CALGARY – With the conclusion of this year’s World Juniors, the IIHF has announced the groups for the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey U20 World Championship in Ufa, Russia.

The event goes from western Canada this year to the most eastward city ever in U20 World Championship, Ufa, the capital of Bashkortostan with one million inhabitants.

Host Russia will play both teams from North America – Canada and the U.S. – in its group along with Slovakia and the promoted team, Germany.

Reigning champion Sweden plays archrival Finland, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Latvia in the other group.

Group A:
Sweden (1)
Finland (4)
Czech Republic (5)
Switzerland (8)
Latvia (9)

Group B:
Russia (2)
Canada (3)
Slovakia (6)
United States (7)
Germany (10)

Group B involving host Russia will be staged at Ufa Arena. The 7,950-seat arena was built in 2007 and is home to Russia’s reigning champion, Salavat Yulayev Ufa. It includes a practice rink and other facilities.

The other group of the preliminary round will be staged in the Ufa Sports Palace with a capacity for 3,900 fans. The Sports Palace also has a second rink and staged the 1996 IIHF European U18 Championship.

The schedule will be announced at a later stage.

For more information from the event in Ufa, find here our story and video on the press conference of the Russian organizers.

MARTIN MERK