The 2009 IIHF World Women's Championships was held in Hämeenlinna, Finland, from April 4 to 12, 2009.[1] This was the 12th women's championship run by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The defending champions United States defeated Canada 4–1 in the final match to win the gold medal and retain their top standing another year.
This was the last world championships with nine teams in the Top Division. Two teams—Japan and China—were relegated to Division I, replaced by only one—Slovakia—promoted from there. Division I also relegated two, Czech Republic and France, while receiving only one team through promotion, Latvia, along with the two from the top division. Division II only relegated one team, the Netherlands, but did not receive any promoted teams from the lower divisions. The lower divisions of III, IV, and V, were canceled for the 2009 cycle, with the lowest seeded team in each to be dropped down one division. The final result was that the Top Division will be reduced in size by one team for 2011, while the lowest division (Division V) will increase by one team. [2]
H. Knight (J. Potter, K. Stack) 4:39 (PP1) J. Chu (N. Darwitz) 12:40 (SH1) K. Stack (J. Lamoureux, K. Bellamy) 15:28 H. Knight (J. Potter, K. Stack) 17:23 (PP1) J. Lamoureux (K. Stack) 39:55 J. Chu (N. Darwitz, E. Lawler) 40:45 H. Knight (M. Engstrom) 44:27 J. Chu (N. Darwitz, L. Chesson) 58:51
M. Duggan (C. Cahow, L. Chesson) 7:16 J. Potter (H. Knight) 31:41 (SH1) A. Ruggiero (M. Schaus) 32:12 (SH1) K. Stack (M. Lamoureux, J. Chu) 37:32 (PP1) L. Chesson (E. Lawler) 38:09 J. Chu (N. Darwitz, C. Cahow) 38:22 G. Marvin (C. Cahow, N. Darwitz) 47:25 (PP1) J. Chu (N. Darwitz, M. Lamoureux) 52:39
D. Rundqvist 6:15 E. Holmlöv (E. Eliasson) 19:50 E. Holmlöv (D. Rundqvist, P. Winberg) 23:50 (PP1) E. Holst (E. Nordin, E. Holmlöv) 30:37 (PP1) K. Timglas (I. Jordansson) 38:45 E. Holst (P. Winberg) 45:49
H. Pelttari (Saa. Tuominen) 5:47 V. Heikkilä (Saa. Tuominen) 10:31 M. Karvinen (J. Hiirikoski) 15:02 (PP1) J. Hiirikoski (M. Karvinen) 18:17 (PP1) N. Tikkinen (V. Heikkilä) 37:52 (SH1) N. Tikkinen (Saa. Tuominen, H. Pelttari) 52:17
Goals
D. Leimgruber 19:27 N. Bullo (K. Nabholz) 44:26 C. Meier 54:00
H. Knight (K. Bellamy, M. Lemoureux) 9:21 G. Marvin 15:33 (SH1) N. Darwitz (E. Lawler, J. Chu) 32:36 N. Darwitz (C. Cahow, J. Chu) 36:01 (PP2) H. Knight (A. Ruggiero) 39:11 N. Darwitz (E. Lawler, J. Chu) 51:32 H. Knight (J. Potter) 55:26 (PP1)
L. Ibragimova (, ) 15:52 (PP1) N. Yakovchuk () 53:08
Goals
E. Smolentseva 3:56 A. Kapustina (E. Smolentseva, A. Khomich) 8:29 I. Dyubanok 11:20 S. Terentieva (T. Sotnikova, E. Lebedeva) 23:06 E. Smolentseva (I. Gavrilova) 27:02 T. Burina (E. Smolentseva, I. Gavrilova) 39:47 Y. Ananina (E. Smolentseva) 44:35 I. Gavrilova (Y. Ananina, E. Smolentseva) 55:08 T. Burina (A. Vafina, O. Permyakova) 58:52 (PP1)
C. Meier (S. Benz, K. Lehmann) 17:11 (PP1) D. Leimgruber (A. Stiefel) 43:50 (SH1) L. Nussbaum (C. Meier, K. Lehmann) 51:39 (PP1) D. Leimgruber (C. Meier) 55:55 N. Bullo 65:00 (GWS)
M. Karvinen (K. Rantamaki, E. Laaksonen) 12:36 M. Pehkonen (N. Tikkinen, S. Sirvio) 22:28 (PP1) M. Saarinen (A. Helin, E. Laaksonen) 43:34 M. Karvinen 48:02
The following teams took part in the Division I tournament which was held in Graz, Austria, from April 4 to April 10, 2009.[1] The winner of the group gets promoted to the Top Division for the 2011 championships, while the two bottom teams in the group are relegated to Division II.
The following teams took part in the Division II tournament which was held in Torre Pellice, Italy, from April 12 to April 18, 2009.[1] The winner of the group was promoted to Division I for the 2011 championships, while the last-placed team in the group was relegated to Division III.
The Division III, Division IV and Division V did not play this year. The respective tournaments were cancelled. The reasons seem to be multiple.[4] No country wanted to assume the financial costs of the tournaments. The tournaments will be scheduled for 2011. It has the effect the following changes:
Iceland is not promoted to the Division III, but stay in the Division IV.
Turkey is now relegated from Division IV to the new division V.
Division V will then consist of Turkey, and the four new nations who were to play in 2009: Poland, Bulgaria, Spain and Ireland.[5]