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CHARLOTTETOWN TO HOST WORLD SLEDGE HOCKEY CHALLENGE
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Charlottetown - Hockey PEI in partnership with Hockey Canada is pleased to announce that the City of Charlottetown has been awarded the 2008 World Sledge Hockey Challenge. The event will be held at MacLauchlan Arena on the UPEI Campus from November 18th - 22nd.
Canada is the defending champion of the World Sledge Hockey Challenge, having won the 2007 tournament in Kelowna, BC. That event was not only a success for Canada on the ice, but it also set a new standard for attendance at sledge events, with thousands of fans packing the Capital News Centre in Kelowna.
Canada, which is also the defending World and Paralympic champion, will be joined by sledge hockey powers Norway, Japan and USA. The teams will each play three round-robin games, with the top two teams playing for gold on the final day. All games will be played at the MacLauchlan Arena in Charlottetown.
"Hockey PEI is proud to be the host branch for the World Sledge Hockey Challenge. We know that local hockey fans will be treated to some great hockey and have a chance to witness these world class athletes over the five days of competition," stated Gordie Whitlock, President of Hockey PEI. "We invite local fans to come and watch this exciting game and help cheer Canada to a gold medal."
This past March, Hockey PEI and the City of Charlottetown were proud to host the National Men's Sledge team for a mini training camp at MacLauchlan arena as they prepared for the World Championships in Boston. This pre tournament camp was instrumental in securing this event through the bid process.
"This is another fantastic opportunity to showcase sledge hockey in our country," says Jeff Snyder, head coach of Canada's National Sledge Team. "Our team is excited to play in a major international event in Canada, and we're looking forward to putting on a great show for the fans in PEI. Our coaching staff and players are thrilled to kick off the 2008-09 season with such a big event, and we look forward to putting ourselves to the test against the best in the world."
There will certainly be an Island connection to this event. PEI native Billy Bridges was born in Summerside, PEI and was born with a spinal cord disability and has been playing Sledge Hockey since he was 12 years old. At the age of 15, he was the youngest player ever to join Canada's National Sledge Hockey Team in 1999. This is a great opportunity for Bridges to return to his home province to play in an international event.
Ticket information for the 2008 World Sledge Hockey Challenge will be available soon at www.hockeycanada.ca.
History of Sledge Hockey
Sledge Hockey is a sport that was designed to allow participants who have a physical disability to play the game of ice hockey. It follows the rules of the International Ice Hockey Federation and the ice surface and markings, nets and pucks are all the same as able-bodied hockey. Other than the use of specially designed sledges and two sticks, it is very much the same as mainstream hockey; fast paced and highly physical.
The history of sledge hockey began in Sweden in the early 1960's but it wasn't until 1982 that Canada had its first team. In 1994 Sledge hockey debuted at the Paralympic Winter Games in Lillehammer, Norway and in 2006 Canada won its first Gold Medal at the games in Torino, Italy.
Since its debut at the 1994 Lillehammer Paralympics, sledge hockey has grown dramatically and now has participation by athletes in over twelve (12) countries, through the International Paralympic Ice Hockey Committee. It has quickly become the biggest spectator draw at the Paralympic Winter Games.
With the growth of the game and administrative inclusion of Sledge Hockey under the Hockey Canada umbrella, such events will help extend efforts to educate fans and promote the game.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
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