MINSK, 25 August (BelTA) – Denmark is the favorite to win the upcoming Olympic ice hockey qualifying tournament in Minsk, Chairman of Belarus Ice Hockey Federation Igor Rachkovsky told reporters after a training session of Belarus national team, BelTA has learned.
“Denmark has a very strong team. However, the previous qualifying tournament in 2013 also featured strong teams, and the winner was Slovenia. The level of teams who will come to Minsk in early September is not lower than that of the Belarusians, but, in my opinion, Denmark is the favorite to win,” Igor Rachkovsky said.
The Olympic qualifying tournament will take place in Minsk on 1-4 September 2016. Dave Lewis' team will compete for a berth in the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics against the teams of Denmark (1 September), Poland (2 September), and Slovenia (4 September). The best placed team will advance to the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.
Organizers promise a colorful opening ceremony of the tournament to be held in Minsk Arena. The hospitality zone will be opened two hours before the first match.
