at Ryde Arena, Isle of Wight. From the 2009–10 season onwards the team played as the Wightlink Tigers, after sponsors Wightlink. In its last competitive season (2015-16) the Tigers played in Division 2 of the National Ice Hockey League (NIHL) Southern Conference (SC). Many of the team's roster moved to the newly formed Wightlink Buccaneers, which debuted in the 2016–17 season in NIHL SC Division 2.
Milton Keynes Thunder are an ice hockey team from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, they are known stylistically as the Milton Keynes Rightmove Thunder for sponsorship purposes, and the team currently competes in the Britton Conference, of the National Ice Hockey League Division 1 South. The team was founded in 2001 predominantly to provide competitive hockey and further development opportunities for players leaving the Milton Keynes Junior Ice Hockey system. Their home rink is the refurbished and renamed Planet Ice Arena, known locally as the Thunderdome. It has a capacity of circa 2,500.
There are currently three different ferry companies that operate vessels carrying passengers and, on certain routes, vehicles across the Solent, the stretch of sea that separates the Isle of Wight from mainland England. These are Wightlink, Red Funnel and Hovertravel.
Durham City Wasps were formed during the summer of 1995 after the sale and subsequent relocation of Durham Wasps from Durham Ice Rink announced in May of that year.
The Bristol Pitbulls are an ice hockey team representing Bristol, England, currently playing in the NIHL National League. Following the closure of the Bristol ice rink in 2012, their home ice moved to Oxford Ice Rink. In October 2021, the team returned to Bristol, winning their first fixture on their new home ice at the Planet Ice rink at Cribbs Causeway.
Ryde Arena was an ice rink in Ryde, Isle of Wight, England. It was opened in 1991 and had a capacity of 1,000 spectators. The venue was the only ice rink in Isle of Wight, functioning as home ice to the Wightlink Raiders of the National Ice Hockey League (NIHL), in addition to a minimum of four synchronized skating teams and a number of figure skaters.
Sport plays a prominent role in the society of the Isle of Wight, an island that is part of England.
