Argentina
| Argentina | |
 | |
| Continent | South America |
| Population | 41,281,631 |
| Registered players | 966 |
| Referees | 29 |
| Rinks | 1 |
| National teams | Men's Women's |
| National federation | Argentine Association of Ice and In-Line Hockey |
| IIHF since | May 31, 1998 |
| IIHF ranking | N/A |
| Top league | None |
Argentina is a country in South America. Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city.
Overview
National Teams
Competitions
| Competition | Founded | Folded | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liga Metropolitana | 1998 | - | Various competitions in Buenos Aires |
| Copa Honor y Respeto al Hockey | 2007 | - | Youth tournament in Buenos Aires |
| Copa Fin del Mundo | 2005 | - | Tournament in Usuhaia |
History of hockey in Argentina
The country's first ice rink opened in Buenos Aires in 1907. A second rink was erected in 1911. It was modeled after the Palais de Glace in Paris.
Austrians and German expats attempted to kick-start some hockey activities in the capital of Buenos Aires in the mid 1950s, but their efforts were mostly unsuccessful.. One of the people involved was the Hungarian player Béla Gosztonyi (Goszleth) who represented Hungary in the 1939 World Championships. In the 1970s, ice hockey was played around the Pampas mountains, mainly by European emigrants.
A new indoor ice rink was built in Buenos Aires in 1981, and some recreational hockey was played at the facility. Nearly 30 ice rinks opened around the country, but hockey still didn't take off.
Efforts to get the game going were renewed in the mid-1990s. Argentina became an IIHF member on May 31, 1998. The Argentine Association of Ice and In-Line Hockey is the governing body for ice and inline hockey in the country.[1]
However, a separate association, the Federacion Argentina de Hockey sobre Hielo (FAHH) is responsible for organizing ice hockey competitions in Argentina. The Liga Metropolitana, run by the FAHH, has organized numerous competitions in Buenos Aires since 1998. There is also a youth tournament, the Copa Honor y Respeto al Hockey, which was first contested in 2007.[2]
In the Patagonian city of Usuhaia, where British missionaries first took up skating in the 1860s, there are several competitions, the most prestigious being the Copa Fin del Mundo (End of the World Cup). Teams from around Argentina are eligible to participate and the tournament was made open to international teams in 2013.[3]
Another competition, organized by the Liga Ushuainese de Hockey Sobre Hielo, known as the Torneo Apertura Ushuaiense, was staged in 2011.
The Argentinian National Team made its international debut on February 18, 2012, losing 5:1 to Mexico. A rematch was held on the 19th, with Argentina falling 10:1. The women’s national team also played for the first time on that date, beating Mexico 1:0 to notch a victory in their inaugural international match. Mexico defeated the Argentines 7:1 in the rematch on the 19th.[4]
The men's national team has also played in the Pan American Ice Hockey Tournament in 2014 and 2015.[5] The women's team took part in the 2015 tournament.
References
- ↑ Argentina - IIHF.com
- ↑ FAHH - official website
- ↑ Copa Fin del Mundo
- ↑ National Teams of Ice Hockey - Argentina
- ↑ [tt_news=8623&cHash=ac002d179e973fc6fa763c6ac048ac6b Pan American festival]
Credits
Special thanks to Patrick H. for supplying information on this country.
