Calgary to Host Ringette Canada and International Ringette Federation World Championship
March 27, 2023 – Ringette Canada and the International Ringette Federation (IRF) have announced that Calgary will be the host city of the 2023 IRF World Ringette Championship. This event is also a part of the 60th Anniversary Celebration of the Sport of Ringette that was started in North Bay, Ontario by Sam Jacks.
The prestigious international competition will take place from October 31st – November 4, 2023 bringing top female ringette players from 5 countries to the Greater Calgary Arena for the first time. For the first time Canada will host a u18 International Development Festival with athletes from a number of Countries that will culminate with an international intersquad games, followed by Canada Red and then Canada White games versus Finland. The World Championship will host two Pools: The President Pool with Czechia, Sweden and the USA; and a u21 World Championship featuring Canada and Finland.
Ringette Canada’s senior program will compete in two Red White scrimmages during the World Championship. Leading up to the World Championship we will host our own National 4 Team Development u17 LaRèleve event that will bring in close to 100 athletes, pathway coaches, officials and athlete mentors from across Canada. Over the two weeks, concurrent Ringette educational programs will be delivered to develop coaches, officials and players, ensuring that the legacy programming of the 2023 Ringette World Championship contributes to building the leadership, experience and on-going growth of Ringette Alberta and Ringette Calgary and beyond. As a part of the 60th Anniversary Celebration, In partnership with the local community additional Come Try Ringette, Gym Ringette and Mixed Ringette will be offered.
‘WRC2023 will be a showcase of Ringette and a celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Ringette’, says Jane Casson, current IRF President. ‘Ringette was developed to give girls a winter sport that was their own. It has thrived in Canada and spread to Finland, Sweden, USA, and Czech Republic. Thank you to Ringette Canada for Hosting WRC2023. We look forward to being in Calgary to celebrate Ringette.’
The WinSport, WinSport Areas at Canada Olympic Park, will be the host venue for the World Ringette Championship and 60th Anniversary Celebration. COP is home to winter Olympic sports and to more than 15 National and Provincial Sport Organizations as well as the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary. WinSport Calgary supports all high-performance sport, Canadian athletes, world-class coaching, training and competition facilities. WinSport Arenas provide a world class experience to both national and international athletes, and teams with 4 world-class NHL sized arenas. Ringette Canada will be reserving hotel blocks for our attendees to book. More information on this will follow. Ringette Canada is committed to broadcasting all games on our YouTube channel to a worldwide audience.
Calgary is one of Canada’s largest cities, steeped in the western culture with the nickname “Cowtown”. It is a thriving business center with the most head offices per capita in Canada. Calgary is surrounded by four UNESCO World Heritage Sites including one of the world’s great resort destinations in Banff National Park. Calgary was recognized by SportBusiness International in 2014, 2016, and 2018 as an Ultimate Sport City. With more than 300 thriving local sport organizations, and a reputation as a mecca for high performance Olympic winter sport training, Calgary has cemented its place among the leading sport cities in the world.
The 2023 Ringette World Championship promises to be an exciting and dynamic event, bringing together the top u21 and u18 ringette players from Finland and Canada, in addition to the President’s Pool with teams from USA, Czechia and Sweden to compete for gold and celebrate the top ringette players in the world.