U18 World Cham­pi­onship in Raden­thein

Following the conclusion of the IIHF Men’s World Championship in Latvia on Sunday, the dates for the 2021/22 season of Austria’s national teams have been confirmed. The first highlights in 2021 will be the two qualification tournaments for the Olympic Winter Games, which will take place in China next February.

From 26 to 29 August, the men will enter the final qualifying round, facing hosts Slovakia, Belarus and Poland in Bratislava. The Austrian women will also enter the final stage, with hosts Germany, Denmark and a qualifier yet to be determined awaiting them in Füssen from 11 to 14 November. Only the winners of these respective groups of four will secure a place at the Olympic tournament in Beijing (4–20 February 2022).

“We put in good performances at the Six Nations Tournament in Slovenia a few weeks ago. Several players caught the eye. Those were important games with a view to Olympic qualification in August. We will be up against three good opponents there, whom we need to finish ahead of to earn an Olympic ticket,” said head coach Roger Bader after the IIHF Congress in Riga.

The World Championship season for Austria’s national teams begins over Christmas and New Year, when the U20 national team takes part in the IIHF U20 World Championship Top Division in Canada. In the preliminary round, Austria will face Canada, Finland, Germany and the Czech Republic in Edmonton, with the aim of staying in the top division.

From 10 to 16 January 2022, the Austrian Ice Hockey Federation will host the Women’s U18 World Championship Division I Group B in Radenthein. On home ice, the junior women will be aiming for promotion to Division IA against Denmark, China, South Korea, Poland and Taiwan.

“After the COVID-related cancellation of this year’s U18 World Championship, we are already looking forward to next January. In Radenthein, we have found a perfect venue, and in the Province of Carinthia, a strong partner for this tournament. Preparations for next season have already begun with the kick-off last weekend in Maria Alm, which the senior and U18 national teams completed together,” said Martin Kogler, General Manager of Austrian women’s ice hockey.

After the major tournaments were cancelled twice, the senior national teams are set to compete for promotion and medals on the international stage again in April and May 2022. Austria’s women will face Sweden, France, Norway, Slovakia and the Netherlands in Angers (24–30 April). For the men, it will get serious in Ljubljana (2–8 May) against France, South Korea, Slovenia, Hungary and Romania. In between (25 April–1 May), the men’s U18 national team will be looking to return to Division IA.

IIHF World Championship groups for 2022 featuring Austrian participation
Men
Senior team, IIHF Division I Group A, 02–08.05.2022, Ljubljana/Slovenia
Participants: France, Austria, South Korea, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania

U20, IIHF Top Division, 26.12.2021-05.01.2022, Edmonton and Red Deer/Canada
Group A (Red Deer): USA, Russia, Sweden, Slovakia, Switzerland
Group B (Edmonton): Canada, Finland, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria

U18, IIHF Division I Group B, 25.04–01.05.2022, Asiago/Italy
Participants: Ukraine, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Slovenia, Poland

Women
Senior national team, IIHF Division I Group A, 24–30.04.2022, Angers/France
Participants: Sweden, France, Norway, Austria, Slovakia, Netherlands

U18, IIHF Division I Group B, 10–16.01.2022, Radenthein
Participants: Denmark, Austria, China, South Korea, Poland, Taiwan

Composition of the final phase of qualification for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games
Men
Senior national team, Olympic qualification, 26–29.08.2021, Bratislava/Slovakia
Participants: Slovakia, Belarus, Austria, Poland

Women
Senior national team, Olympic qualification, 11–14.11.2021, Füssen/Germany
Participants: Germany, Denmark, Austria, qualifier