World Para Ice Hockey to hold 2024 Skills Development Camp in Slovakia
Event will run from 7 to 11 November and feature athletes from Slovakia, France, Finland, Hungary and the Netherlands 16 Oct 2024World Para Ice Hockey, the International Federation for the fastest-paced Paralympic winter sport, will host the World Para Ice Hockey 2024 Skills Development Camp will take place from 7-11 November in Dolny Kubin, Slovakia.
With the aim of growing the game and athlete development pipeline, the camp will be hosted by the National Paralympic Committee of Slovakia and presented by Citi, a founding partner of the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) PARA SPORT grassroots to high performance programme.
Participants will come from five different nations — Slovakia, France, Finland, Hungary and the Netherlands — representing the A-Pool, B-Pool, C-Pool, and two up-and-coming programmes, respectively — with each nation receiving five athlete slots and one staff slot. A minimum of two of the five athletes must be women.
“As the awareness for Para sports continues to grow around the globe, we are excited to offer an opportunity for countries strengthen their national programmes while also training up new, young talent,” said Michelle Laflamme, World Para Ice Hockey Manager. “Through skill development, education and training, the resources World Para Ice Hockey provides will go a long way in ensuring continuity at the highest level of Para ice hockey for future generations.”
“We are proud and honoured to host the World Para Ice Hockey 2024 Skills Development Camp in Dolný Kubín, Slovakia. This is a significant opportunity not only for our athletes but for the broader development of Para ice hockey in Slovakia and beyond. By bringing together talent from across Europe, we are helping to grow the sport, strengthen national programs, and build a future where the game continues to inspire and unite people. We look forward to a dynamic week of learning, collaboration, and progress,” said Maroš Čambal, representative of the Slovak National Paralympic Committee.
Citi, which also served as the title sponsor of the two prior editions of the World Para Ice Hockey Women’s World Challenge, is helping to advance the sport by attracting new athletes and establishing a long-term strategy for sustainable, entertaining events.
“Following last year’s incredible Skills Development Camp in Bangkok, we’re proud to support the event’s return to Europe to continue growing para ice hockey with five hockey-loving nations,” said Tom Cerasoli, Director – Head of Sports Sponsorships at Citi. “Along with World Para Ice Hockey, Citi is committed to creating opportunities for athletes with disabilities, regardless of skill level, through PARA SPORT. This skills development camp is another opportunity to positively change the narrative around people with disabilities; we’re looking forward to watching these athletes compete and succeed on and off the ice.”
The camp will be run by World Para Ice Hockey coaches and will include both on and off-ice training, along with video analysis sessions. Since its debut at the Lillehammer 1994 Winter Games, Para ice hockey has grown exponentially and is now played in 20 different countries around the world.
The last two iterations of the World Para Ice Hockey Skills Development Camp were held in Thailand in 2023 and Czechia in 2021.
*Article first published on 16 October, 2024 and updated on 5 October, 2024.