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The World Junior Ice Hockey Championship, (WJHC, formally the IIHF World U-20 Hockey Championship) is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-20 ice hockey teams from around the world. It is traditionally held in late December, ending in the beginning of January.
The main tournament features the top ten ranked hockey nations in the world, comprising the "A pool", from which a world champion is crowned. There are also three lower pools - divisions I, II and III - that each play separate tournaments playing for the right to be promoted to a higher pool, or face relegation to a lower pool.
The 2006 tournament was held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with the host nation winning the championship. The 2007 tournament will be held in Leksand and Mora, Sweden from December 26, 2006 - January 5, 2007.
[edit] History
First held in 1974 as a relatively obscure tournament, the WJHC's have grown in prestige, particularly in Canada, where the tournament ranks as one of the most important on the hockey calendar, and several cities compete for the right to host the tournament, offering large profit guarantees to Hockey Canada. [1]
One of the most infamous incidents in WJHC history occurred in 1987 in Piestany, Czechoslovakia where a massive bench clearing brawl between Canada and the Soviet Union led to both teams being disqualified from the tournament. While the Soviets were out of medal contention, Canada was playing for the gold medal, and were leading 4-2 at the time of the brawl. It began when Pavel Kostichkin took a two handed slash at Theoren Fleury beginning the melee. The USSR's Evgeny Davydov was the first player off the bench, leading to both benches clearing. The officials could not break up the fight so they left the ice and eventually tried turning out the arena lights. The brawl lasted for 20 minutes. Afterwards, Soviet hockey official Anatoly Kastriukov claimed a trainer for the Canadian team had fuelled hostilities by coming over to the Soviet bench and pummelling one of their assistant coaches. The Canadians maintained that the Soviets had started the brawl by leaving their bench first. Neither team was allowed to attend the players' banquet at the end of the tournament.[2]
[edit] Member nations
Thirty-nine nations compete annually in four divisions:
[edit] A pool
The A pool comprises the top ten hockey nations in the world. For the 2007 tournament, the competitors will be:
[edit] Division I
Twelve teams comprise Division I. They are broken into two groups, with the winner of each group gaining promotion to the A pool for the following year.
[edit] Division II
Twelve teams comprise Division II. They are also broken into two groups competing to advance into Division I.
[edit] Division III
Division III is made up of five teams. The top two in each years tournament are promoted to Division II.
[edit] IIHF World Junior Champions
| Year
| Gold
| Silver
| Bronze
| Venue
|
| 1974
| Image:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR
| Image:Flag of Finland (bordered).svg Finland
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Leningrad Image:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg
|
| 1975
| Image:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Image:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden
| Winnipeg, Manitoba Image:Flag of Canada.svg
|
| 1976
| Image:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Image:Flag of Czechoslovakia (bordered).svg Czechoslovakia
| Finland Image:Flag of Finland (bordered).svg
|
| 1977
| Image:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Image:Flag of Czechoslovakia (bordered).svg Czechoslovakia
| B. Bystrica/Zvolen Image:Flag of Czechoslovakia (bordered).svg
|
| 1978
| Image:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR
| Image:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Montreal, Quebec Image:Flag of Canada.svg
|
| 1979
| Image:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR
| Image:Flag of Czechoslovakia (bordered).svg Czechoslovakia
| Image:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden
| Karlstad Image:Flag of Sweden.svg
|
| 1980
| Image:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR
| Image:Flag of Finland (bordered).svg Finland
| Image:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden
| Helsinki Image:Flag of Finland (bordered).svg
|
| 1981
| Image:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden
| Image:Flag of Finland (bordered).svg Finland
| Image:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR
| Füssen Image:Flag of Germany.svg
|
| 1982
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Image:Flag of Czechoslovakia (bordered).svg Czechoslovakia
| Image:Flag of Finland (bordered).svg Finland
| Minnesota Image:Flag of the United States.svg
|
| 1983
| Image:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR
| Image:Flag of Czechoslovakia (bordered).svg Czechoslovakia
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Leningrad Image:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg
|
| 1984
| Image:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR
| Image:Flag of Finland (bordered).svg Finland
| Image:Flag of Czechoslovakia (bordered).svg Czechoslovakia
| Norrköping/Nyköping Image:Flag of Sweden.svg
|
| 1985
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Image:Flag of Czechoslovakia (bordered).svg Czechoslovakia
| Image:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR
| Helsinki/Turku Image:Flag of Finland (bordered).svg
|
| 1986
| Image:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States
| Hamilton, Ontario Image:Flag of Canada.svg
|
| 1987
| Image:Flag of Finland (bordered).svg Finland
| Image:Flag of Czechoslovakia (bordered).svg Czechoslovakia
| Image:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden
| Piestany Image:Flag of Czechoslovakia (bordered).svg
|
| 1988
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Image:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR
| Image:Flag of Finland (bordered).svg Finland
| Moscow Image:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg
|
| 1989
| Image:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR
| Image:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden
| Image:Flag of Czechoslovakia (bordered).svg Czechoslovakia
| Anchorage, Alaska Image:Flag of the United States.svg
|
| 1990
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Image:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR
| Image:Flag of Czechoslovakia (bordered).svg Czechoslovakia
| Helsinki/Turku Image:Flag of Finland (bordered).svg
|
| 1991
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Image:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR
| Image:Flag of Czechoslovakia (bordered).svg Czechoslovakia
| Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Image:Flag of Canada.svg
|
| 1992
| Image:Flag of the CIS.svg CIS
| Image:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden
| Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States
| Füssen/Kaufbeuren Image:Flag of Germany.svg
|
| 1993
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Image:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden
| Image:Flag of Czechoslovakia (bordered).svg Czechoslovakia
| Gävle Image:Flag of Sweden.svg
|
| 1994
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Image:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden
| Image:Flag of Russia (bordered).svg Russia
| Ostrava/Frydek.Mistek Image:Flag of the Czech Republic (bordered).svg
|
| 1995
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Image:Flag of Russia (bordered).svg Russia
| Image:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden
| Primarily Red Deer, Alberta Image:Flag of Canada.svg
|
| 1996
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Image:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden
| Image:Flag of Russia (bordered).svg Russia
| Massachusetts Image:Flag of the United States.svg
|
| 1997
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States
| Image:Flag of Russia (bordered).svg Russia
| Geneva/Morges Image:Flag of Switzerland.svg
|
| 1998
| Image:Flag of Finland (bordered).svg Finland
| Image:Flag of Russia (bordered).svg Russia
| Image:Flag of Switzerland.svg Switzerland
| Helsinki/Hämeenlinna Image:Flag of Finland (bordered).svg
|
| 1999
| Image:Flag of Russia (bordered).svg Russia
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Image:Flag of Slovakia.svg Slovakia
| Winnipeg, Manitoba Image:Flag of Canada.svg
|
| 2000
| Image:Flag of the Czech Republic (bordered).svg Czech Republic
| Image:Flag of Russia (bordered).svg Russia
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Skellefteå/Umeå Image:Flag of Sweden.svg
|
| 2001
| Image:Flag of the Czech Republic (bordered).svg Czech Republic
| Image:Flag of Finland (bordered).svg Finland
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Moscow/Podolsk Image:Flag of Russia (bordered).svg
|
| 2002
| Image:Flag of Russia (bordered).svg Russia
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Image:Flag of Finland (bordered).svg Finland
| Pardubice/Hradec Kralove Image:Flag of the Czech Republic (bordered).svg
|
| 2003
| Image:Flag of Russia (bordered).svg Russia
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Image:Flag of Finland (bordered).svg Finland
| Halifax/Sydney, Nova Scotia Image:Flag of Canada.svg
|
| 2004
| Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Image:Flag of Finland (bordered).svg Finland
| Helsinki/Hämeenlinna Image:Flag of Finland (bordered).svg
|
| 2005
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Image:Flag of Russia (bordered).svg Russia
| Image:Flag of the Czech Republic (bordered).svg Czech Republic
| Grand Forks, North Dakota/Thief River Falls, Minnesota Image:Flag of the United States.svg
|
| 2006
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Image:Flag of Russia (bordered).svg Russia
| Image:Flag of Finland (bordered).svg Finland
| Vancouver/Kelowna/Kamloops, British Columbia Image:Flag of Canada.svg
|
| 2007
|
|
|
| Leksand/Mora Image:Flag of Sweden.svg
|
| 2008
|
|
|
| Czech Republic Image:Flag of the Czech Republic (bordered).svg
|
| 2009
|
|
|
| Ottawa, Ontario Image:Flag of Canada.svg
|
[edit] List of Champions
Sorted by Gold
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
ru:Чемпионат мира по хоккею с шайбой (юниоры)
sv:JVM i ishockey
