Ringette is a non-contact winter team sport played on an ice rink using ice hockey skates, straight sticks with drag-tips, and a blue, rubber, pneumatic ring designed for use on ice surfaces. While the sport was originally created exclusively for female competitors, it has expanded to now include participants of all gender identities. Although ringette looks ice hockey-like and is played on ice hockey rinks, the sport has its own lines and markings, and its offensive and defensive play bear a closer resemblance to lacrosse or basketball.
The World Ringette Championships (WRC) is the premier international competition in ringette and is governed by the International Ringette Federation (IRF). Unlike most international competitions, all of the WRC's elite athletes are female rather than male, one of the sport's distinctive features. Competing nations include: Canada, Finland, United States, Sweden, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, with Team Canada and Team Finland having emerged as the sport's top two competing nations. The 2023 World Ringette Championships will be held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and will be the sport's 60th anniversary.
The 2013 World Ringette Championships was an international ringette tournament and the 10th (X) World Ringette Championships. The tournament was organized by the International Ringette Federation (IRF)and was contested in North Bay, Ontario, Canada, between December 31, 2013, and January 4, 2014. The main competition took place at the North Bay Memorial Gardens.
The 2010 World Ringette Championships was an international ringette tournament and the 9th (IX) World Ringette Championships. The tournament was organized by the International Ringette Federation (IRF) and was contested in Tampere, Finland, between November 1 and November 6, 2010. The main competition took place at the Tampere Ice Stadium. The previous year the 2009 World Junior Ringette Championships took place in Prague, becoming the inaugural event for elite junior ringette athletes, but was organized as a separate event from the World Ringette Championships program.
The 2016 World Ringette Championships was an international ringette tournament and the 11th (XI) World Ringette Championships. The tournament was organized by the International Ringette Federation (IRF) and was contested in Helsinki, Finland between December 27, 2015, and January 3, 2016. The main competition took place at the Helsinki Ice Hall. It was the first time the Team Slovakia and the Team Czech appeared at the international tournament. This was also the first year Sweden formed the Sweden national junior ringette team (U19).
The Canada national ringette team is the ringette team representing Canada internationally. Canada has both a senior national team, Team Canada Senior, and a junior national team, Team Canada Junior. Both national teams compete in the World Ringette Championships (WRC) and are overseen by Ringette Canada which is a member of the International Ringette Federation (IRF). Some team members are selected from the National Ringette League. Team Canada and Team Finland have emerged as ringette's major international rivals at both the senior and junior level. Some of Canada's national teams have been inducted into the Ringette Canada Hall of Fame.
The 2017 World Ringette Championships was an international ringette tournament and the 12th (XII) of the World Ringette Championships. The tournament was organized by the International Ringette Federation (IRF) and was contested in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, from November 27 – December 3, 2017, at the Hershey Centre Arena, now renamed the Paramount Fine Foods Centre. Eight of the games were live-streamed online and made available for public viewing.
The 2019 World Ringette Championships was an international ringette tournament and the 13th (XIII) World Ringette Championships. The tournament was organized by the International Ringette Federation (IRF) and was contested in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, from November 25 - December 1, 2019. The main competition took place at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre.
The 2022 World Ringette Championships was an international ringette tournament and the 14th (XIV) World Ringette Championships. The tournament was organized by the International Ringette Federation (IRF) and was contested in Espoo, Finland, from October 31 – November 6, 2022. The President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, acted as a patron of the event. The previous world championships, the 2021 WRC, had been planned to be hosted by Finland in Helsinki, but were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2007 World Ringette Championships was an international ringette tournament and the 8th (VIII) of the World Ringette Championships. The tournament was organized by the International Ringette Federation (IRF) and was contested in Ottawa, Canada, between October 30 and November 3, 2007. The competition took place at the Ottawa Civic Centre which has since been renamed, "TD Place Arena" and was broadcast in Canada by Rogers TV.
The 2004 World Ringette Championships was an international ringette tournament and the 7th (XII) World Ringette Championships. The tournament was organized by the International Ringette Federation (IRF) and was contested in Stockholm, Sweden, between November 23 and 27, 2004. The game for the world title final between Canada and Finland took place at the Visättra SportCenter in Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden.
The 1996 World Ringette Championship was an international ringette tournament and the 4th (IX) World Ringette Championships. The tournament was organized by the International Ringette Federation (IRF) and was contested in Stockholm, Sweden, from April 15 to 20, 1996. WRC 1996 was the first time all competing teams represented individual nations with Canada creating its first, singular, all-Canadian team.
The 1994 World Ringette Championships was an international ringette tournament and the 3rd (III) World Ringette Championships, and was the first tournament organized by the International Ringette Federation (IRF) which had previously been called the "World Ringette Council". The tournament was contested in the city of Saint Paul, Minnesota, in the United States, between March 19 and 27, 1994, at the Rosemount Community Center/Arena in South St. Paul.
The Finland national ringette team,, more commonly known as "Team Finland", is the ringette team representing Finland internationally. Finland has both a senior national team, Team Finland Senior, and a junior national team, Team Finland Junior. Both national teams compete in the World Ringette Championships (WRC) and are overseen by Ringette Finland, which is a member of the International Ringette Federation (IRF). Finland's first appearance in international ringette took place at the first World Ringette Championships in 1990.
The 2009 World Junior Ringette Championships, also known as the U19 2009 World Championships, was an international ringette tournament and the first World Junior Ringette Championships organized by the International Ringette Federation (IRF) exclusively for elite junior national ringette teams. It was contested in Prague, Czech Republic, between August 4–8, 2009, at the Letňany Arena.
The 2012 World Junior Ringette Championships, also known as the U19 2012 World Championships, was an international ringette tournament and the 2nd edition of the World Junior Ringette Championships organized by the International Ringette Federation (IRF). It was contested in London, Ontario, Canada, between December 29, 2012, and January 3, 2013. The junior tournament was organized exclusively for elite junior national ringette teams. Venues included the Western Fair Sports Centre. This was the last year the event was held separately from the World Ringette Championships. Afterwards a new U19 division was created at the 2013 World Ringette Championships and the junior tournament merged with the larger international program.
The United States national ringette team, is the ringette team representing the United States internationally. America has only one national ringette team, Team USA Senior. It does not have an official national ringette team for the junior division. Team USA Senior is overseen by USA Ringette, a member of the International Ringette Federation, and competes at the World Ringette Championships. The first appearance in international ringette by the United States took place at the first World Ringette Championships in 1990. Team Sweden is Team USA's arch-rival with both teams competing in the President's Pool against Team Czech. Team USA and related activity occurs predominantly within the American state of Michigan.
The Sweden national ringette team, more commonly known as "Team Sweden", is the ringette team representing Sweden internationally. Sweden has both a senior national ringette team and a junior national ringette team. Both Team Sweden Senior and Team Sweden Junior are overseen by the Sweden Ringette Association (SRA), and compete in the World Ringette Championships (WRC). The SRA is a member of the International Ringette Federation (IRF). Sweden's first appearance in international ringette took place at the second World Ringette Championships in 1992. Team USA is Team Sweden's arch-rival with both teams competing in the President's Pool against Team Czech.
The Sweden Ringette Association, sometimes abbreviated in English as the "SRA", is the national governing body for the sport of ringette in Sweden and was founded in 1994. The SRA is responsible for the promotion of ringette on a nationwide basis and organizes the country's elite national ringette competition, the Ringette Dam-SM, which was also established in 1994. In 2003, the SRA was elected as an associate member of the Swedish Sports Confederation.
The 2023 World Ringette Championships is an international ringette tournament, the 15th (XV) World Ringette Championships, and will be contested in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, from October 29 to November 4, 2023. The host venue for the event will be the Canada Olympic Park (COP), WinSport Event Centre, and the Greater Calgary Arena. It will mark the 60th anniversary of the sport of ringette which was invented in 1963. The tournament is organized by the International Ringette Federation (IRF).
