If the 2011 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship will be held in Bratislava, they will be played in state arena. Government passed a resolution that arena will be financed through PPP project. Was it the only and the best solution?

There are more ways of financing the arena. Money should came from state budget, loans or from private investments. It is estimated that expenses should reach 4 milliards Slovak crowns (about € 135 mil.).

Slovak government decided that the best way of financing will be the public-private partnership (PPP). Minister of education Jan Mikolaj has idea, who can take entrepreneurial risk.

“Investor will build the hall, which will belong to state. State allows him to use it for 30 years. Investor will manage state property and all he earns on it, will belongs to him. State will pay back him the hall,” said Mikolaj.

Government model is disadvantageous for state

That investor will get repayments from state, but he also keeps the earnings from concerts or sport events is according to Radovan Ďurana from Iness institute disadvantageous state investment. “State expects that income from operation the hall wouldn’t be enough,” he said.

He would propose different proceeding: Government should prepare the land and offer it to investors to find out who can build it and who can pay the most expenses. “If such investors won’t be found, then it is not profitable,” said Ďurana.

Against PPP project agreed by government has reservations also analyst from Ineko Peter Goliáš. He would advise tender for building the Arena. He mind that such projects should over-price the building. He recognized that public-private partnership projects should be advantageous only when government should manage them well. “But they should learn it first on smaller projects,” he added.

Peter Chovanec from Dexia Bank claims, that public-private partnership projects have many advantages. The biggest one is that private investor is more effective than state, mainly in maintenance and operation.

All three analysts agree, that if partnership with private investors will be contribution depends on contract’s conditions. Minister Mikolaj says, that he is ready for it. The very detailed contract will have several hundred pages. “We will define million conditions the investor will have to supply. In case he couldn’t accomplish it, the arena will be taken away from him,” he said.

It is possible, that arena should be build without public money. It depends on the offers. According to him Wellfree should enter the tender. Wellfree announced, that they can build arena without any public expense.

One of the reason, why PPP was chosen, is according to the minister check up of the interested parties. “We need to be sure, that they have money and are able to do build it up.”

In connection with the set-out of the 2011 IIHF Worlds, Slovakia has to organize two IIHF congresses. On of them will take place in September 2010 in Slovenian Portorose, the second during the World Championship in Slovakia.

“It’s the convention, that every country is organizing the autumn semi-annual congress abroad. This year is not counting, because Swiss are organizing it at home in Montreaux due to the celebration of the IIHF’s 100 anniversary. Next year Germans are going to arrange the semi-annual congress in Tunisia.” informed Igor Nemecek, general clerk of Slovak Ice Hockey Federation.

Slovak officials thought over three venues - Spain, France and Slovenia. They negotiated with Slovenians. There is convenient complex, where IIHF delegates will find good conditions for their work. In Slovenian town of Portorose was organized the conference of International Ski Federation (FIS) several times. “By congresses, the cooperation with the national ice hockey federation. That was another reason, why we negotiated with Slovenians. They can help us with the transport of delegate or programme preparations. We also would like to present, that Slovakia and Slovenia are two diffeent countries. Many people are still deceiving this.” said Nemecek. Nemecek thinks, that good relationships can’t be affected by the 2008 Championships, at which Slovenia was to Division 1 by Slovakia.

IIHF has two congresses in year. At the annual congress during the Ice Hockey Championships dlegates are taking a vote on important issues like organizing the next championships or memberships in IIHF officials. At semi-annual, the organizators are presenting the status of preparations of important tournaments.

Still new surprisals are surfacing around the planned multi-purpose hall for the 2011 Ice Hockey Worlds. Wellfree developer, supported by Bratislava self-governing region’s chairman Vladimir Bajan, would like to build the hall in location of Janikove role in Petrzalka - without any state subsides and no matter whether it will host the championships.

“We must first consider, what submits the investor and whether it is in accordance with the IIHF standard.” said about this opportunity minister of education Jan Mikolaj. He emphasised, that the location of hall will be considered after the evaluation of all submited projects.opportunity.

City Council of Bratislava is speaking about the location on Kalinciakova street as “the final”. Arena 2011, company created to maintain the Arena development, already submitted project to Ministry of Environment of SR for the environmental impact assessment. In the project, there are two possible locations - one on Kalinciakova street and one near international Airport of M.R. Stefanik.

Location west from the Airport was discussed longer ago, but the City Council rejected this location as unsuitable for transportation. But nowadays new discussions started about the financing of necessary highway junctions. It should be build by the developers of the nearest locations. Next to arena will be built luxury hotel with 352 rooms and another background.

The necessity of two possible variants is given by the Act No. 24/2006 Coll. on environmental impact assessment. “The project is now in preliminary environmental study. Variants submitted by investor are equal. Now we can’t say, which one will be considered,” said speker of the Ministry of Environment Peter Visvader.

Representatives of International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) also know about problems with the location of a new world championships arena. Slovakia got a claim to host the 75^th IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships in 2011. The games should be played in Kosice’s Steel Arena and in the future built Arena 2011 in Bratislava. But nowadays there are still only talks about the location, where should be the arena built.

“We heard about that. World Championships in 2011 are fare and until that should be everything ready” said president of IIHF René Fasel.

In last few months doubt talks occured, whether the arena should be build till the beginnings of the championships. Some prominents think, that it will be better for Slovakia to change the term of the event with another country. “We are not thinking about the exchange”, Fasel said.

How much money will flow from the taxes for the Arena 2011? It is possible that the Arena won’t taxables cost any money. Discussion about the new sports hall for the 2011 Ice Hockey Championship still isn’t definitive.

Yesterday it was sure that the Arena will be build up in a Bratislava New Town and therefor the city will have to pull down a old school and later build up a new one. The new idea is becoming to life.
Bratislava - Petrzalka should be a brand new place, that is preferred by the nominants of the party SMER - Milan Ftacnik - mayor of Petrzalka and Lubomir Bajan - chairman of Bratislava self-governing region.

Govermnent discussed about the spending. Ministers promised pro tempore 4 miliards Slovak crowns. Member of European Parliament Peter Stastny claims that half of this value should be enough, and investor company Wellfree charge that they can manage it basically for free.

“The government already decided who is going to lead this building” the mayor of Petrzalka Milan Ftacnik commented the decree of Parliament support of the hall form the projects of partnership of a country and a private developer. He is not satisfied with a place of Arena 2011 and he argued for the place in Petrzalka: “It is better place not just because of junction with a highway.”

Ftacnik by the way belongs to the group of the people that think that is necessary to discuss with a developer that doesn’t need the money for the building from the state budget. “We have an interested person who is really a private developer” said the mayor about the company Wellfree, that would like to build up a stadium on the same place in Petrzalka, but for the private funds. Stadium equipment should cost about 5 milliards crowns that is basically about 1 milliard more than the price of national help for the hall in Bratislava New Town. The developer is explaining the price with larger number of the sports fields that is planned to build on Kalinciakova street.

Nobody knows if this project is real, city neither the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation (SIHF). “Bratislava town-council is verifing only its own premises for the purposes of the hall” said speaker of Bratislava town-council Eva Chudinova. Marketing boss of the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation Martin Ryba said that SIHF isn’t competent to judge this alternative of the private developer.

“The Federation did not choose a location of the hall” said Ryba from the SIHF and refered again on the town-council. President of Wellfree Atila Vajda argued that he sent an information about this intention including his project to everybody who participates in the developement of the Hall. He was also asking about an advices and expert assistance.

“Who will guarantee that the hall will be build up before the day of the championship will come?” argued Ryba. He adds, that the private developer has their moral support. The only advice is that the private developer shoud be registered to the competition that organize the Ministry of Education.

Ryba shows, how seriously is considering the Wellfree project: “They sent us only one sheet with the visualisation of Prague Sazka Arena”. Vajda from Wellfree argued: “That’s not true. We have never had that visualisations”.

Minister of finance Jan Pociatek who also received the project from Wellfree is more optmistic: “The project impressed me. I will support it as much as I can. He is convinced, that the project should be successful.

This year International Ice Hockey Federation celebrates 100 year anniversary. As part of the 100 Year anniversary celebrations IIHF is featuring the 100 top international hockey stories from the past century.

The story #22 is Bondra’s bomb – the biggest thing for Slovakia since independence. This shot downed Russia in the final match of the 2002 IIHF WCh in Sweden’s Gothenburg. 100 seconds left till the end, when Bondra wons for Slovakia first gold medal.

Retro Worlds Medals

The IIHF has produced a new set of medals that carry a distinctive retro-look. This medals will be awarded on the 2008 Ice Hockey World Championship in Canada on May 18, 2008.

The heads side portrays an old image of a goaltender, wearing a cap, and doing a poke check. This image was used on IIHF World Championship medals from 1947 through 1955 and again from 1963 - 1975.

“Somebody wants to make a lot of money by the development of the Arena 2011, where the 2011 IIHF WCH will be played.” said on today’s briefing of member of European Parliament Peter Stastny.
In his opinion the development of the modern sport hall is overcharging. The hall should be build less expensive. “We can build Superior stadium in 18 months for about 1,6 to 1,8 billion Slovak crowns. Mr. Juraj Siroky said, that we can compress the price for the Arena to 3 billions. But nowadays we are speaking about 4 billions.” said Peter Stastny.

According to his words slovak taxable will overcharge at at least 2 billions crowns. Former extraordinary hockey player warn that the stadium will serve only 100 days. “Big stadiums are expensive. Nobody will allow young hockeyists to train there. It will be only for big events and maybe for Slovan Bratislava or Slovak National Team. Besides that, such stadium needs also smaller ice rink for trainings.” he told. Stastny belives, that money should be used in other undersized realms.

“Somebody wants to create a time pressure. Somebody wants to sell to us Trabant for the price of Mercedes. I am afraid, that the quallity will be the quallity of Trabant, but the price will be much higher.” Stastny said.

At the same time he appealed on all privies - town of Bratislava, government and Slovak Ice Hockey Federation, to make the process of development transparent and in fair valuation. “Project should be already in progress. What have been done in last two years, when we know that we will stage the championship? What have been done in last four years, when we got a picture of the championships in our country?” Stastny is asking.

He admitted, that there are better places than Tehelne pole or Kalinciakova street in Bratislava, where the Arena 2011 should be build. “I am sure the Mayor of Bratislava wants the best for Bratislava and the championship should be staged here. But we should adjourn the World Championships rather than we let somebody to make a huge profit on the Arena 2011.” said Stastny.

Slovak Ice Hockey Federation reacts to Stastny’s proclamations:

Slovak Ice Hockey Federation - the organiser of the 2011 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship heared the proclamations of Peter Stastny. Mr. Stastny brought an accausation against unknown person, that is supposed to create the time pressure as gross up the price by the process of development of Arena 2011. Mr. Stastny is trying to discredit not just the representatives of SIHF, but also all privies like government, Ministry of School and Sport and Magistrate of Bratislava.

Slovak Ice Hockey Federations is guaranting that all his necessary steps by the development of Arena 2011 will be transparent, and will made everything to build the Arena 2011 on time for as least price as possible, so Slovakia will be able to stage the 2011 championships.

IIHF World Championship will be held in 2011 in Slovakia, announced the president od the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation Juraj Široký. The new Bratislava arena will be build in the place of Primary School on Kalinciakova street near intersection of streets Bajkalska and Trnavska.

” I am glad, that we settled on the place where the new ice hockey arena will be build. Few complications was caused by the movement of the school, but we solved it as well.” said Široký.

“We have also plan B, if something happen, but there is no way to change the term. It is not possible to change the term, and the 2011 IIHF WC will take place in Slovakian towns of Bratislava and Kosice. International Ice Hockey Federation is now just monitoring, what are we doing in Slovakia about the new arena. We got a condition and we promise, that we fulfil it. We will inform about the development and we will introduce the plans of arena at the next congress of IIHF”, he told.

At the meeting at the Ministry of School the minister Ján Mikolaj, the mayor of Bratislava Andrej Ďurkovský, the magistrate of Bratislava’s district New Town Richard Frimmel, and the delegation of Slovak Ice Hockey Federation, all parts conclude on the competence of each of them at the development of the new multifunctional ice hockey arena.

Planned capacity of the arena is 12 000 spectators. The costs on the development of Arena 2011 should reach about 3 billions of Slovak crowns (about 100 000 000 €). “I didn’t know the exact costs, but from the experiences from abroad I know, that such arena should cost three to three and half billion crowns.” said Široký. 240 million Slovak crowns is the price of a ground under the Arena 2011, but magistrate of Bratislava will rent it only for 1000 Sk per year.

The 2008 IIHF InLine World Championships will take place in Slovakian capital city Bratislava from June 21-29. Slovak Ice Hockey Federation (Slovenský zväz ľadového hokeja) launched website dedicated to this event. On official website of 2008 InLine WC you can find all needed informations. The schedule, results, rules, ticket informations and many more…

Bratislava - the capital town of Slovakia was awarded to stage the 2008 IIHF InLine World Championship. Bratislava will host the best inline hockeyists of the world in June 2008. The 12th IIHF Inline World Championship will be hold in Bratislava’s Samsung Arena (Nepela Stadium) from June 21 to June 29.

“We are interested about participation of Slovak NHL Ice Hockey players in the Inline World Championship and we hope that they will represent Slovak National InLine team. Inline skating is a part of a summer training for many of them. Demitra, Hossa brothers, Gaborik, Visnovsky and Podhradsky become members of inline teams in the summer too. This Championship will be little bit different than last year in Germany concerning date of its beginning. Usually it is in time when NHL players try to spend holiday with family. The 2008 Inline Championship is going to be in the end of June. It is a great time when Slovak NHL and extraligue Ice Hockey players are still in training phase so they could find much time to spend as inline hockey players.” said Imrich Antal, member of organisation team of IIHF InLine World Championship in Slovakia.

The best 16 inline hockey teams of the world will come in June to Bratislava, and first time in history of IIHF InLine World Championships, the Canada National Team will join in. The last time Canada participated (in 1998), they beat the U.S. for the gold medal.

Tickets

The tickets will cost 75 Sk (2,8 €) and 55 Sk (2,4 €) for a whole day. Organisers are planning 8 games per day. Bookings will start in adequate advance at Ticketportal.sk.

The 2007 IIHF Inline World Championship in Germany (Passau/Landshut) standings

1. Sweden
2. Finland
3. Germany
4. Austria
5. Slovenia
6. United States
7. Czech Republic
8. Slovakia
9. Brazil
10. New Zeland
11. Hungary
12. Australia
13. Great Britain
14. Japan
15. Namibia
16. South Africa

List of Ice Hockey World Championships medallists from the first IIHF World Championship in 1920 till now. Sumary of all IIHF World Championships medallists is ordered descending by the year with a name of host country.

2008 IIHF World Championship in Canada (Halifax, Quebec City)

1. Russia
2. Canada
3. Finland

2007 IIHF World Championship in Russia (Moscow, Mytishchi)

1. Canada
2. Finland
3. Russia

2006 IIHF World Championship in Latvia (Riga)

1. Sweden
2. Czech Republic
3. Finland

2005 IIHF World Championship in Austria (Innsbruck, Vienna)

1. Czech Republic
2. Canada
3. Russia

2004 IIHF World Championship in Czech Republic (Prague, Ostrava)

1. Canada
2. Sweden
3. United States

2003 IIHF World Championship in Finland (Helsinki, Tampere, Turku)

1. Canada
2. Sweden
3. Slovakia

2002 IIHF World Championship in Sweden (Gothenburg, Karlstad, Jönköping)

1. Slovakia
2. Russia
3. Sweden

2001 IIHF World Championship in Germany (Cologne, Hanover, Nuremberg)

1. Czech Republic
2. Finland
3. Sweden

2000 IIHF World Championship in Russia (St. Petersburg)

1. Czech Republic
2. Slovakia
3. Finland

1999 IIHF World Championship in Norway (Oslo, Lillehammer, Hamar)

1. Czech Republic
2. Finland
3. Sweden

1998 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland (Zürich, Basel)

1. Sweden
2. Finland
3. Czech Republic

1997 IIHF World Championship in Finland (Helsinki, Turku, Tampere)

1. Canada
2. Sweden
3. Czech Republic

1996 IIHF World Championship in Austria (Vienna)

1. Czech Republic
2. Canada
3. United States

First win for players representing Czech Republic (Czechoslovakia last won in 1985). Slovakia also makes first appearance in Pool A.

1995 IIHF World Championship in Sweden (Stockholm, Gävle)

1. Finland
2. Sweden
3. Canada

1994 IIHF World Championship in Italy (Bolzano, Canazei, Milano)

1. Canada
2. Finland
3. Sweden

Slovakia, Belarus, Estonia and Croatia make their debut in Pool C.

1993 IIHF World Championship in Germany (Dortmund, Munich)

1. Russia
2. Sweden
3. Czechoslovakia

Czech Republic replaced Czechoslovakia.. Former Soviet republics make their debut; Slovenia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, along with Latvia. Latvia had previously played independently, last in 1939. All start play in Pool C

1992 IIHF World Championship in Czechoslovakia (Prague, Bratislava)

1. Sweden
2. Finland
3. Czechoslovakia

The hockey world changed drastically during this time. With the breakup of the Soviet Union, the longtime hockey power would play as Russia, with many other countries playing independently, ie; Belarus, Kazakhstan to name a few. These new countries had no choice but to start play in the lower Pool C and D of international hockey, and work their way up. This caused very mismatched tourneys, since most of these nations were already Pool A and B teams. East and West Germany also merged during this time, giving them a stronger team also.
More nations now faced the same problem Canada had always faced. They had to wait until NHL clubs were eliminated from Stanley Cup play to join their respective nations. This was an especially new problem for Russia, and somewhat for the Czechs. Sweden and Finland had NHL players for years, but now Russia was losing players at an early age. There would be no more “Big Red Machine”, as they could not keep an all-star team year-round.

1991 IIHF World Championship in Finland (Turku, Helsinki, Tampere)

1. Sweden
2. Canada
3. Soviet Union

1990 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland (Berne, Fribourg)

1. Soviet Union
2. Sweden
3. Czechoslovakia

1989 IIHF World Championship in Sweden (Stockholm, Södertälje)

1. Soviet Union
2. Canada
3. Czechoslovakia

1987 IIHF World Championship in Austria (Vienna)

1. Sweden
2. Soviet Union
3. Czechoslovakia

1986 IIHF World Championship in Soviet Union (Moscow)

1. Soviet Union
2. Sweden
3. Canada

1985 IIHF World Championship in Czechoslovakia (Prague)

1. Czechoslovakia
2. Canada
3. Soviet Union

1983 IIHF World Championship in West Germany (Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Munich)

1. Soviet Union
2. Czechoslovakia
3. Canada

1982 IIHF World Championship in Finland (Helsinki, Tampere)

1. Soviet Union
2. Czechoslovakia
3. Canada

1981 IIHF World Championship in Sweden (Gothenburg, Stockholm)

1. Soviet Union
2. Sweden
3. Czechoslovakia

1979 IIHF World Championship in Soviet Union (Moscow)

1. Soviet Union
2. Czechoslovakia
3. Sweden

1978 IIHF World Championship in Czechoslovakia (Prague)

1. Soviet Union
2. Czechoslovakia
3. Canada

1977 IIHF World Championship in Austria (Vienna)

1. Czechoslovakia
2. Sweden
3. Soviet Union

1976 IIHF World Championship in Poland (Katowice)

1. Czechoslovakia
2. Soviet Union
3. Sweden

1975 IIHF World Championship in (Munich, Dusseldorf West Germany)

1. Soviet Union
2. Czechoslovakia
3. Sweden

1974 IIHF World Championship in Finland (Helsinki)

1. Soviet Union
2. Czechoslovakia
3. Sweden

1973 IIHF World Championship in Soviet Union (Moscow)

1. Soviet Union
2. Sweden
3. Czechoslovakia

1972 IIHF World Championship in Czechoslovakia (Prague)

1. Czechoslovakia
2. Soviet Union
3. Sweden

It was this tournament in Prague that the final arrangements were made for the Summit Series between USSR and Canada. Canadians long believed NHL players would easily beat the Soviets. The NHL pros scored 2 fast goals in the first game of the 8 game series, but lost 7-3 and were shocked. Canada regrouped, and had to win the last 3 games in Moscow to win the series 4-3-1.

1971 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland (Berne, Geneva)

1. Soviet Union
2. Czechoslovakia
3. Sweden

1970 IIHF World Championship in Sweden (Stockholm)

1. Soviet Union
2. Sweden
3. Czechoslovakia

1969 IIHF World Championship in Sweden (Stockholm)

1. Soviet Union
2. Sweden
3. Czechoslovakia

1968 IIHF World Championship in France (Grenoble) Olympics

1. Soviet Union
2. Czechoslovakia
3. Canada

1967 IIHF World Championship in Austria (Vienna)

1. Soviet Union
2. Sweden
3. Canada

1966 IIHF World Championship in Yugoslavia (Ljubljana)

1. Soviet Union
2. Czechoslovakia
3. Canada

1965 IIHF World Championship in Finland (Tampere)

1. Soviet Union
2. Czechoslovakia
3. Sweden

1964 IIHF World Championship in Austria (Innsbruck) Olympics

1. Soviet Union
2. Sweden
3. Czechoslovakia

1963 IIHF World Championship in Sweden (Stockholm)

1. Soviet Union
2. Sweden
3. Czechoslovakia

1962 IIHF World Championship in Colorado (Colorado Springs, Denver)

1. Sweden
2. Canada
3. United States

In retaliation for the politically motivated boycott of 1957, USSR, Czechoslovakia and other Communist countries refused to participate.

1961 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland (Geneva, Lausanne)

1. Canada
2. Czechoslovakia
3. Soviet Union

Last time games were played in open air. A swimming pool in Lausanne with powerful freezing plants turned the water to ice. Diving platforms rose above the playing surface. Players had to wear sunglasses to protect from the sun’s glare off the ice. Indoor rink in Geneva also unusual, as it had transparent plastic boards.

1960 IIHF World Championship in California (Squaw Valley) Olympics

1. United States
2. Canada
3. Soviet Union

1959 IIHF World Championship in Czechoslovakia (Prague, Bratislava)

1. Canada
2. Soviet Union
3. Czechoslovakia

It is Finland’s first live radio transmission of a hockey game.

1958 IIHF World Championship in Norway (Oslo)

1. Canada
2. Soviet Union
3. Sweden

1957 IIHF World Championship in Soviet Union (Moscow)

1. Sweden
2. Soviet Union
3. Czechoslovakia

With Canada and USA boycotting tournament due to Soviet involvment in Hungary, the USSR Nationals were heavy favourites to win. However, they were surprised with ties versus Sweden and Czechoslovakia. The 1957 tournament was the last played on natural ice.

The decisive game between USSR and Sweden was played in the Grand Sposts Arena, in front of some 50,000 spectators.

1956 IIHF World Championship in Italy (Cortina) Olympics

1. Soviet Union
2. United States
3. Canada

1955 IIHF World Championship in West Germany (Krefeld, Dortmund, Cologne)

1. Canada
2. Soviet Union
3. Czechoslovakia

1954 IIHF World Championship in Sweden (Stockholm)

1. Soviet Union
2. Canada
3. Sweden

16,000 witness historic first game between USSR and Canada. The Soviets style of play was very unfamiliar to Canada, as they seem to pass to much, check too little, and skate too fast. USSR defeat Canada 7-2. USSR tied Sweden 1-1

1953 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland (Zürich, Basel)

1. Sweden
2. West Germany
3. Switzerland

Germany awarded Silver medal despite 1 win. Czechoslovakia returned home without finishing tournament as a result of the death of Czech President Klement Gotvald.

Talk that maybe Soviet Union would participate in tournament. However, USSR only sent observers, including legendary coach Anatoli Tarasov to scout the tournament.

1952 IIHF World Championship in Drammen (Oslo)

1. Canada
2. United States
3. Sweden

1951 IIHF World Championship in France (Paris)

1. Canada
2. Sweden
3. Switzerland

1950 IIHF World Championship in Great Britain (London)

1. Canada
2. United States
3. Switzerland

Czechoslovakia does not appear at tournament. It was later learned that entire team was arrested by the Czechoslovakian KGB at the airport. It was suspected some players had planned to defect, and all were given jail sentences of varying lenth.

1949 IIHF World Championship in Sweden (Stockholm)

1. Czechoslovakia
2. Canada
3. United States

Czechoslovakia wins tournament, this time with Canada involved. More remarkable is the Czech team that won 1947 WC and tied Canada in 1948 Olympics, all died in a plane crash on Nov.8,1948.

1948 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland (St. Moritz) Olympics

1. Canada
2. Czechoslovakia
3. Switzerland

1947 IIHF World Championship in Czechoslovakia (Prague)

1. Czechoslovakia
2. Sweden
3. Austria

1939 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland (Zürich, Basel)

1. Canada
2. United States
3. Switzerland

1938 IIHF World Championship in Czechoslovakia (Prague)

1. Canada
2. Great Britain
3. Czechoslovakia

1937 IIHF World Championship in Great Britain (London)

1. Canada
2. Great Britain
3. Switzerland

1936 IIHF World Championship in Germany (Garmisch-Partenkirchen) Olympics

1. Great Britain
2. Canada
3. United States

1935 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland (Davos)

1. Canada
2. Switzerland
3. Great Britain

1934 IIHF World Championship in Italy (Milan)

1. Canada
2. United States
3. Germany

1933 IIHF World Championship in Czechoslovakia (Prague)

1. United States
2. Canada
3. Czechoslovakia

1932 IIHF World Championship in New York (Lake Placid) Olympics

1. Canada
2. United States
3. Germany

1931 IIHF World Championship in Poland (Krynica)

1. Canada
2. United States
3. Austria

1930 IIHF World Championship in France (Chamonix), Germany (Berlin), Austria (Vienna)

1. Canada
2. Germany
3. Switzerland

Tournament began in France, warm weather and poor ice forced final games to Berlin.

1928 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland (St. Moritz) Olympics

1. Canada
2. Sweden
3. Switzerland

1924 IIHF World Championship in France (Chamonix) Olympics

1. Canada
2. United States
3. Great Britain

1920 IIHF World Championship in Belgium (Antwerp) Olympics

1. Canada
2. United States
3. Czechoslovakia

Olympics Ice Hockey tournaments played between 1920 and 1968 also counted as IIHF World Chamipionships. During the World War II and Olympics years 1980, 1984 and 1988 no Ice Hockey World Championships were staged.

Source IIHF World Championships medallists, and the Hockey Almanac.

Kosice’s ice hockey arena - Steel Arena will host 2011 Ice Hockey World Championship in Slovakia. Steel Arena is a new modern multipurpose hall in Kosice opened in 24th February 2006. It is a pride of Kosice situated in the center of the town.

By its capacity and good background with bars, bufets and fourty VIP places and VIP zones Steel Arena created great conditions for development of Kosice ice hockey that is dominant. Part of Steel Arena is Club Hotel that is connected straight with the hall.

Steel Arena would like to be a dignified organiser of the 2011 Ice Hockey World Championship that is the highest tribute of the hall. Steel Arena also work out on its good reputation as a famous sport, cultural and social center that always will be a place for many sports, talented performers and noble guests and especially its audience that would like coming back.

Location of Steel Arena in Kosice

Steel Arena is located in the center of Kosice on the place of old Winter Stadium. It is in walking distance form central railway and bus station. If you want to get there form Kosice International Airport by public transport take a bus number 23 to bus stop Krajsky sud.

Photos of Kosice’s Steel Arena

Multifunctional arena in Bratislava’s district Bratislava New Town, where will be held 2011 Ice Hockey World Championship, should stay in the place of Primary school Kalničiakova. Leaders of Slovak Ice Hockey Federation (SIHF) and Arena 2011 c.o. have a plan to build it till December 2010. They introduced first visualisations of new Arena and its trafic services.

In surroundings of Arena will be builed up car park with capacity 1300 cars. Arena will have only one ice-ring. Second training hall during 2011 IIHF World Championship will be Samsung Arena (nepela Arena) in near centre of Bratislava. Planned capacity of the hall is 12 000 spectators during ice hockey games, and about 3000 spectators more during other events.

Land in the corner of Trnavska and Bajkalska street opposite the Pasienky Sport Hall are large 26 thousand square metres - about 10 000 square metres larger than in the past place of a cyclodrome.

“Land in Kalinčiakova street is the best available possibility in consideration of traffic service, its location is great advantage. Bratislava Town worked together with us in the process of development of candidature, we were talking about all alternavies of the arena’s location, except this one.” said director of Marketing of SIHF and director of Arena 2011 Marin Ryba.

Development of multifunctional arena continues and the final presentation will be finished in the summer 2008. “Now is the high time to stand against the problem responsible and we must make everything to build the arena till 2011 to avoid the international fiasco. We want to build it up till December 2010. We are negotiating how to finance the project with the Ministry of School and Sport. In the short time government of Slovakia will discuss about it.” Martin Ryba said.

The highest-level Ice Hockey league in Slovakia is called Slovak Extraliga (Slovak Extraleague), which is played by 12 hockey teams. First 8 teams plays the final play-off.

Every team and many Slovakians are waiting for the biggest challenge - IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship.

Slovak National Ice Hockey team is quite young. Team was established in 1993 after dividing Czechoslovakia to Czcech Republic and Slovak Republic. Event it is young country, already it has some top hits.

Slovak National Teams was introduced in 1994 on Olympics in Lillehammer where Slovak National Team finished on the 7th place. After establishment Slovak national team must get out from IIHF World Championship Division I group B to the top world hockey elite - IIHF World Championship. Slovak Team masterful won every match and got in the top Ice Hockey elite in two years. National team of Slovakia was firstly introduced in IIHF World Championship in 1996 in Vienna. Due to Vienna’s location few miles from Slovakia (Bratislava), many fans were supporting them, but Slovak national team didn’t reach a huge success - only 10th place.

The first IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship medal reached by Slovak team was silver medal in Russia’s Saint Perersburg in 2000. Many Slovak towns were organising huge celebrations of this success. After two years Slovakia won its first ever world hockey championship downing Russia 4-3 in Sweden’s Goeteborg. The final gol shots Peter Bondra - Washington Capitals’s player.

Players

Slovakia brought up to world many successful players. Many of them got the top players in oversea’s National Hockey League. The top ice hockey players of Czechoslovakian Ice Hockey was Jozef Golonka, Vladimir Dzurilla, Darius Rusnak. They won with Czcechoslovakian national team some of the top world challenges like Ice Hockey World Championship and Olympics.

Slovak brothers Stastny - Anton Stastny, Marian Stastny and Peter Stastny was one of the most famouse NHL players. Peter Stastny was ranked number 56 on The Hockey News’ list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.

Many Slovakians players are drafted to NHL every year . Nowadays famouse active oversea’s Slovak players are Miroslav Satan, Marian Gaborik, Richard Zednik, Pavol Demitra, Hossa brothers Marian and Marcel, Michal Handzus, Vladimir Orszagh and many others.

Slovakian Ice Hockey has bright history with many successes, many world famous players, good location in the centre of Europe. That’s because Slovakia is the best country to stage 2011 Ice Hockey World Championship.

Representatives of Bratislava discussed about it on meeting on Thursday. Representation of Bratislava decided about the place for arena and also accepted conditions for investor. Mayor Andrej Ďurkovský declared these conditions as very strong. „Representatives accepted the resolution with conditions of redemption of a true dead-line and build up the new building of the school. In addition it must be proving an ability of financing for the case that school that is using now will be knock down and the new will never build up,“ said Ďurkovský. The representatives confirmed addition tells that the building of old primary school in Kalinčiakova street will be knock down only after giving a new building of a school to the town.

For the construction of a multi-functional hall is the area in Kalinčiakova street the right place. This decision has been delighted for many of us. On the other side, some of the conditions look impossible to reach therefore we should meet in close days and to predict it all again,“ said Martin Ryba director of Marketing of Slovak Ice Hockey Federation after the meeting of the town’s representatives.

Mayor of Bratislava Ďurkovský hopes that decision will be the last step from the Town Holl in this case. Also he hopes that the government will present its opinion.

…

Slovakia beat out Nordic rivals Sweden, Finland for the honour after Hungary withdrew its bid from the voting which was held during the IIHF General Congress during 2006 Ice Hockey World Championship in Riga (Latvia).

Prior to the voting, Finland withdrew from consideration, which left Hungary, Slovakia and Sweden as candidates. The voting then followed:

Slovakia 70
Sweden 20
Hungary 14

The IIHF will mark its 75th anniversary by bringing the 2008 world championships to the sport’s birthplace and spiritual home, staging the event in Canada for the first time.

The 2009 championship will be hosted by Switzerland. Germany will stage the 2010 tournament and Slovakia the one in 2011 and Finland in 2012.

Bratislava needs to build up new ice hall. Samsung Arena (later called Nepela’s Stadium) doesn’t accomplish nowadays standards. Therefor Slovakia Government and Slovak Ice Hockey Federation decided to build up new Stadium.

There were a lot of variants about the location of the new arena in Bratislava. The latest variant is build it in Bratislava’s district New Town next to footbal stadium Tehelne Pole on a place of old bicycle stadium. There are a lot of project of how the new arena will look. We will introduce them to you in next articles.

Bratislava has a lot of lodging resources. Therefore there is no need to build up new hotels and pensions to fulfil accommodation needs of Ice Hockey World Championship visitors.

Slovakia has to build new modern Ice Hockey stadium in Bratislava which will meets the latest standards. And Kosice will need to build more accommodation units such as Hotels and pensions.

The main target of this site will be introducing you the process of development this biggest competition in Slovakia. The development of new Ice Hockey modern stadium in Bratislava, and also the development of Kosice hotels. Kosice have too few hotels to satisfy all the needs of large amount of visitors of this competition. We will try to introduce you also two towns which will host this Championship - Bratislava and Kosice with they ice hockey life, and we will try to recommend you freetime activities in this cities, when your team will have a break during plays.