VANCOUVER, Aug. 28 /CNW/ - The top-ranked female hockey players in the world will face off this week in downtown Vancouver on the same ice where gold will be decided at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games in less than six months time. This is the first women's competition of the 2009-2010 International Ice Hockey Federation's (IIHF) season and one of the last competitions before the Games. For information on tickets, which start at $10, visit www.hockeycanada.ca. Fans can also take advantage of a full-tournament package for $120.

Approximately 100 athletes representing four countries will compete in the Hockey Canada Cup at GM Place, known at Games time as Canada Hockey Place, from August 31 to September 6. The United States is currently atop the IIHF women's world rankings with Canada in second. Rivals Finland and Sweden, ranked third and fourth respectively, will also play in the 10-game Hockey Canada Cup tournament. Twenty-six Canadian players are each vying for one of the coveted 21 spots available on Team Canada's final Olympic roster for the 2010 Winter Games.

The four teams will play games on August 31 and September 1 and 3, with semifinals on Saturday, September 5 (Canada plays at 7:30 pm Pacific time) and the gold medal game scheduled for Sunday, September 6 at 7:30 pm Pacific time. The final will be televised live on TSN.

Operational Readiness Testing

During the Hockey Canada Cup, the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) will test its operational readiness at the venue in preparation for the Games. The venue will host men's and women's ice hockey in 2010, including the women's semifinals and medal games, while matches will also be held at the University of British Columbia's Thunderbird Arena, also known as the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.

"Hockey fans in Vancouver are already intensely familiar with this arena but this will be the first time they'll catch a glimpse of what lies in store for General Motors Place at Games time," said Denis Hainault, VANOC's general manager for Canada Hockey Place. "This is a significant event for us as we head into the home stretch and confirm our operational readiness for 2010."

At this latest sport event, VANOC is focusing its operational testing on the following areas: field of play, as well as simultaneous timing and results systems with UBC Thunderbird Arena where a private ball hockey tournament will be held in an effort to replicate the overlapping multigame format of the Olympic Winter Games.

This is the final 2010 competition venue to be tested by VANOC, as well as the final Games sport test event to be held in Metro Vancouver and Whistler before the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games start. It is also the second sport event held with Hockey Canada and the IIHF in a Games venue this year. In March, a Hockey Canada Cup for ice sledge hockey was held at UBC Thunderbird Arena involving four countries.

Field of Play Testing

For the first time in Olympic history, all ice hockey games in 2010 at Canada Hockey Place and UBC Thunderbird Arena will be played on North American-sized ice rather than converting to the larger international size. The IIHF made the decision in 2006. VANOC is testing the ice, ice maintenance systems and adjustments to the dasher board system to expand the boxes for players and officials, as well as the penalty boxes, in order to provide a suitable field of play, according to IIHF rules and regulations.

Venue Operations

VANOC will work with the venue owner and staff to familiarize itself with the venue in order to test general venue operations, including spectator services, workforce and athlete flows, as well as overall spectator accessibility. Crews will also construct a temporary wall on the P1 level of the arena's underground parking garage to test how they will construct 35 rooms, measuring 1,980 square metres, needed for anti-doping, news conferences and office space during the Games. These rooms will be constructed during venue overlay when VANOC takes over the facility in January.

The Organizing Committee has temporarily removed 2,000 seats to replace the old seat bolting system with a newer system enabling faster change out during the overlay process.

Workforce

A workforce of approximately 280 (including around 190 volunteers) will work at the ice hockey sport event, as well as regular arena staff provided by Canucks Sports & Entertainment.

Press Operations

VANOC's Press Operations team will run the Venue Media Centre, manage photo positions, test media access control processes and operate the athlete mixed zone where accredited media gather to interview athletes. The team will also test the virtual LAN or VLAN system and hockey net cameras for media, as well as WiFi capabilities at the arena for photography. The Olympic News Service, which collects and distributes sport event news to the media, will also use the Hockey Canada Cup as a training session for their volunteers.

Timing, scoring and results

Timing, scoring, results, as well as graphics for television will be tested simultaneously at GM Place and UBC Thunderbird Arena. At GM Place, the existing scoreboard will be tested in coordination with the Games-time Omega system. VANOC will also print and distribute reports and test the commentator information systems.

Anti-Doping

Working in cooperation with the IIHF, the VANOC Anti-Doping team will conduct in-competition urine tests. A total of 11 Games-time anti-doping volunteers will participate in the event. The VANOC anti-doping athlete outreach booth will also be located at the athlete hotel, providing World Anti-Doping Agency resources and information regarding the Vancouver 2010 Anti-Doping Program.

In keeping with previous sport events, VANOC will also test its medical services and sport production functions.

About VANOC

VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Visit www.vancouver2010.com.

For further information: Media Contact: Bridget Cox, VANOC Communications, (604) 403-4502, E-mail: bridget_cox@vancouver2010.com