The Chinese women's national ice hockey team () represents China at the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Women's World Championship, the Asian Winter Games, and other international competitions. The women's national team is governed by the Chinese Ice Hockey Association. China's national women's program is ranked twentieth in the world by the IIHF and has 808 active players as of 2020.
History
China reached their hey day of women's hockey in the mid-90s when they finished as high as 4th place mostly thanks to the "Great Wall of China" goaltender, Guo Hong, who is now retired. China had 174 women's ice hockey players in 2011.
Motivated to gain exposure to a more challenging level of competition, the Chinese national team competed in the Naisten SM-sarja, the premier women's league in Finland, for thirteen games in the 2005âÂÂ06 season and for twelve games in the 2006âÂÂ07 season.
2022 Winter Olympics
In 2022, China competed in the 2022 Winter Olympics as the host nation. Going into the tournament, they relied heavily on the development of players on the Vanke Rays team and were seen as having a real chance at making the quarterfinals. They lost their opening game to Czech Republic, before defeating the lowest ranked qualifier, Denmark, and Japan in a shootout which was enough for Japan to clinch a playoff berth. Going into their last game against Sweden, a point would have been enough to secure a quarterfinal berth, but after taking the lead, the Chinese lost 2âÂÂ1 against the Swedes. They were formally eliminated after Sweden beat Denmark in the last game of Group B.
World Championships
Only two months after the Winter Olympics, they played in the 2022 IIHF Women's World Championship Division IB in Katowice, Poland. They ended up dominating the competition, scoring 38 goals in the group to secure promotion to the 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship Division IA. In November 2022, they were given the hosting rights to the group. Nine months later, they would end up winning the Division IA tournament and be promoted to the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship after defeating Austria 2âÂÂ0 in Shenzhen. This will be China's first appearance in the top tier since 2009.
Tournament record
Olympic Games
- 1998 â Finished in 4th place
- 2002 â Finished in 7th place
- 2010 â Finished in 7th place
- 2022 â Finished in 9th place
World Championship
- 1992 â Finished in 5th place
- 1994 â Finished in 4th place
- 1997 â Finished in 4th place
- 1999 â Finished in 5th place
- 2000 â Finished in 6th place
- 2001 â Finished in 6th place
- 2003 â No result, the competition was cancelled due to SARS epidemic
- 2004 â Finished in 7th place
- 2005 â Finished in 6th place
- 2007 â Finished in 6th place
- 2008 â Finished in 8th place
- 2009 â Finished in 9th place (relegated to Division I)
- 2011 â Finished in 13th place (5th in Division I, relegated to Division IB)
- 2012 â Finished in 16th place (2nd in Division IB)
- 2013 â Finished in 18th place (4th in Division IB)
- 2014 â Finished in 16th place (2nd in Division IB)
- 2015 â Finished in 17th place (3rd in Division IB)
- 2016 â Finished in 19th place (5th in Division IB)
- 2017 â Finished in 18th place (4th in Division IB)
- 2018 â Finished in 20th place (5th in Division IB)
- 2019 â Finished in 20th place (4th in Division IB)
- 2020 â Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- 2021 â Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- 2022 â Finished in 16th place (1st in Division IB, promoted to Division IA)
- 2023 â Finished in 11th place (1st in Division IA, promoted to World Championship)
- 2024 â Finished in 9th place (relegated to Division I)
- 2025 â Finished in 15th place (5th in Division IA)
Asian Games
IIHF Asia Championship
IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia
Pacific Rim Championship
Team
Current roster
The roster for the Group A tournament of the 2025 IIHF Women's World Championship Division I.
Head coach: Jin Tairi<br>Assistant coaches: Zhang Jing, Xie Ming (goaltender)
Head coaches
- Yu Zaizhou, âÂÂ1995
- Yao Naifeng, 1995âÂÂ1999
- Zhang Zhinan, 1999âÂÂ2000
- Yao Naifeng, 2000âÂÂ2003
- Jan Votruba, 2003âÂÂ2004
- Paul Strople, 2004âÂÂ2005
- Ryan Stone, 2005âÂÂ2006
- Jorma Siitarinen, 2006âÂÂ2007
- Steve Carlyle, 2007âÂÂ2008
- Paul Strople, 2008âÂÂ2009
- , 2009âÂÂ2011
- Mikhail Chekanov, 2011âÂÂ2012
- Wang Jingang, 2012
- Zhang Zhinan, 2013
- Wang Jingang, 2013âÂÂ2015
- Rick Seeley, 2015âÂÂ2019
- Brian Idalski, 2019âÂÂ2022
- Scott Spencer, 2023âÂÂ2024
- Jin Tairi, 2025âÂÂ
Players
Notable players
Individual all-time records
All-time record against other nations
<small>Last match update: 11 March 2022</small>
Notables
Matches
First match:
20 April 1992: 1992 IIHF Women's World Championship in Tampere, Finland. 8âÂÂ0
Largest victory:
28 January 2003: 2003 Asian Winter Games in Misawa, Japan. 30âÂÂ1
Largest defeat:
3 April 2001: 2001 Women's World Championship in Minneapolis, United States. 13âÂÂ0
Most goals for:
28 January 2003: 2003 Asian Winter Games in Misawa, Japan. 30âÂÂ1
Most goals against:
15 April 1994: 1994 IIHF Women's World Championship in Lake Placid, United States. 14âÂÂ3
First shutout for:
8 April 1995: 1995 Women's Pacific Rim Championship in San Jose, United States. 5âÂÂ0
First shutout against:
20 April 1992: 1992 IIHF Women's World Championship in Tampere, Finland. 8âÂÂ0
First shutout tie:
5 April 2001: 2001 IIHF Women's World Championship in Minneapolis, United States. 0âÂÂ0
First win:
23 April 1992: 1992 IIHF Women's World Championship in Tampere, Finland. 5âÂÂ2
First loss:
20 April 1992: 1992 IIHF Women's World Championship in Tampere, Finland. 8âÂÂ0
First tie:
12 April 1994: 1994 IIHF Women's World Championship in Lake Placid, United States. 4âÂÂ4
Highest scoring tie:
16 February 2002: 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, United States. 5âÂÂ5
Lowest scoring tie:
5 April 2001: 2001 IIHF Women's World Championship in Minneapolis, United States. 0âÂÂ0
Rankings
First IIHF World Ranking:
7th (2003)
Highest IIHF World Ranking:
7th (2005, 2006, 2009, 2010)
Lowest world ranking:
13th (2012)
First Olympic qualification attempt:
1998 Winter Olympics
First Olympic qualification:
1998 Winter Olympics
Best Olympic finish:
4th (1998 Winter Olympics)
Worst Olympic finish:
Did not qualify (2006 Winter Olympics)
First world championship competition:
1992
Highest world championship competition finish:
4th (1994, 1997)
Lowest world championship competition finish:
16th (2012)
See also
References
External links