The Odyssey Trust, founder of the Friendship Four ice hockey tournament, is proud to announce that Axial3D, a Belfast-based leader in AI-powered medical 3D modelling, has become a partner of the 2025 tournament.
To mark the 10th anniversary of the cross-Atlantic tournament, Axial3D has produced 3D-printed replicas of the original Belpot Trophy – ensuring each winning team can take home a commemorative piece of the competition. This unique contribution is set to honour the athletes competing in Belfast, ensuring that their achievements are recognised with a meaningful and lasting symbol.
Held at The SSE Arena, Belfast since its inception in 2015, the Friendship Four is the first and only National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 men’s ice hockey tournament to be played outside of North America. The two-day, four-game tournament is designed to promote education, social welfare, and community interaction, building on the sister cities agreement between Belfast and Boston.
Steve Thornton, Sports Director at The Odyssey Trust, said: “Reaching the 10-year milestone of the Friendship Four is a hugely proud moment for The Odyssey Trust. This tournament has become a defining experience for so many student-athletes, and thanks to Axial3D, we can now offer them a unique, personalised keepsake that celebrates both their accomplishments on the ice and the pride in our city.”
Axial3D’s involvement extends beyond the trophy cabinet. As a leader in converting medical images into accurate 3D models, the company plays a key role in the future of sports medicine – supporting clinicians with better ways to diagnose, plan, and treat injuries through 3D anatomical visualisation. This new partnership between the Friendship Four and Axial3D highlights how elite sport and advanced healthcare and increasingly interconnected.
Roger Johnston, Chief Executive Officer of Axial3D, commented: “Belfast is at the heart of everything we do. We’re proud to support the Friendship Four – not just to celebrate this incredible event, but to spotlight the role of 3D technology in improving outcomes for athletes. Sport pushes the limits of the human body, and 3D modelling helps us understand, protect, and treat it better than ever before.”
The 2025 Friendship Four will take place on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 November at The SSE Arena, and will see the Rochester Institute of Technology, Sacred Heart University, Miami University, and Union College go head-to-head at the home of the Belfast Giants.
