Warners Bay to host Women's World Para Ice Hockey Championships in November

Newy 87.8 FM – Warners Bay's Hunter Ice Skating Stadium will host the second Women's World Para Ice Hockey Championships from 24 to 29 November, the first World Para Ice Hockey tournament ever staged in Australia.

Australia will also become the first national team to play as host nation at a Women's World Championships.

The Lake Macquarie venue is the home rink of the Newcastle Northstars, Australia's largest Para ice hockey club with 30 members.

Northstars player Lynda Holt, recently appointed Ice Hockey Australia's Head of Para Ice Hockey, has been named in Australia's 14-player squad.

The squad includes six athletes who did not compete at last year's inaugural championships in Dolny Kubin, Slovakia, where Australia finished sixth.

Teams are split into two groups of three, with the top two in each group advancing to the semi-finals. Australia is in Group A with Great Britain and the USA.

Australia opens against the USA at 7.30pm on Tuesday 24 November, then faces Great Britain at 7.30pm on Wednesday 25 November.

The gold medal game is scheduled for 7pm on Sunday 29 November, with Team USA the defending champions.

Hosting the event was a key requirement for World Para Ice Hockey to apply for a women's tournament to be considered for the Alpes 2030 Paralympic Winter Games programme.

Ice Hockey Australia President Tim Kitching said the organisation is honoured to work alongside World Para Ice Hockey and Paralympics Australia to deliver a world-class event.

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