March 19, 2012 (Jay, VT)- The World Cup is coming to Jay Peak. The Resort today announced that three of the eight teams competing in the IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championship being held in Burlington will be using Jay Peak’s Ice Haus arena as their practice facility. Canada, Sweden and Slovakia will be at the resort as they prepare for the championship tournament scheduled for April.

“Jay Peak offers us an opportunity to train in an uninterrupted environment as we prepare to re-claim the World Championship title and bring it back to Canada,” said Kalli Quinn of Hockey Canada.

The eight-day championship tournament begins in Burlington on April 7. Teams will begin arriving at Jay Peak starting March 31. This is only the third time in the championship’s 22 year history that it’s been held in the United States and the first time ever it’s been in Vermont. Past host countries include China, Switzerland, Sweden, and Finland. How teams finish helps to determine whether or not they will qualify for the Winter Olympics in 2014.

“We’re honored that these teams chose the Ice Haus as their practice facility,” said Steve Wright, Jay Peak’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Being able to host these types of high-caliber events that appeal to both New Englanders and Canadians was a motivating factor behind building the arena.”

The other teams in the tournament including Germany, Finland, Russia, Switzerland, and the United States will be preparing in Lake Placid, NY. Team Slovakia will be at Jay Peak Resort from March 31 to April 6; Team Canada from April 1 to April 6; and Team Sweden from April 2 to April 6.

Jay Peak will publish each team’s practice schedule at jaypeakresort.com , and practices will be open to guests, but the teams also have scheduled a series of exhibition games that will be open to the public. The North American Hockey Academy, which moved to Jay Peak from Stowe last October, will take on Team Sweden on April 3. The women of NAHA will then take the ice the following night against Slovakia. And on Thursday, April 5 Team Sweden will take on Team Canada in what could be a preview of an Olympic showdown.

All games begin at 7:00pm and tickets for the two NAHA games are $10. Tickets to the Canada v Sweden game are $20. A special package for all three games is $30. A portion of ticket sales proceeds will go to benefit the Friends of North Country Hockey. Tickets can be purchased at jaypeakresort.com

For the latest resort information, visit jaypeakresort.com