The Top Division of the 2003 IIHF Women's World Championship was set to be held in Beijing, China, from April 4 to 9, 2003. However, it was cancelled due to the global SARS outbreak. The teams from Russia, Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland were already in China, while the American and Finnish teams were awaiting word on whether they should travel when the IIHF indicated that the Championship was to be postponed or even cancelled.Press release from the IIHF on SARS The move to cancel was a logical one, as the Canadians were under a government order not to travel at all at that time.Summary from passionhockey.com
Only the Top Division event was cancelled, as the lower divisions still had their tournaments. The Division I tournament was held in Ventspils, Latvia from March 9 to 15. The Division II tournament was held in Lecco, Italy from March 31 to April 6.
This was the eighth edition of such a series of women's ice hockey world championship tournaments.
Top Division
Postponed, then cancelled. Groups for this division were seeded for 2004 based on the 2003 IIHF World Ranking instead of the normal practise of using their most recent finish.
Division I The Division I tournament was held in Ventspils, Latvia from March 9 to 15.
Japan was promoted to the 2004 IIHF Women's World Championship.
Statistics Scoring leaders Player GP G A Pts PIM +/- Natalya Yakovchuk5741128 Yekaterina Maltseva5561128 Hanae Kubo55510107 Yuki Togawa544864 Drahomira Fialova56062−4 Masako Sato533606 Zuzana Kralova533661 Hong Pong Hwa524651 Yelena Shtelmaister515628 Choe Jong Sun54154−1
Goaltending leaders Player Mins GA SOG GAA SV% Yuka Oda280:2461281.2895.31 Natalya Trunova299:5671361.4094.85 Nolwenn Rousselle299:5091441.8093.75 Lolita Andrisevska279:11161633.4490.18 Radka Lhotska213:4613863.6584.88
Division II Division II tournament was held in Lecco, Italy from March 31 to April 6.
Norway is promoted to the 2004 Division I tournament.
Statistics Scoring leaders Player GP G A Pts PIM +/- Nikoleta Celarova553866 Tine Christoffersen Perry5347167 Sofie Lund551607 Line Bialik Olen551626 Helene Martinsen542643 Sabina Florian542640 Hege Ask542666 Ivana Gajdosova524662 Angela Taylor5415121 Zuzana Moravčíková532526 Trine Martens532524
Goaltending leaders Player Mins GA SOG GAA SV% Zuzana Tomcikova150:073711.2095.77 Helena Kysela179:446962.0093.75 Andrea Risova149:234611.6193.44 Line Kuvas240:0081192.0093.28 Birgitte Andersen296:27121332.4390.98
Division III The Division III tournament was held in Maribor, Slovenia from March 25 to 31.
Australia is promoted to the 2004 Division II tournament.
Statistics Scoring leaders Player GP G A Pts PIM +/- Jasmina Rosar58816411 Stephanie Boxall59615020 Ina Prezelj56511611 Melissa Bibby5729414 Anja Erzen5426010 Magdolna Dobandi532501 Rachel White532527 Nadia Kemp53252−7 Lisa McMahon523525 Leen De Decker531441
Goaltending leaders Player Mins GA SOG GAA SV% Ashleigh Sluga120:001240.5095.83 Eszter Kokenyesi260:00101612.3193.79 Celine Massez279:48111412.3692.20 Urska Potocnik280:008931.7191.40 Emma Reid180:006502.0088.00
References
External links IIHF index for all 2003 tournaments Summary from the Women's Hockey Net Detailed summary from passionhockey.com