CALGARY, Alta. – Prior to departing for Hamar, Norway, for the 2012 IPC Sledge Hockey World Championship, Canada’s National Sledge Team will spend three days in Borden, Ont., which will include a sledge hockey clinic with Canadian Forces soldiers stationed at Canadian Forces Base Borden.

Following Team Canada’s practice on Sunday morning, March 18, national team members will take to the ice with the soldiers at 2:30 p.m. ET at Andy Anderson Arena at CFB Borden (100 Ramillies Rd.), and again at 2:30 p.m. ET on Monday, March 19.

The Canadian Forces and Hockey Canada welcome media to attend ice times on both Sunday and Monday, which are taking place as part of the Soldier On program, a Canadian Forces initiative to encourage injured and ill personnel to attain and maintain healthy and active lifestyles. Interviews with participating soldiers will take place between 11 a.m. and noon ET on Monday, March 19.

NOTE: Please confirm your attendance prior to Monday, March 19 with Francis Dupont, Hockey Canada’s manager of media relations, at [email protected].

Canada’s National Sledge Team will depart for Hamar, Norway, on Tuesday, March 20 for the 2012 IPC Sledge Hockey World Championship, being held from March 25 to April 1. The world championship will feature the top eight sledge hockey nations in the world, divided into A and B pools. Canada will play in Pool B, competing with Italy, Korea and Norway. All games will be played at the Olympic Amphitheatre.

Canada will open the 2012 IPC Sledge Hockey World Championship against Italy at 1:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 25, with the gold medal game scheduled for Sunday, April 1 at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT.

In five appearances at the IPC Sledge Hockey World Championship since the inaugural tournament in 1996, Canada has won two gold medals (2000, 2008) and two bronze medals (1996, 2009), finishing fourth in 2004.

“We’ve been building towards this event since the 2010 Paralympics ended, and we’re excited to get to Norway and get the world championship started,” said Mike Mondin, head coach of Canada’s National Sledge Team. “Our players relish the opportunity to wear the Team Canada jersey, and I have no doubt they’ll do Canadians proud on the ice in Hamar.”

NOTE TO MEDIA: Francis Dupont, Hockey Canada’s manager of media relations, will be with Canada’s National Sledge Team in Norway. He can be reached at [email protected] for interview requests.

For more information on Canada’s National Sledge Team and the 2012 IPC Sledge Hockey World Championship, please visit www.HockeyCanada.ca/sledgeteam or follow along via social media at www.facebook.com/hockeycanada and www.twitter.com/hc_teamcanada