A World Cham­pi­onship in Carinthia

2021 will see another international women's ice hockey event held in Austria. On Monday, the Austrian Ice Hockey Federation (ÖEHV) succeeded with its bid for the IIHF Women's U18 World Championship Division I Group B at the International Ice Hockey Federation's (IIHF) first virtual congress.

Following the IIHF Women's World Championship for the senior national team in Graz in 2017 and the Women's U18 World Championship in Radenthein in 2019, the Carinthian municipality will once again welcome junior players from Austria, Denmark, China, South Korea, Poland and Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) from 10 to 16 January 2021 to compete for gold, silver and bronze. In the vote, the Austrian bid prevailed over South Korea with 68 per cent (17 of 25 possible votes).

“This clear majority reflects our good reputation within the international ice hockey community. We used our contacts to bring this World Championship to Austria,” said ÖEHV President Mag. Gernot Mittendorfer. “For our girls, it will provide additional motivation to play for promotion to Division IA in front of family and friends.”

Olympic qualification rescheduled

“I am very happy that we will host a World Championship in Austria next season. It is something very special for the young girls to play for promotion in their own country,” said sporting director Roger Bader, looking ahead with confidence to the highlight for the U18 girls.

In addition, the IIHF Congress set the new schedule for qualification for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. At the end of August 2021, the Austrian women's national team will face hosts Germany, Denmark and a qualifier in Füssen, competing for a place at the Winter Games in China. This means that ÖEHV's Olympic qualification tournaments for both women and men will take place at the same time.

2021 IIHF Women's U18 World Championship Division I Group B (10 - 16 January 2021)
Hosts: Radenthein/Austria
Participants: Austria, Denmark, China, South Korea, Poland and Chinese Taipei

Women's final Olympic qualification (26 - 29 August 2021)
Hosts: Füssen/Germany
Group D: Germany, Denmark, Austria, qualifier