20 years of women’s ice hockey: a legends’ game and a legendary match

Image information: Four women who have shaped and continue to shape Austrian women’s ice hockey: Tamara Grascher (110 international appearances), Esther Väärälä (141 international appearances), Anna Meixner (98 international appearances), Annika Fazokas (91 international appearances) - Copyright: GEPA pictures/Daniel Götzhaber

It is 31st March 2001. In Villach, an Austrian women’s national ice hockey team takes to the ice for the first time. The opponent: Hungary! The first match in history was lost 1:4, but the second, against Slovenia on 11th November 2001, was won 7:0. Austria’s women’s national ice hockey team has played 255 internationals over the past 21 years. The record: 112 wins, 140 defeats and 3 draws.

Esther Väärälä has taken to the ice in 141 of the 255 matches, making her the national team’s record appearance holder. And there will be more to come.

Denise Altmann has played 126 matches and, with 100 goals and 99 assists, is by far the best Austrian goalscorer in history. By comparison, Anna Meixner has 52 goals and 46 assists in 98 matches.

One of the finest successes, as well as one of the most bitter defeats, came only a few months ago. In Olympic qualifying, Germany were beaten 3:0, before Austria suffered a 0:1 defeat to Denmark two days later and ultimately missed out on the 2022 Olympic Games by the narrowest of margins.

But the young, ambitious team has no shortage of goals. At the Division IA World Championship in Angers, they want to challenge for the tournament win and promotion to the Top Division. “We want to go up,” says General Manager Martin Kogler, making no secret of the team’s ambitions.

From the first training camp, which begins in St. Pölten on 6th April, Head Coach Jari Risku can draw on virtually the full squad.

On 9th April, Austria will celebrate 20 years of women’s ice hockey, a year later than planned due to the COVID19 pandemic. While the national team, preparing for the World Championship, faces Austria’s first-ever opponent Hungary in a warm-up match from 17:30, true legends will take to the ice beforehand at 15:30:

Singer and former ice hockey player Virgina Ernst, two-time skiing world champion Elisabeth Görgl, multiple boxing world champion Nicole Wesner, ORF presenter Eva Pölzl, presenter Martina Reuter, singers Christina and Magdalena Poxrucker, pop singer Anita Ritzl, singer Sabine Stieger and Ö3 presenter Sylvia Graf.

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The stars’ jerseys from the legends’ game, including autographs, will be auctioned afterwards, with all proceeds going to “CONCORDIA Sozialprojekte”.

About CONCORDIA

For more than 30 years, CONCORDIA Sozialprojekte has been supporting children, young people and families in European countries at risk of poverty. CONCORDIA acts according to the motto, “We go where the need is greatest!” – because, unfortunately, there is still widespread poverty in our European neighbourhood. Many people are denied access to education and do not even have a permanent roof over their heads or a warm home.

The terrible war in Ukraine and the resulting refugee movements through Eastern Europe are now placing an additional burden on the poorest of the poor.

In Austria, CONCORDIA runs the “LenZ”, our learning and family centre for children, young people and families pushed to the margins of society. At the LenZ, we offer free learning support, parental counselling and education, and family support, as well as a language café and shared community activities. There are also special computer courses for women and a skills and empowerment course for mothers, whose children receive professional early childhood education during this time.

The LenZ pursues the major goal that tirelessly drives all of CONCORDIA: to stand by every child and young person in need and accompany them on their path to a self-determined life.

Camp I, St. Pölten, from 6th to 8th April 2022
9th April 2022, 17:30, Linz, international friendly AUT vs. HUN

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Camp II, Linz, from 15th to 18th April 2022

Camp III, Paris, from 20th to 22nd/23rd April 2022
21st April 2022, international friendly AUT vs. NOR

Austria vs. France
Sun, 24 April 2022, 16:00

Sweden vs. Austria
Mon, 25 April 2022, 12:30

Netherlands vs. Austria
Wed, 27 April 2022, 16:00

Austria vs. Slovakia
Thu, 28 April 2022, 12:30

Norway vs. Austria
Sat, 30 April 2022, 12:30