CALGARY, ALBERTA – Canada’s National Women’s Team will be arriving in Nova Scotia this weekend for an eight-day pre-competition camp in Halifax and Antigonish, Hockey Canada announced on Thursday.

Head Coach Karen Hughes also announced that a seventh alternate defencemen, Correne Bredin, of Warburg (Alb.) will be attending the pre-competition camp, bringing the total number of players attending camp to 23 players: two goaltenders, six defencemen, 12 forwards, and an alternate goaltender, an alternate defenceman and an alternate forward.

Team Canada’s pre-competition will feature:

· Practices in Halifax and Antigonish open to the general public free of charge;

· An autograph session in Halifax on March 22nd, and an autograph session in Antigonish, NS on March 27th

· A ‘Skate with the Champions’ for minor hockey players in Antigonish on March 27th

· A team skate with members of the St. Francis Xavier University Women’s Hockey Team and the Antigonish Senior Women’s Hockey Team

· An exhibition game vs. Sweden on March 28th in Antigonish, NS (Ticket information: 902-867-3304)

“We’re very excited to be in the final stretch leading to the 2004 World Championship in Halifax and Dartmouth,” said Canada’s Head Coach Karen Hughes. “The pre-competition camp will be a very important step in getting the players and staff ready for the challenge of defending the World Championship. We look forward to being in Halifax and Antigonish, and feeding off the energy of those communities to give a gold medal performance at the World Championship.”

The 2004 IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championship runs from March 30-April 6, 2004 in Halifax and Dartmouth. For ticket information, contact the Halifax Metro Centre at (902) 451-1221.

For further information on Canada’s National Women’s Program and Hockey Canada, visit www.hockeycanada.ca

For further information :

Brad
Director, Communications
Hockey Canada

403-777-4556/ 403-703-8561

bpascall@hockeycanada.ca