(ONTARIO, CANADA) The Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) has awarded the 2013 World Cup to the Canadian Lacrosse Association (CLA), as announced by the organization on Wednesday, March 23. The Oshawa’s Civic Recreation Centre in Oshawa, Ontario will serve as the venue for the quadrennial world championship; the event is slated to take place on July 11-20, 2013.
“It is with great pleasure and pride that I announce Oshawa, Ontario, Canada will be the host city of the 2013 FIL Women’s World Cup. As a life-long resident of the City of Oshawa I am well aware of its rich lacrosse history. Oshawa’s new world-class field complex combined with the passion and experience of our local Hosting Committee, led by Cheryl McNeil, gives me great confidence that this will be a winning combination for the hosting an event of which we will all be proud.”
—Stan Cockerton, FIL President
Shelley Maher, Director of Women’s Lacrosse for FIL, expressed her excitement that the CLA will serve as hosts for the 2013 World Cup. “It is with tremendous anticipation that we announce Canada as the host location for 2013. Expecting the largest number of countries to ever compete in a World Cup, Canada, and in particular, Ontario is well placed to host an outstanding event”.
The 2013 World Cup will be the first women’s World Cup hosted by Canada and the second major international women’s event to take place in the land of the Maple Leaf. The Canadian Lacrosse Association was the host of the 2007 Under-19 World Championship, won by the United States at Trent University in August of that year. The return of the World Cup to North America marks the third time the event will take place on the continent; the United States served as the host in 1986 and 2005.
“Our hosting group welcomed the world to Peterborough Canada in 2007 for the U-19 Women’s World Championships,” said Cheryl MacNeill, the co-chair of the organizing committee. “On the foundation of that successful event we look to 2013 when we welcome the world to Oshawa Canada for the FIL Women’s World Cup. In many ways the Durham Region has been the centre for growth and development of the sport of Women’s Field Lacrosse in Canada, and with a brand new field facility and a new University for housing we plan on making this an event to remember.”
Stewart Begg, the CLA Vice President of International Competition, added, “The CLA has recently announced a new strategy to manage our national team programs and being able to host an international event such as this will further highlight international lacrosse and our national team programs at home.”
Canada has competed in each of the eight tournaments previously contested, along with the United States, Australia, England, Scotland and Wales. Japan and the Czech Republic joined the tournament in 1993, while Germany first fielded a team in 2001. New Zealand’s entry into the 2005 tournament pushed the field to ten teams, and in 2009 a record 16 teams competed in Prague, including first-time participants Austria, Denmark, the Haudenosaunee, Ireland, Korea, and the Netherlands.
“The CLA is once again looking forward to putting on a world class event with the leadership of our experienced host committee led by Cheryl MacNeill, and the Women’s Field Sector chair Marisa De Bari,” stated Joey Harris, the President of the CLA. “Canada last hosted in 2007 with great success and we are excited to be given the opportunity to repeat that success in 2013. On behalf of the CLA and all its member associations across Canada, I’d like to thank FIL for granting this event to Canada and we look forward to welcoming all participants to Canada, the birthplace of lacrosse, to play Canada’s national summer sport.”
The 2013 World Cup will mark the ninth time teams have competed for the quadrennial world championship; the United States is the reigning titleholder after their 8-7 victory over Australia in 2009. The Americans have won six of the eight titles, including the inaugural event in 1982 and a stretch of four consecutive from 1989-2001. The Australians are the only other team to have won the World Cup, having claimed the title in 1986 and again in 2005. Ironically, both Aussie triumphs came on United States soil.
Previous World Cup Events
© 2009 FIL – Team USA reclaimed Gold with a hard-fought 8-7 victory over their rivals “down under” in the 2009 Women’s World Cup in Hanover, Germany.
The International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations (IFWLA) was formed in 1972 to promote and develop the game of women’s lacrosse throughout the world. Inaugural members were Australia, England, Scotland, Wales and the United States. The number of member countries has grown rapidly as lacrosse popularity has spread.
The IFWLA World Cup started in 1982 as an international lacrosse tournament that is held every four years, except in 1989 when it had only been three years since the 1986 IFWLA World Championship. The first World Cup was hosted in Nottingham, England. The United States team has won every World Cup except 1986 and 2005 where it finished second behind Australia.
In 2007 the IFWLA merged with their men’s lacrosse counterpart, the International Lacrosse Federation (ILF), to form the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) – the current governing body of international lacrosse championships.
In the inaugural FIL Women’s World Cup in July of 2009, the United States reclaimed the gold by winning a tightly contested final match-up over rival Australia 8-7 in Hanover, Germany.
Upcoming World Cup events:
• 2013 Women’s Word Cup — 11th – 20th July 2013, Oshawa, Canada
• 2017 Women’s Word Cup — 13th – 22nd July 2017, Guildford, England
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* Extra Time; Three additional minutes each way/straight change of ends. If after “extra time” the score is still tied, then three minute halves are played on Sudden Death basis (first goal wins).
** Sudden Death Overtime; first goal scored in overtime is the game winner.
