WINNIPEG, MANITOBA – The 2007 IIHF World Women's Hockey Championship announced today that it’s Monday April 9th matinee game scheduled for 12noon at the MTS Centre, will double as a ‘Schools Game’ with hopes of thousands of school kids attending. The Schools Game which is being presented by Manitoba Hydro, will offer students and schools a first hand opportunity to watch an official World Championship game as part of an educational field trip. It will be used to help encourage local schools to learn about our nine participating countries, explore the history of hockey in our country, celebrate women in sport, and to create a poster or project ‘welcoming the world’ to Winnipeg & Selkirk.

The announcement was made with Hockey Canada star and four time World Champion Jennifer Botterill present, at Viscount Alexander School, the same middle school that Jennifer attended in Winnipeg.

“There are so many reasons to celebrate and get excited about with the World Women’s Hockey Championship coming to Winnipeg and Selkirk this April,” stated local Host Organizing Committee Chair Polly Craik. “Our hope is that we can fill the MTS Centre with enthusiastic school groups, so that they can be directly exposed to the excitement of international hockey, help us celebrate the world championship, and welcome the nine competing countries to our cities like no one else can.”

Tickets for the schools game are a bargain at only $10.00, and will include a free lunch, game day program, and a chance at hundreds of prizes. All School groups that register to attend the schools game will also be entered in draws for major prizes including a chance to have a Team Canada athletes pay them a visit at their school prior to the World Championship!

Registration forms can be obtained by visiting www.hockeycanada.ca, or by phoning the World Championship office at 925-5722.

A challenge has also been placed to the local corporate community, encouraging them to purchase tickets for the schools game so that they can help ensure as many school groups as possible have the opportunity to attend the game and take part in the festivities.

The hosting of the 2007 IIHF World Women’s Championship in Winnipeg and Selkirk, MB, will mark the fifth time that this international event has been staged in Canada and the first time it will be held in Manitoba.

Canada also hosted the IIHF World Women’s Hockey Championship in 2004 (Halifax, NS), in 2000 (Mississauga, ON), in 1997 (Kitchener, ON), and in 1990 (Ottawa, ON). In 2006, there is no IIHF World Championship for women’s hockey in lieu of the Olympic Winter Games. Canada has won a gold medal at eight of the nine IIHF World Women’s Championships, the exception being a silver medal at the 2005 IIHF World Women’s Championship in Linkoping, Sweden, after losing to the USA in a shoot out.

For more information on the World Women's Hockey Championship, Hockey Canada’s National Women’s Team and Female Hockey Development Programs, visit Hockey Canada’s official website www.hockeycanada.ca.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Lisa-Marie Buccini

Communications Chair, Host Organizing Committee

2007 World Women’s Hockey Championships

(204) 291-3579

[email protected]

Greg Paseshnik

Event Manager 

2007 World Women’s Hockey Championships  

(204) 926-5727

[email protected]