AFTER 32 years at the top of its game, the legendary Darwin ice hockey team has decided to hang up its skates.

It comes after the Darwin Ice Skating Centre opened up earlier this month near the airport.

The reigning world champions had been happy to use the flat sand of Mindil Beach as their training ground with the local pubs as their locker room.

Team captain and coach Beat Erismann said it was a sad day for the team.

“It’s very sad that we have to stop now when we are at our peak, 32 years at the top,” he said.

The legendary Darwin ice hockey team was immortalised in this memorable Vegemite ad. Vision: Youtube/Vegemite The legendary Darwin ice hockey team was immortalised in this memorable Vegemite ad. Vision: Youtube/Vegemite

The team’s players had collectively decided to retire, not because they now had an actual ice rink to play on, but because they had grown old.

They stand by their 32-year winning streak.

“The problem is no team ever showed up, because we don’t have an ice rink, so we won on forfeit,” Mr Erismann said.

Only once were they challenged – and they drew with the Swiss team.

“Once we drew with a Swiss team, we didn’t have any ice so we ended up at the pub and settled it on the pool table,” Mr Erismann said.

The undefeated Darwin ice hockey team said it was happy to train and coach the next generation keen to carry on the winning streak.