Julia Zorn thoroughly enjoyed winning the German championship title after the Final Four tournament, as it was something of a double triumph. “It’s even nicer that we were rewarded,” said the ESC Planegg striker in an interview with Bavarian Radio, “because the championship also represents a bit of last year, when we were still missing a win and then the season was canceled.” The final success in the 4-1 win against Eisbären Juniors Berlin and becoming the first champion in German ice hockey since the outbreak of the corona pandemic in Füssen was undoubtedly a special highlight for the captain of the German women's national team - but it should not have been the last of the season.
From March 22nd, Zorn will start preparing for the 2021 Women's World Cup in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia (Halifax and Truro) as part of a large provisional squad of the Deutscher Eishockey-Bund. From May 6th to 16th, the best teams in the world will meet for the most important annual tournament after the pandemic-related cancellation of 2020 - and the DEB-Selection wants to play a good role there. “I think we will be very well prepared,” said U18 women’s national coach Franziska Busch, who will act as head coach on behalf of the current interim sports director Christian Künast.
Three preparation phases in Füssen are planned, alternating with individual training weeks at home, before departure to Canada on April 23. First, a large squad of 30 field players and four goalkeepers will meet in a week, before the number is gradually reduced. All teams must then go into an eight-day individual quarantine on site, and on May 1, the teams will be allowed to touch ice on Canadian soil for the first time. "We hope that test matches will still take place, but that depends on the restrictions and regulations," said Busch.
The Final Four tournament of the women's Bundesliga was also an important stage in the direction of the World Cup for the national players in the four best teams in the DFEL. In addition to sporting merits, it also offered the opportunity to demonstrate their skills DEB-To show those responsible from their best side. “All the games were at a good level, you can see the progress and it’s nice for the coaching team that the national players play a big role here in the clubs,” emphasized Künast. Busch spoke of a “great experience for the players” and said watching the championship decision was “fun”.
Also used in the final DEB-Players the chance for the best self-promotion. Kerstin Spielberger, for example, was a guarantee for Planegger's victory with two goals and Franziska Albl, who had already impressed across the board in the semi-final against ECDC Memmingen the day before, shone in goal with, among other things, a saved penalty. “The team that performed well twice ultimately won,” said Busch and Künast turned his attention to the upcoming week of regeneration: “Now all the national players have a week off, they deserve it after the season.”
In general, important months await DEB-Women. Not only is the World Cup tournament a significant milestone, but the qualifying tournament for the 2022 Olympics from November 11th to 14th this year also offers a great opportunity to help German women's ice hockey gain more presence. And then there are the mind games DEBto try for a Women's World Cup one day. “From what I’ve seen of women’s ice hockey over the last two years, they deserve it. They work intensively and with great passion,” explained Künast. DEB-President Franz Reindl certainly gives hope: “The idea is there, the aspirations are also there. An Ice Hockey World Cup in your own country, regardless of the class, is always beneficial for the sport.”
All photos: Dominic Pencz
Here is the report on the Final Four tournament from Sunday evening’s “Blickpunkt Sport” program.
Here is the squad for World Cup preparation phase 1 (March 22 to 26, 2021 in Füssen):
