Bonn, Germany - From 27 March to 5 April, the IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships will take place at the New England Sports Centre in Marlborough, USA.

Organized by Massachusetts Hockey in co-operation with US Paralympics, around 200 athletes from ten countries will participate in the World Championships A and B Tournaments.

The A Tournament will be comprised of Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway and the United States, all teams that competed at the Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games and are currently ranked as the worlds best.

The B Tournament will be comprised of Czech Republic, Estonia, Korea and Poland, the second tier elite teams all vying for a position in next year’s 2009 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships A Tournament.

Greg Lagacé, IPC Ice Sledge Hockey Chairperson, said: ”These championships are a first chance for teams to gain a benchmark as to where they are in qualifying for the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. New England Sports Centre is a great venue and a nice location for the new Ice Sledge Hockey World Champions to be determined. We expect both interesting and exciting matches.”

Since Ice Sledge Hockey’s Paralympic Games debut during the Lillehammer 1994 Winter Paralympics, the sport has quickly become one of the biggest attractions for spectators at Paralympic Winter Games. It is fast-paced, highly physical and played by male athletes with a physical disability in the lower part of the body.

 

Ice Sledge Hockey is practiced in approximately 15 countries worldwide and is governed by the IPC. It follows the rules of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) with minor modifications to eligibility, sports equipment and officiating rules. Instead of skates, players use two-blade sledges that allow the puck to pass beneath. They also have sticks with a spike-end for pushing and a blade-end for shooting.

Highlights from the 2008 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships will be available on www.paralympicsport.tv.

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Notes to the Editor:

About the International Paralympic Committee (IPC):

The IPC is the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement. It organizes the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, and serves as the International Federation for nine sports, for which it supervises and co-ordinates the World Championships and other competitions. The IPC is committed to enabling Paralympic athletes to achieve sporting excellence and to developing sport opportunities for all persons with a disability from the beginner to elite level. In addition, the IPC aims to promote the Paralympic values, which include courage, determination, inspiration and equality.

 

About US Paralympics:

US Paralympics, a division of the US Olympic Committee, is dedicated to becoming the world leader in the Paralympic sports movement and to promoting excellence in the lives of persons with physical disabilities. Visit the US Paralympics web site at www.usparalympics.org.
 

About Massachusetts Hockey:

As an affiliate of USA Hockey, Massachusetts Hockey, is the nationally recognized organization responsible for the administration and development of ice hockey in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

For further information, please contact Steffi Klein, IPC Media and Communication Senior Manager, on tel: +49-228-2097-230, e-mail: steffi.klein@paralympic.org or go to www.paralympic.org.