FIRS Inline Hockey World Championships
Encyclopedia
The FIRS Inline Hockey World Championships are an annual inline hockey
tournament organized by the International Inline Roller Hockey Committee (CIRIH) under the International Roller Sports Federation
(FIRS). First officially held at the 1995 World Championships, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The 1995 championships is recognized as the first inline roller hockey world championships. The 1995 event, twelve teams played a series of round-robin games
to qualify for a single elimination playoff
. Medals were awarded to the winners of the medal games. In 1997, fifteen nations took part and were split into two pools. In 2008, seventeen nations took part and were split into two groups. The top eight teams played for the World Championship. The other nine played for the National Team World Cup.
The modern format for the World Championship features 8 teams in the championship group, and the rest of the teams in the National Team World Cup. The teams in both divisions play a preliminary round, then the top six teams in the championship, and the top two teams in the world cup play in the playoff medal round and the winning team is crowned World Champion. The World Championships are open to all players, both professional and amateur. The FIRS requires that players are citizens of the country they represent and allow players to switch national teams provided that they play in their new nation for a certain period of time.
United States is the tournament's most dominant team, winning the tournament 13 out of 15 years. Canada, Czech Republic, and Switzerland have all won the tournament once.
The 17th World Championships will be held in Roccaraso
, Italy
.
, United States in 1995. The United States won the tournament after defeating Canada in the final. The United States won the tournament a further three times before in 1999 they were beaten by Switzerland in the gold medal game. The following year the United States reclaimed the gold medal and again won it in 2001.
In 2002 FIRS expanded the inline program to include a women's tournament. Both the men's and women's tournaments were held in Rochester
, New York
, United States where Canada's men's and women's teams went on to win their respective tournaments. Through the next four years the United States continued their dominance in the men's tournament while in the women's both Canada and the United States competed in the final all four times by both winning two gold medals each.
In 2007 FIRS again expanded their inline program to include a juniors' tournament. The United States went on to win the first edition of the tournament after beating the Czech Republic in the final.
Keys:
Promoted
Never been promoted/relegated (began in that division)
Relegated
, Italy
.
Inline hockey
Inline hockey, often referred to as roller hockey in the United States, is a sport similar to ice hockey but played with inline skates. Like its parent sport, skaters on two teams use hockey sticks to direct a disk-shaped puck into the opponent's goal; however, various details of the game, such as...
tournament organized by the International Inline Roller Hockey Committee (CIRIH) under the International Roller Sports Federation
International Roller Sports Federation
The International Roller Sports Federation or Fédération Internationale de Roller Sports is the world governing body for roller sports, including rink hockey, inline hockey, Inline speed skating and artistic roller skating...
(FIRS). First officially held at the 1995 World Championships, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The 1995 championships is recognized as the first inline roller hockey world championships. The 1995 event, twelve teams played a series of round-robin games
Round-robin tournament
A round-robin tournament is a competition "in which each contestant meets all other contestants in turn".-Terminology:...
to qualify for a single elimination playoff
Single-elimination tournament
A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match or bracket is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event...
. Medals were awarded to the winners of the medal games. In 1997, fifteen nations took part and were split into two pools. In 2008, seventeen nations took part and were split into two groups. The top eight teams played for the World Championship. The other nine played for the National Team World Cup.
The modern format for the World Championship features 8 teams in the championship group, and the rest of the teams in the National Team World Cup. The teams in both divisions play a preliminary round, then the top six teams in the championship, and the top two teams in the world cup play in the playoff medal round and the winning team is crowned World Champion. The World Championships are open to all players, both professional and amateur. The FIRS requires that players are citizens of the country they represent and allow players to switch national teams provided that they play in their new nation for a certain period of time.
United States is the tournament's most dominant team, winning the tournament 13 out of 15 years. Canada, Czech Republic, and Switzerland have all won the tournament once.
The 17th World Championships will be held in Roccaraso
Roccaraso
Roccaraso is a town and comune of the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of central Italy.-External links:***...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
History
The first tournament was held in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, United States in 1995. The United States won the tournament after defeating Canada in the final. The United States won the tournament a further three times before in 1999 they were beaten by Switzerland in the gold medal game. The following year the United States reclaimed the gold medal and again won it in 2001.
In 2002 FIRS expanded the inline program to include a women's tournament. Both the men's and women's tournaments were held in Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States where Canada's men's and women's teams went on to win their respective tournaments. Through the next four years the United States continued their dominance in the men's tournament while in the women's both Canada and the United States competed in the final all four times by both winning two gold medals each.
In 2007 FIRS again expanded their inline program to include a juniors' tournament. The United States went on to win the first edition of the tournament after beating the Czech Republic in the final.
Divisions
As of 2011, the FIRS World Championships are split up into two different divisions. This is the alignment of the divisions. Teams are ranked based on their finish in the 2010 World Championships. Teams that are not participating are not ranked and are not included here.Keys:
Promoted
Never been promoted/relegated (began in that division)
RelegatedChampionship
The World Championship division comprises the top eight inline hockey nations in the world. The 17th championship will be held between July 10 and July 16 in RoccarasoRoccaraso
Roccaraso is a town and comune of the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of central Italy.-External links:***...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
| Nation | Member of FIRS since |
Member of division since |
Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group B | 6 | 1995 | 15px | ||
| Group B | 3 | 1995 | 15px | ||
| Group A | 4 | 1997 | 15px | ||
| Group B | 7 | 1999 | 2010 | ||
| Group A | 5 | 1995 | 15px | ||
| Group A | 8 | 1995 | 2010 | ||
| Group B | 2 | 1997 | 15px | ||
| Group A | 1 | 1995 | 1995 |
Men's
| Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Host city (cities) | Host country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Chicago Chicago Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... |
United States | |||
| 1996 | Roccaraso Roccaraso Roccaraso is a town and comune of the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of central Italy.-External links:***... |
Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
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| 1997 | Zell am See Zell am See Zell am See is the capital city of the Zell am See district in the Austrian state of Salzburg. The city has about 10,000 inhabitants.Zell am See is a tourist destination and a transportation hub for the region... |
Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
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| 1998 | Winnipeg Winnipeg Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name... |
Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
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| 1999 | Thun Thun Thun is a municipality in the administrative district of Thun in the canton of Bern in Switzerland with about 42,136 inhabitants , as of 1 January 2006.... , Wichtrach Wichtrach Wichtrach is a municipality in the Bern-Mittelland administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.-History:Wichtrach was created on January 1, 2004 by uniting of the independent municipalities of Niederwichtrach and Oberwichtrach. The parish church of Oberwichtrach was first... |
Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... |
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| 2000 | Amiens Amiens Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy... |
France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
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| 2001 | Torrevieja Torrevieja Torrevieja is a seaside city and municipality located on the Costa Blanca in the province of Alicante, in south-eastern Spain.Torrevieja lies about 30 miles south of the city of Alicante and has a population of 104,000... |
Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
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| 2002 | Rochester | United States | |||
| 2003 | Pisek Písek Písek is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has a population of 29 909 .-About:Písek is usually called "The Athens of the South", although Athens is much more southerly, because it has many high schools and schools of higher education, e.g. the Film School in Písek... |
Czech Republic Czech Republic The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest.... |
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| 2004 | London London, Ontario London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city... |
Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
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| 2005 | Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... |
France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
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| 2006 | Detroit | United States | |||
| 2007 | Bilbao Bilbao Bilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain... |
Spain | |||
| 2008 | Ratingen Ratingen Ratingen is a town in the district of Mettmann, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, in the northwestern part of Berg - about 12 km northeast of Düsseldorf... |
Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
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| 2009 | Varese Varese Varese is a town and comune in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 55 km north of Milan.It is the capital of the Province of Varese. The hinterland or urban part of the city is called Varesotto.- Geography :... |
Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
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| 2010 2010 FIRS Men's Inline Hockey World Championships The 2010 FIRS Men's Inline Hockey World Championships was the 16th FIRS Men's Inline Hockey World Championships, an annual international inline hockey tournament organised by the International Roller Sports Federation. It took place between 12 and 17 July 2010 in Beroun, Czech Republic... |
Beroun Beroun Beroun is a town in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. The town is part of the Prague metropolitan area. It is located 30 km southwest of Prague and has a population of 18,930 . It lies on the confluence of Berounka and Litavka rivers.Despite its small size, it is an... |
Czech Republic Czech Republic The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest.... |
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| 2011 | Roccaraso Roccaraso Roccaraso is a town and comune of the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of central Italy.-External links:***... |
Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
Women's
| Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Host city (cities) | Host country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Rochester | United States | |||
| 2003 | Pisek Písek Písek is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has a population of 29 909 .-About:Písek is usually called "The Athens of the South", although Athens is much more southerly, because it has many high schools and schools of higher education, e.g. the Film School in Písek... |
Czech Republic Czech Republic The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest.... |
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| 2004 | London London, Ontario London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city... |
Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
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| 2005 | Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... |
France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
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| 2006 | Detroit | United States | |||
| 2007 | Bilbao Bilbao Bilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain... |
Spain | |||
| 2008 | Düsseldorf Düsseldorf Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the... |
Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
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| 2009 | Varese | Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
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| 2010 | Beroun Beroun Beroun is a town in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. The town is part of the Prague metropolitan area. It is located 30 km southwest of Prague and has a population of 18,930 . It lies on the confluence of Berounka and Litavka rivers.Despite its small size, it is an... |
Czech Republic Czech Republic The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest.... |
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| 2011 | Roccaraso Roccaraso Roccaraso is a town and comune of the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of central Italy.-External links:***... |
Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
Juniors'
| Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Host city (cities) | Host country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Düsseldorf Düsseldorf Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the... |
Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
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| 2008 | Philadelphia | United States | |||
| 2009 | Varese | Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
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| 2010 | Düsseldorf Düsseldorf Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the... |
Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
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| 2011 | Roccaraso Roccaraso Roccaraso is a town and comune of the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of central Italy.-External links:***... |
Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
Veteran's
| Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Host city (cities) | Host country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Bisley Bisley -Places:* Two villages in the United Kingdom:**Bisley, Surrey**Bisley, Gloucestershire*Bisley Ranges is near the Surrey village and is the headquarters of the National Rifle Association, UK -Others:... |
Great Britain Great Britain Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles... |
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| 2011 | Beroun Beroun Beroun is a town in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. The town is part of the Prague metropolitan area. It is located 30 km southwest of Prague and has a population of 18,930 . It lies on the confluence of Berounka and Litavka rivers.Despite its small size, it is an... |
Czech republic Czech Republic The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest.... |