slovakiasnextone
Registered User
Okay, so it doesn´t happen too often that we actually have such an event like the IHWC happening here in Slovakia, so I thought I might very well use it to tell you a few things about my country (thanks to being hockey fans I hope that unlike most of the rest of the world you at least have heard of this tiny lil place), because I guess the only source of info most of you ever got was from movies like Eurotrip or Hostel, but even more so I´d like to use this thread to show the atmosphere of the WC here and what it means for us to be hosting this events (this is mostly directed to NA fasn as I guess the other Europeans have already been there a few times) and therefore I´d like to introduce you to soem projects that connect to the 2011 IHWC in Slovakia. This thread can also be used for questions you have about the 2011 IHWC in Slovakia or your impressions and I´d also like to encourage my fellow Slovak members to post here and to add what I have left out. So, I hope you all enjoy this!
Official name: Slovak Republic
Location: In Central Europe neighbouring Czech republic in Northwest, Austria in Southwest, Hungary in the South, Ukraine in the East and Poland in the North
Area: 49.035 km2 (18,932sq mi)
Population: 5 429 763 (2010 estimate)
Ethnic groups: Slovak 86%, Hungarian 10%,2 % Roma, 2% other (Russyn, Czech, Ukranian...)
Capital: Bratislava (Pressburg- GER, Pozsóny-HU)
GDP (PPP): 120.758 billion (USD)
GDP (PPP) Per capita: 22.267 (USD)
HDI: 0.818 (very high, 31st in the world)
Time zone: CET
Currency: Euro (Since January 1st 2009)
Independence: January 1st 1993
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Head of state: Ivan GaÅ¡parovič
Member of international organizations: United Nations, WTO, OECD, NATO, European Union, Council of Europe, Visegrad Four and many others
Highest peak: Gerlachovský Å¡tÃt (Gerlach Peak) in High Tatra mountains
Longest river: Váh
Biggest river: Danube
National Parks: 9- High Tatras, Low Tatras, High Fatra, Low Fatra, Pieniny, Slovak Karst, Slovak Paradise, Poloniny, Muránska Planina
National anthem: Nad Tatrou sa blýska- Lightning over the Tatras (written by Janko Matuška in 1840´s)
AND THERE´S MUCH MUCH MORE TO SEE, BUT NOW LET´S GET TO HOCKEY!!!!!
Ice-Hockey in Slovakia
General Info:
Total players: 8 671
Male: 1 886
Female: 288
Junior: 6 497
Referees: 389
Indoor Rinks: 45
Outdoor Rinks: 21
Men´s World Ranking: 8th
Women´s World Ranking: 10thTop league: Slovnaft Extraliga
2010/2011 Champion: HC Košice
Štadión Ondreja Nepelu- Ondrej Nepela Stadium (temporraily called Orange Arena for the IHWC)
Pre-reconstruction
Current Look Outside
Current Look Inside
Štadión Ladislava Trojáka- Ladislav Troják Stadium- Steel Arena
So this is Part 1, Part 2 to follow soon!
Slovakia in general
Official name: Slovak Republic
Location: In Central Europe neighbouring Czech republic in Northwest, Austria in Southwest, Hungary in the South, Ukraine in the East and Poland in the North
Area: 49.035 km2 (18,932sq mi)
Population: 5 429 763 (2010 estimate)
Ethnic groups: Slovak 86%, Hungarian 10%,2 % Roma, 2% other (Russyn, Czech, Ukranian...)
Capital: Bratislava (Pressburg- GER, Pozsóny-HU)
GDP (PPP): 120.758 billion (USD)
GDP (PPP) Per capita: 22.267 (USD)
HDI: 0.818 (very high, 31st in the world)
Time zone: CET
Currency: Euro (Since January 1st 2009)
Independence: January 1st 1993
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Head of state: Ivan GaÅ¡parovič
Member of international organizations: United Nations, WTO, OECD, NATO, European Union, Council of Europe, Visegrad Four and many others
Highest peak: Gerlachovský Å¡tÃt (Gerlach Peak) in High Tatra mountains
Longest river: Váh
Biggest river: Danube
National Parks: 9- High Tatras, Low Tatras, High Fatra, Low Fatra, Pieniny, Slovak Karst, Slovak Paradise, Poloniny, Muránska Planina
National anthem: Nad Tatrou sa blýska- Lightning over the Tatras (written by Janko Matuška in 1840´s)
High Tatra National Park
National Park Big Fatra
UNESCO Sights in Slovakia
Banská Štiavnica
Bardejov
Spiš Castle (one of the largest in Europe)
VlkolÃnec Village
Wooden Churches (one of them)
AND THERE´S MUCH MUCH MORE TO SEE, BUT NOW LET´S GET TO HOCKEY!!!!!
Ice-Hockey in Slovakia
General Info:
Total players: 8 671
Male: 1 886
Female: 288
Junior: 6 497
Referees: 389
Indoor Rinks: 45
Outdoor Rinks: 21
Men´s World Ranking: 8th
Women´s World Ranking: 10th
2010/2011 Champion: HC Košice
History of Hockey in Slovakia, from Slovak federation´s website:
Canadians are justly proud of their bringing ice hockey - one of the most tremendous games to the whole world. Overseas it was already played in the last century but began entering Europe step by step, too. The first European Championship took place in 1910. During that time Canadian (ice) hockey was a rival to bandy hockey and definitely took the lead after the Olympic Games in Chamonix in 1924.
Bandy hockey was number one in Slovakia, too. Canadian hockey got only popularised during the European Championship in High Tatras in 1925.
The year 1929 is the milestone of the ice hockey in Slovakia, when the first volume of the Tatra Cup (the second oldest tournament in Europe - after the Spengler Cup) was organised in Starý Smokovec. Two days later, on January 31st, 1929, the first Slovak hockey organisation was established under the name of Slovenská župa kanadského hokeja as a part of the Czechoslovak Ice Hockey Federation.
The founding members were Ski klub Bratislava, Å K Slávia Banská Bystrica, Å K Vysoké Tatry, ČsÅ K KoÅ¡ice and Å K Žilina. So the hockey finally got its "mother" organisation in Slovakia and this date is considered as the initial day of history of ice hockey in Slovakia.
The first organised competition, The Slovak Championship, was launched already in 1930 and the first Slovak team managed to fight its way to the National Czechoslovak Hockey League in 1936. It was the HC Tatry. The university club VÅ Bratislava became the second participant the following year.
The first Slovak player included into the Czechoslovak National Team was Ladislav Troják, player of HC Košice. In 1934 he left for Prague to play for LTC Praha, one of the best hockey clubs in Czechoslovakia those times. That was a springboard to the representation team for him. Neither did he staid away from the Team Czechoslovakia at the Winter Olympic Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1936, where the representation selects ended up on the 4th place. However the clouds of fascism and the World War II had already been flying over the Europe then.
After the disintegration of Czechoslovakia in 1938 and during the time of establishment of Separate Slovak State the Slovenská župa kanadského hokeja changed to the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation and the first Slovak National Team resulted from that change. The Slovak representation selects played 10 international games with the balance of 3 wins, 2 ties and 5 losts in period between 1940-1943. In country under the High Tatras ice hockey was generally enjoyed by public, particularly where the natural conditions were suitable. Banská Bystrica, for example, was one of such towns and had the largest number of players representing Slovakia.
The Slovak Ice Hockey Federation became a part of the Czechoslovak Ice Hockey Federation after the World War II and four Slovak teams (ŠK Bratislava, VŠBratislava, ŠK Banská Bystrica, HC Vysoké Tatry) participated to the restored national competition.
The first post-war World Championship was played in Prague in 1947 and Team Czechoslovakia again also consisted of Ladislav Troják, who unfortunately died at the air crash over the La Manche together with 5 other members of National Team. It was his fifth championship. Matej Buckna, Slovak of Canadian origin was a Head Coach of the National Team.
Many more Slovak teams like VŠBratislava, ŠK Banská Bystrica, Žilina, Poprad (for 5 seasons) were introduced to the national competition during the first decade after the World War II. Only the HC Slovan Bratislava, where the best hockey players (also from villages) started to assemble, managed to hold their permanent place there. It was particularly their contribution to arising the number of the Slovak players in the National Team during the 50-ties.
Bratislava hosted the world hockey elite in 1959. One group of the World Championship was played there. Canadian National Team enjoyed great interest together with the Team Czechoslovakia. The cradle of ice hockey was represented by the club Belleville McFarlands. It was them (Czechoslovakia and Canada), who were promoted to the final round played in Prague. That championship had an enormous share on the further popularisation and development of ice hockey in Slovakia.
Slovakia and the 2011 IIHF World Hockey Championship
Candidature video:
Trailer:
Venues
BRATISLAVA
Population: 457 426
Old Town
Population: 457 426
Old Town
New City Centre EUROVEA
Štadión Ondreja Nepelu- Ondrej Nepela Stadium (temporraily called Orange Arena for the IHWC)
Pre-reconstruction
Current Look Outside
Current Look Inside
KOÅ ICE
Štadión Ladislava Trojáka- Ladislav Troják Stadium- Steel Arena
So this is Part 1, Part 2 to follow soon!