World U-17 Hockey Challenge

World U-17 Hockey Challenge
2015 World U-17 Hockey Challenge
Sport	Ice hockey
Founded	1986
No. of teams	8
Most recent champion(s)	Russia
Most championship(s)	Canada Ontario (8)
Official website	World U-17 Hockey Challenge
Related competitions	World Junior A Challenge

The World U-17 Hockey Challenge, originally known as the Quebec Esso Cup, is an international ice hockey tournament held annually in Canada. Prior to 2011, the tournament did not operate during years in which the Canada Winter Games were held. As such, the World Under-17 Challenge was held three out of every four years. It is organized by Hockey Canada and is the first major international competition for male hockey players under the age of 17. The tournament is the first step in Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence and is used to identify players moving on to the U18 and National Junior Team.

Origins

The inaugural World Under-17 Hockey Challenge took place in Quebec as the 1986 Quebec Esso Cup. At the time, it was considered the unofficial world championship of midget hockey. It was also used as a development tool for the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association to identify players for further development as well as expose them to their first taste of international competition. The tournament was among ten teams, five regional teams from Canada, Finland, Czechoslovakia, U.S.A., Sweden, and the U.S.S.R. Team Quebec, led by future NHL first overall pick Pierre Turgeon captured gold by defeating the Soviets, who featured the likes of Sergei Fedorov and Alexander Mogilny.

Prior to November 2014, the tournament was held from late December through to early January. Originally, Canada would field five teams, selected on a regional basis

Recent years

The World Under-17 Hockey Challenge has continued to grow over the years to the point where it is perhaps the largest annual event on Hockey Canada's calendar. The tournament is not an official World Championship, as it organized entirely by Hockey Canada. The IIHF holds the World Under-18 Championships each April.

The tournament is currently held in November of each year.

Participating teams

Canada enters three teams each year. Prior to November 2014, Canada entered five regional teams

Other participating nations have included: Other participating nations have included:

• United States
• Finland
• Russia
• Sweden
• Slovakia
• Czech Republic
• Germany
• Soviet Union (now defunct)
• Czechoslovakia (now defunct)

Results

Year	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Host(s)
2015	Canada White	Russia	Sweden	Dawson Creek and Fort St. John
2014 (Nov.)	Russia	United States	Sweden	Sarnia and Lambton Shores
2014 (Jan.)	United States	Canada Pacific	Russia	Cape Breton, (Sydney/North Sydney/Port Hawkesbury)
2013	Sweden	Russia	United States	Drummondville, Victoriaville
2012	Russia	United States	Canada Ontario	Windsor
2011	Canada Ontario	United States	Canada Pacific	Winnipeg / Portage La Prairie]
2010	United States	Canada Ontario	Sweden	Timmins / Iroquois Falls / Cochrane / Kapuskasing / Kirkland Lake / New Liskeard
2009	Canada Ontario	Canada Pacific	United States	Campbell River / Courtenay / Duncan / Nanaimo / Parksville / Port Alberni
2008	Canada Ontario	United States	Canada West	London / Lucan / St. Thomas / Stratford / Strathroy / Woodstock
2007	The ice hockey tournament at the 2007 Canada Games was held in place of a 2007 tournament.
2006	Canada Quebec	United States	Czech Republic	Balgonie / Fort Qu'Appelle / Indian Head / Milestone / Moose Jaw / Regina / Southey / Weyburn
2005	Canada West	Canada Pacific	Canada Atlantic	Lethbridge
2004	Canada Ontario	Canada Pacific	Canada Quebec	St. John's
2003	The ice hockey tournament at the 2003 Canada Games was held in place of a 2003 tournament.
2002	United States	Canada Pacific	Canada Ontario	Selkirk / Stonewall
2001	United States	Canada Pacific	Canada Ontario	New Glasgow / Truro
2000	Russia	Canada Ontario	Canada Pacific	Timmins / Chapleau / Cochrane / Haileybury / Hearst / Kapuskasing / Kirkland Lake / New Liskeard / Smooth Rock Falls / Rouyn-Noranda
1999	The ice hockey tournament at the 1999 Canada Games was held in place of a 1999 tournament.
1998 II	Canada West	United States	Finland	Swift Current
1998 I	Canada Ontario	Czech Republic	Canada Quebec	Kitchener
1997	Canada Ontario	Sweden	Canada Quebec	Red Deer
1995	Canada Ontario	Finland	Canada Quebec	Moncton
1994	Canada Quebec	United States	Canada Pacific	Amos
1992	Canada Ontario	Canada Quebec	Czechoslovakia	Sudbury
1991	The ice hockey tournament at the 1991 Canada Games was held in place of a 1991 tournament.
1990	Finland	Canada Quebec	Soviet Union	Quebec City
1988	Soviet Union	Sweden	Canada Quebec	Quebec City
1986	Canada Quebec	Soviet Union	Canada Pacific	Quebec City

Medal table

Country	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Medals
Canada Ontario	8	2	3	13
United States	4	7	2	13
Russia Soviet Union	4 !3 1 4	2 !1 1 2	2 !1 1 2	8 !5 3 8
Canada Quebec	3	2	5	10
Canada West	2	0	1	3
Sweden	1	2	2	5
Finland	1	1	1	3
Canada Pacific	0	6	4	10
Czech Republic Czechoslovakia	0 !0 0 0	1 !1 0 1	2 !1 1 2	3 !2 1 3
Canada Atlantic	0	0	1	1

See also

• World Junior A Challenge
• IIHF World U20 Championship
• IIHF World U18 Championship

External links

• World U-17 Hockey Challenge

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