Swiss women aim for ice hockey summit
Switzerland's women's ice hockey team are hoping to rejoin the sport's elite this week with victory at the world B championships in Briancon.
The campaign begins on Tuesday when Switzerland get the tournament underway with a match against Latvia.
It was in Latvia last year that the Swiss lost their place among the world’s A group, after being defeated 2-1 in Riga by Kazakhstan.
In order to make a swift return to the top flight, the side managed by Francois Ceretti and Diane Michaud will have to first win their group, which contains Norway and the Czech Republic as well as the Latvians.
If they can manage that, the team will then have to play the winners of the second group for the single promotion place. Recently relegated Norway are expected to be the toughest opponents in Switzerland’s group, while Japan are also strongly favoured to reach the final.
Switzerland’s two trainers can call on virtually the same team that were narrowly beaten by Germany in last month’s Olympic qualifying tie. Replacement goalie Michelle von Allmen and forwards Helga Schneiter and Doris Wyss are the only players absent.
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