A group of Swedish university students are in Madrid, where they will stay for seven months, to study Spanish and at the same time practice their favorite sport, ice hockey. This has been possible thanks to the agreement between the Royal Spanish Federation of Ice Sports and the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation, in order to develop this sport in Spain through the formation of a a new team called the Nordic Vikings, which will compete in the National Ice Hockey League Lotteries (LNHH) from the season that begins tomorrow. To do this, the RFEDH has modified its regulations, since by exceeding the limit of non-selectable (set at three per squad), they will not be able to play in the playoffs for the title or the Copa del Rey. Millennium Logroño is in the same situation, with ten North American players.
This ice hockey program will be carried out together with LaLigaSports as Per-Erik Holmström, president of the Nordic Vikings, tells As. “We pursue three objectives: to open a market with the Spanish-speaking community and that they can follow the LNHH Lotteries, bring players into competition who can raise the bar and make it easier for many athletes who now play inline hockey and what they would like to try on ice ”.
The Ice Hockey Honor Division has eight teams after the latest additions of Kosner Club Hielo Huarte, Milenio Panthers Logroño and Nordic Vikings. “The idea is that the clubs start with lower categories, if they do not have a first team, until they reach the age of joining one of the national league,” explains Frank González, president of the RFEDH.
“In Spain there is a mentality of sun and beach and you have to take a turn to prepare mentally and put the appropriate facilities so that our athletes do not have to leave the country”, González argues as a big problem. And it offers a solution: “Incorporate a pilot project to make ice rinks that are actually five times cheaper than the pools that are currently in Spain.” Finally, there is another purpose for which things should be changed according to the president: “You have to prepare athletes to reach goals such as the Winter Olympics, but if they do not need the appropriate facilities and means, nothing can be asked of them.”