The IIHF event commission has just visited Denmark as part of the evaluation process of bid for the 2018 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships. The event commission was impressed by the set-up presented including two world class multi arenas, high quality hotels and a strong infrastructure.
Event commission member Peter Lühti says: ”I’m very impressed by the Danish bid. I was here last year, too and the preparations more than stick to the schedule in terms of playing hosts in 2018. My recommendation will be positive.”
The other event commission member, Peter Forsberg also has a positive impression of Denmark and the Danish bid: “With what we have seen today Denmark is fully qualified for the awarding of the World Championships. After 12 years in the A-group the country deserves it, and I was very impressed with what I saw today, and I have no hesitations. The standard of the hotels is high and the arenas are also of high class, and finally the Danes have answers to all our questions. They are well prepared.”
The new and modern Copenhagen Arena is currently under construction and will be finalized in spring 2016. And the other multi arena in Herning is also only four years old and of world class. Both arenas have a capacity of 12,000 spectator seats.
“The IIHF event Commission seemed very impressed by concept of the bid from Denmark which is based on outstanding facilities, a strong event organization including a lot of public partners and an activation plan that involves not only the Danish population and further develops Danish hockey but also focuses on contributing to the development of ice hockey in small countries,” explains Henrik Bach Nielsen, DIU President.
“Denmark will have two world class multi arenas for the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships in 2018, and with Herning and Copenhagen we also have two world class host cities that have an immense experience in hosting major international sports events,” says Lars Lundov, CEO, Sport Event Denmark.
Denmark has never staged an IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships but has for some years now prepared for a hosting and has previously also bid for the World Championships. The two host cities, Herning and Copenhagen, have many years of hosting experiences and many more things to offer teams, federations, IIHF, guests and spectators such as the world famous Legoland near Herning and Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen.
Denmark ranks #13 in the current IIHF World Ranking and has participated in the World Championship for 12 consecutive years.
The bid will be presented to the IIHF Event Committee next week in Zürich and the final presentation will take place during the annual congress in Minsk, and the host will be selected at the World Championship in May 2014 during the IIHF Annual Congress in Minsk.
The bid has full and strong support from the Danish government, the national Olympic Committee and the cities of Copenhagen and Herning and the national sport event organization, Sport Event Denmark.
For more information on the Danish bid for 2018, please contact:
Interview:
Contact:
Henrik Bach Nielsen, President, Danish Ice Hockey Association: +45 40 46 47 85; hnie@stofanet.dk
Lars Lundov, CEO, Sport Event Denmark: + 45 40 31 48 55 ll@sporteventdenmark.com