The Comox Valley will be hosting a pre-tournament camp ahead of the World Junior Hockey Championship, which is returning to B.C. for the first time in 13 years.
From Dec. 12-22, Switzerland will be based out of the Comox Valley Sports Centre as part of the team’s preparations for the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship, which runs Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Vancouver and Victoria.
For the 10th year in a row, the Swiss are in the top division of the tourney, along with Canada, Russia, the Czech Republic and Denmark. Their best finish ever was a bronze medal at the 1998 World Juniors in Helsinki, Finland.
“We are beyond thrilled to welcome the best junior players in the world to our province in December,” said Barry Petrachenko, CEO of B.C. Hockey and co-chair of the 2019 championship. “We know from experience what hosting this event can mean for hockey in our region, and we are confident this tournament will leave a lasting impact on the growth and development of the game here in British Columbia, and specifically in the Comox Valley.”
This is not the first time a Hockey Canada event has come to the Valley. The region hosted games as part of the 2009 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
“The Comox Valley has a proven track record of hosting events of this calibre, and getting the chance to showcase the best junior players in the world on Canadian ice is something young fans will remember for a long time,” Hockey Canada president Scott Smith said.
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