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New Sports Performance Conference to Launch at U.S. College Ice Hockey Tournament in Belfast

Posted By:
The Odyssey Trust

23rd Oct 2024

The Odyssey Trust has announced the launch of a new sports performance conference that will take place alongside the Friendship Four U.S. men’s college ice hockey tournament in November 2024.

Set to be hosted at W5, Northern Ireland’s award-winning science and discovery centre, on Friday 29 November, ‘PER4MANCE’ will bring together experts, innovators, and elite performers from across professional sports. Aiming to explore the latest trends and research in shaping the future of sports, the half-day summit will see several speakers discuss topics including leadership, high performance, and health and wellbeing.

Steve Thornton, Group Head of Commercial and Hockey at The Odyssey Trust, said: “We’re pleased to be hosting the first-ever PER4MANCE summit at W5 ahead of what is shaping up to be the biggest Friendship Four to date. The cross-Atlantic tournament has become an annual highlight in Belfast’s sporting calendar and combining it with an event dedicated to sports innovation will provide everyone from coaches and players to governing bodies and businesses with the opportunity to exchange ideas, learn and network, and experience the latest sporting advancements first-hand.”

Set against the backdrop of the prestigious Friendship Four, which is the first and only National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division One men’s ice hockey tournament to take place outside of North America, PER4MANCE will aim to provide practical insights into the ever-changing landscape of elite level performance and is expected to attract a diverse audience, including sports professionals, tech startups, and industry-leading experts.

Following the conclusion of PER4MANCE, the Friendship Four will get underway at The SSE Arena, Belfast, with Boston University and Merrimack College going head-to-head in the tournament’s opening game at 2pm, before the University of Notre Dame and Harvard University hit the ice at 7pm. Weekend passes and individual tickets for the 2024 Friendship Four are on sale now and available to purchase at ticketmaster.ie.

Guest speakers and exhibitors are set to be announced over the coming weeks. For more information about PER4MANCE or to purchase individual or exhibitor tickets, please click here.