photo: Lukas Filipec
The mascots for the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship, which will be held in Ostrava and Trinec from 26 December 2019 to 5 January 2020, are named Tuk and Puk. It is a pair of Czech lions that Czech hockey has been using as mascots of the national team. They changed the numbers on the jerseys for the World Juniors – both will wear number 20 on their backs.
"The lion is inherently connected with Czech hockey," said Marketa Sterbova, General Secretary of the Organizing Committee of the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship. Mascots are not that typical for the World Juniors. “However, we certainly wanted the mascot, also thanks to the very positive experience of the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in 2015.”
In Prague and Ostrava, the tribunes were entertained by two popular rabbits Bob and Bobek. Tuk and Puk will follow this successful tandem. “Years ago, we have proven that a pair of mascots is attractive for various graphics and animations for television broadcasts and their interaction with spectators in the stands is much stronger,” Sterbova added.
Lions Tuk and Puk are not unknown to Czech hockey fans – they have been chosen in 2016 as the mascots of the Czech national team by the fans themselves in an online poll. “For the World Junior Championship in Ostrava and Trinec we gave them a slightly more modern look and changed their jerseys. They will be presented at the event in jerseys with the logo on the front and the number 20 on their backs.”
The IIHF World Junior Championship took place three times in the Czech Republic and returns after twelve years. The city of Ostrava will host the event for the second time, Trinec is waiting for its premiere.
"The lion is inherently connected with Czech hockey," said Marketa Sterbova, General Secretary of the Organizing Committee of the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship. Mascots are not that typical for the World Juniors. “However, we certainly wanted the mascot, also thanks to the very positive experience of the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in 2015.”
In Prague and Ostrava, the tribunes were entertained by two popular rabbits Bob and Bobek. Tuk and Puk will follow this successful tandem. “Years ago, we have proven that a pair of mascots is attractive for various graphics and animations for television broadcasts and their interaction with spectators in the stands is much stronger,” Sterbova added.
Lions Tuk and Puk are not unknown to Czech hockey fans – they have been chosen in 2016 as the mascots of the Czech national team by the fans themselves in an online poll. “For the World Junior Championship in Ostrava and Trinec we gave them a slightly more modern look and changed their jerseys. They will be presented at the event in jerseys with the logo on the front and the number 20 on their backs.”
The IIHF World Junior Championship took place three times in the Czech Republic and returns after twelve years. The city of Ostrava will host the event for the second time, Trinec is waiting for its premiere.