Cuglietta to officiate at top-level U18 Women’s World Championship

Ice Hockey UK official Deana Cuglietta will referee at the top level of the Under-18 Women’s World Championship which gets under way in Dmitrov tomorrow.

Hosts Russia are joined by Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden and USA for the eight-team competition.

Games will take place from Saturday 6th to Saturday 13th January at the Ice Palace and this is the 10th anniversary of the tournament since the inaugural event in Calgary in 2008.

Canada and USA have dominated, contesting the final on every occasion, with USA winning six gold medals and Canada four, although USA have won the past three tournaments.

Cuglietta is one of 10 referees and nine lineswomen at the tournament, which includes officials from Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Finland, Japan, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland and USA.

Ice Hockey UK referee-in-chief, Joy Johnston, who is the referee supervisor for the tournament, said: “This is a prestigious tournament for Deana to officiate at and it is a very well-deserved appointment.

“She is highly regarded by the IIHF and she will be joining other top officials from across the world in the next week.

“This once again shows the great standard of officials we have in the UK, with Deana one of 11 officials from the UK to officiate at a World Championship tournament this year.”

It is a busy week for UK officials with Leigh Hetherington officiating as a lineswoman at the Women’s U18 World Championship Division 1 Group A in Italy, which gets under way on Monday.

Meanwhile, Simon Kirkham is referee supervisor for the men’s U20 World Championship Division II Group B in Serbia which begins on Wednesday.