RECORD CROWDS AT WOMEN’S OLYMPIC QUALIFIERS IN NOTTINGHAM

It was a very special week for women’s ice hockey in the UK for the Olympic Qualifiers at the National Ice Centre in Nottingham.

Not only did GB Women on the ice do the country proud – missing out on final qualifying for next year’s Winter Olympics by just one goal – but the supporters in the stands played their part too.

GB’s opening-day 5-0 victory over Iceland broke the attendance record for a women’s ice hockey game in the UK – and this was broken again in the 2-1 defeat by Slovenia the following night.

Yesterday’s 1-0 victory over Korea saw 1,700 people in the arena, smashing Friday night’s attendance, and those in attendance in Nottingham created so much noise it was like the arena was full to capacity.

But it wasn’t just the GB games that reached new audiences, as Thursday’s game between Slovenia and Korea and Friday’s encounter between Iceland and Korea were watched by hundreds of schoolchildren.