Ian Melliar Cup 2023: A Feast of Water Polo!

View the Ian Melliar Cup Tournament website

Friday 22 – Monday 25 September 23: Wynberg Boys’ High School hosted its biggest Ian Melliar Cup to date – 100 fixtures between 24 teams in 2 pools – with all the atmosphere and excitement, rivalry and competition, and sportsmanship and camaraderie that the event in its 16th incarnation has become renowned for. A big thanks to all sides for joining us this year, and our heartiest congratulations to Bishops for carrying off the team trophy, and to the achievers listed below.

Hellenic Academy from Zimbabwe joined us this year, our first international team since the event was launched in 2007, in what we hope will be the first of many visits as we celebrate new friendships and renew the long-standing with our returning tournament competitors.  Our thanks to Ryan Weideman, WBHS Director of Water Polo, and Mrs Siobhan Bruce-Cook, WBHS Teacher-in-Charge of Water Polo, for the months of hard work in putting the event together, and to our brothers at Wynberg Boys’ Junior School for the use of their magnificent new pool and facilities. Special thanks to our Key Sponsor, Kevin Jacobs and his team at RE/MAX Premier,  Ron Roos from TLC Flooring for his continued support and Herman Nieuwoudt from Peninsula Beverages, events on this scale cannot happen without them.

Regulars to the Melliar Cup are usually able to predict cold and wet weather over the Heritage Day long weekend months in advance, but this year the Cape of Storms more than lived up to its name as unprecedented winds and rain lashed down over the Western Cape, and we must thank our WBHS Multimedia students and our event photographers for not missing a beat in keeping the live streams and match photos flowing throughout.

As always, irrespective of the weather, we are hugely grateful to the unfettered support of Feedem (our catering team) and vendors who come out to sustain the players, spectators and staff during this weekend of intense Water Polo.  We are also extremely grateful to our Support Staff who work tirelessly to ensure the campus is well-prepared for the event, while sacrificing their time away from home over the long weekend so that our boys and visitors have the best U15 Water Polo tournament experience that WBHS has to offer.

To the boys and their coaches – thank you for your commitment and dedication to the sport of Water Polo, for putting in countless hours in preparation for this event and putting on a premium display of Water Polo.  We salute you all.