Women’s national team feels ready for the World Cham­pi­onship

24 players, with an average age of just under 21 and no fewer than eleven players aged under 20, but with Anna Meixner, Tamara Grascher and Charlotte Wittich providing three experienced campaigners.

The latter is confident following Thursday’s 2:3 overtime defeat to Denmark that the team is capable of having a good World Championship: “It was nice to see that we can compete with a team that was relegated from the Top Division with such a young squad. The team has grown even closer together and I am convinced that it will be an interesting World Championship. Anything is possible for us. For all teams, a lot will depend on their form on the day. Anyone can beat anyone in this group. It is important to take it one day at a time, as the standings can change a lot. With two teams being promoted this year, we see our chances.”

Also Antonia Matzka saw many positives in the defeat to Denmark: “We can maintain our style of play. Unfortunately, we just did not manage to sustain it for the entire game. That is the aim for the World Championship.”

The team has now been in China for almost a week. It is no wonder that they are eagerly anticipating the opening game, Head Coach Alexander Bröms: “We can hardly wait for it to get started. We played a good game against Denmark and saw what awaits us at the World Championship.”

The Netherlands, Norway and Slovakia are all familiar from the Division IA World Championship in 2022. Back then, Austria beat the Netherlands 2:1, with Charlotte Wittich scoring both goals, defeated Norway 3:2 after overtime and narrowly lost 1:2 to Slovakia.

“Norway are familiar opponents, Slovakia have many players in their ranks who play in the EWHL, and the Netherlands played a strong final warm-up game against China. The Chinese are generally the great unknown, having naturalised several Canadians,” analyses Charlotte Wittich the group.

The team does not want to see itself as favourites, not least because of the young squad that travelled to the Land of the Rising Sun. Even though Captain Anna Meixner attests to the squad’s great talent: “Some players are new to the senior national team or are playing in a World Championship for the first time. It is good to know that we may not be 100 per cent favourites. That allows us to go into the World Championship without pressure. We definitely have the talent to finish in the top 2 and achieve that. We have the same aim in every game: to win.”

The opening game against Norway, as well as the following matches against Denmark and the Netherlands, will be broadcast live on LIVE.eishockey.at ORF SPORT + will show the final games against China and Slovakia live.

2023 IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championship Division IA

20 August 2023 – 26 August 2023, Shenzhen (CHN)

Schedule
Dates and times refer to our local time zone, with the local time given in brackets.

Austria vs. Norway
Sun, 20 August 2023, 10:30 (16:30 local time)
Live on LIVE.eishockey.at

Denmark vs. Austria
Mon, 21 August 2023, 07:00 (13:00 local time)
Live on LIVE.eishockey.at

Netherlands vs. Austria
Wed, 23 August 2023, 10:30 (16:30 local time)
Live on LIVE.eishockey.at

Austria vs. China
Thu, 24 August 2023, 14:00 (20:00 local time)
Live on ORF SPORT +

Slovakia vs. Austria
Sat, 26 August 2023, 07:00 (13:00 local time)
Live on ORF SPORT +

Austria squad