This year the IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship celebrates its 30-year anniversary.

Of course we would have liked to celebrate it on the ice where it all started, in Canada, and with the 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship. Unfortunately it was not to be but we nevertheless will share content with you on our website and social media channels during the time we planned to have the best female hockey players on the ice in Halifax and Truro.

Starting today and for the upcoming weeks, IIHF.com’s Andrew Podnieks will count down the Top 30 moments in Women’s Worlds history in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship.

Started in 1990, the event was at first a bi-annual affair, but starting in 1997 it became an annual tournament in non-Olympic years. Although the 2020 Women’s Worlds have been cancelled, this past season has created a groundswell of optimism and support for the women’s game, making the Top 30 in 30 just as relevant even without the games on the ice.

So, to start us off, we begin with story #30 – Women take the whistle! And then we count up until #1. Enjoy!

• 1 – Women’s hockey established in 1990
• 2 – Women stand strong during tough year
• 3 – Canada 2007 – best team ever?
• 4 – James, Granato, Heaney inducted into IIHF Hall
• 5 – U.S. threatens boycott
• 6 – Finns close to gold, settle for silver
• 7 – Wickenheiser plays first game
• 8 – Poulin, Coyne make quick leap
• 9 – Hiirikoski named Best Defenceman
• 10 – Women’s Worlds heads to NHL arenas
• 11 – Sweden wins 2005 bronze to usher in golden era
• 12 – 1987 Women’s Worlds transformational
• 13 – Valila unretires after 12 years
• 14 – Canada wins 37th straight
• 15 – Swiss win first WW medal
• 16 – Granato retires top scorer
• 17 – Women’s Worlds goes to 10 teams
• 18 – USA finally breaks through
• 19 – Schelling plays 28th straight
• 20 – Russians use WW18 for WW success
• 21 – 1997 marks end of “early era”
• 22 – IIHF invests additional $2 million in women’s hockey
• 23 – Tomcikova named MVP
• 24 – Czechs move to the top
• 25 – “Saint Kim” a special goalie
• 26 – Guo first star from Far East
• 27 – Japan stuns Sweden in 2015
• 28 – Zorn first to skate and save
• 29 – Drolet dramatics matched by Knight magic
• 30 – Women only officials