2001 Women's World Ice Hockey Championships (Lower Divisions)
Introduction The '''2001 IIHF World Women's Championships Division I''' (formerly Pool 'B') were held between March 20 – March 25, 2001 in the city of Briançon, France. Switzerland won the tournament with a narrow 2–1 victory over Japan in the final.For the third consecutive year the number of participants grew, with this year's third tier having ten nations in two groups. The two groups played independent of each other in Bucharest, Romania and Maribor, Slovenia. Initially the two group winners, Slovakia and the Netherlands, were promoted to Division I with Denmark and Norway being relegated to Division I Qualification. However, before the 2003 season was played the formation of the divisions were changed.The women's tiers were reformatted for 2003, so there would be a top level of eight teams, and Divisions I, II, III each with 6 teams. The winner of the  2001 Division I tournament was promoted to the 2003 World Championship, replacing the nation relegated from there. The relegated team and the next five placed nations formed Division I for 2003.The bottom two teams from 2001 Division I along with the top four nations from the two qualifying tournaments formed the 2003 Division II. All remaining participants proceeded to the 2003 Division III.
World Championship Division I The eight participating teams were divided up into two seeded groups as below. The teams played each other once in a single round robin format. The top two teams from the group proceeded to the Final Round, while the remaining teams played in the consolation round. In the placing rounds, the first place teams played each other for the promotion, while the fourth place teams were relegated.===First round=======Group A========Results====All times local====Group B========Results====All times local===Playoff round=======Match for seventh place========Match for fifth place========Match for third place========Final=======Scoring leaders=== Player GP G A Pts PIM +/- Zuzana Kralova453801 Anne-Sofie Lund460622 Iveta Koka442603 Sandrine Ray442665 Kathrin Lehmann433506 Jeanette Marty414584 Simona Studentova431461 Han Song Nyo431480 Inese Geca-Miljone422443 Prisca Mosimann422445 Sophie Serre42244–1===Goaltending leaders=== Player Mins GA SOG GAA SV% Riitta Schaeublin188:132900.6497.78 Lolita Andrisevska240:00102072.5095.17 Radka Lhotska208:3571122.0193.75 Hege Moe100:004622.4093.55 Birgitte Andersen239:16111692.7693.49===Champions======Final standings===Rk.Team Notes   ''''''  Promoted to the 2003 World Championships       4.5.6.7.Relegated to the 2003 World Championships Division II 8.Relegated to the 2003 World Championships Division II
2003 Division I Qualification At the time these tournaments were played it was understood that the winner of each group would be promoted to Division I for 2003.With the reorganization of the lower tiers into smaller groups the winners and second-place finishers of both tournaments were sent to Division II, with the remaining six nations comprising Division III.===Group A===Played in Bucharest Romania March 5–11, 2001. '''Netherlands''' and '''Italy''' qualified in 2003 World Championship Division II===Scoring leaders=== Player GP G A Pts PIM +/- Maria Pepels48412410 Nadia Kemp491102–3 Federica Zandegiacomo480808 Sabrian Viel4448010 Evelyn Bazzanella425745 Waltraud Kaser442646 Nancy Van Der Linden4426229 Sara Verpoest424663 Myrthe Martens441529 Barbara Da Rold441548===Goaltending leaders=== Player Mins GA SOG GAA SV% Helena Kysela150:562230.8091.30 Michaela Mair120:002221.0090.91 Ilse Vangheel120:008704.0088.57 Ngoc Lam Kim120:002161.0087.50 Jennifer Sharland104:0111666.3583.33===Group B===Played in Maribor Slovenia March 20–25, 2001. '''Slovakia''' and '''Great Britain''' qualified in 2003 World Championship Division II===Scoring leaders=== Player GP G A Pts PIM +/- Michaela Durcanska45914416 Katarina Buocikova45611011 Bozena Kevesova48210214 Petra Babiakova4639212 Zuzana Moravčíková4549014 Michelle Smith462849 Louise Wheeler444826 Lucia Petrovicova4268219 Natalia Babonyova443709 Melissa Rulli442681===Goaltending leaders=== Player Mins GA SOG GAA SV% Jana Tistanova150:381320.4096.88 Amy Johnson120:002321.0093.75 Vicky Robbins120:004542.0091.11 Ashliegh Sluga223:2010932.6989.25 Monika Kiskartali169:55171186.0085.59
References
External links *  Summary from the Women's Hockey Net*  Detailed summary from passionhockey.com*  Official IIHF Division I page*  Official IIHF Division I Qualification Group A page*  Official IIHF Division I Qualification Group B page