Following the 2010 IIHF Annual Congress held in Cologne Germany in May, the IIHA are pleased to announce the Irish National Teams that will participate in the 2011 IIHF Championship Program along with where and when they will play. Most importantly, we now know who they will play against.
Ireland’s participation in the 2011 IIHF Championship Program:
SENIOR MEN
The Senior Irish National became the first ever Irish team to win gold when they defeated Luxembourg, Greece and the United Arab Emirates at the 2010 IIHF World Championship Division III A. These victories in Kockelscheuer, Luxembourg earned the team promotion to Division II. With the groups and hosts now decided, the Boys in Green will travel to Zagreb, Croatia for the 2011 IIHF World Championship Division II B. The tournament will take place from 10th – 16th April 2011 and Ireland will face host nation Croatia along with Romania, Iceland, Bulgaria and China.
2011 IIHF World Championship Division II Group B
(Zagreb, Croatia, 10-16 April)
Participants: Croatia, Romania, Iceland, Bulgaria, China, Ireland
SENIOR WOMEN
After the disappointment of the 2009 IIHF World Women’s Championship Division III – V being cancelled because a host could not be found for Division III, the Women’s Irish National Team can now look forward to its first ever IIHF World Championship. Ireland are entered into the 2011 IIHF World Women’s Championship Division V which will be held in Sofia, Bulgaria from 14th – 20th March 2011. As well as playing host nation Bulgaria; Ireland will face Turkey, Poland and Spain.
2011 IIHF World Women’s Championship Division V
(Sofia, Bulgaria, 14-20 March 2011)
Participants: Turkey, Poland, Bulgaria, Spain, Ireland
U20 MEN
As it stands, Ireland have not been accepted into the U20 category because we do not meet the minimum participation standards required to enter a team in that category. However, the minimum participation standards were a topic of much discussion at the 2010 IIHF Annual Congress and on foot of this the IIHA are currently exploring all possible avenues to enter a team into the 2011 IIHF World U20 Championship Division III.
Discussions between the IIHA and IIHF are on-going and the IIHA hopes that it will have the U20 Irish National Team competing as part of the 2011 IIHF Championship Program. In the meantime, the team will prepare on the basis that it will be competing in the World Championship but in the event that the team is not competing then the IIHA will arrange another event for the team to take part in.
U18 MEN
The results at the 2010 IIHF World U18 Championship Division III B in Monterrey, Mexico did not go the way of the Irish team. Ireland finished last in the group but following an excellent preparation campaign and several impressive performances, the U18 Irish National Team will be looking to rebound and make a lot of noise in 2011. Ireland finds itself back in Group B of Division III and back in Mexico in 2011 but this time they will travel to Mexico City. The tournament will take place from 14th – 19th March 2011 and Ireland will face the host nation, Mexico, along with Iceland, South Africa and Israel.
2011 IIHF World U18 Championship Division III Group B
(Mexico City, Mexico, 14-19 March 2011)
Participants: Iceland, Mexico, South Africa, Israel, Ireland