CAMROSE, AB – Canada West’s quest for a third-consecutive gold medal kicks off on Sunday, November 2 when it faces Belarus in the opening game of the 2008 World Junior A Challenge in Camrose, AB.

The Canada West-Belarus game is the first of 13 games during the week-long tournament, which will be capped off with the nationally-televised gold medal game from the Edgeworth Centre on Sunday, November 9 (check your local listings for broadcast times).

Before the action gets underway on the ice on Sunday, the Edgeworth Centre will host the tournament’s opening ceremonies on Saturday, November 1, featuring a concert by Canadian rock legend Tom Cochrane and Red Rider.

Tickets for the opening ceremony, as well as full-tournament packages and single-game tickets for the 2008 World Junior A Challenge, are still available.

While the on-ice action is sure to be exciting, there will be plenty to see off the ice as well.

Hockey’s Holy Grail, the Stanley Cup, will be making an appearance in Camrose during games on November 4 and 5, Kevin Martin, the three-time Canadian curling champion, 2008 world champion and 2002 Olympic silver medalist, will be on hand during the United States-Germany game on November 4, which will be Hockey Alberta Day, and members of Canada’s National Sledge Team will be doing on-ice demonstrations during intermissions of the bronze medal game and gold medal game on November 9.

Teams from Belarus, Germany, Russia and the United States will join Canada West and Canada East at the six-team tournament. Canada West, Belarus and Russia will play in Pool A, while Canada East, Germany and the United States will comprise Pool B.

Canada West has defeated Canada East in the gold medal game at the first two World Junior A Challenges, in Trail/Nelson, BC (2007) and Yorkton/Humboldt, SK (2006).

Jason La Rose, Hockey Canada’s coordinator of communications/content development, will be on-site during the 2008 World Junior A Challenge for any tournament information or media requests. He can be reached at (403) 703-8791, or at [email protected].