Italy

Italy is a country in southern Europe, located in the Italian Peninsula and on the two largest islands of the Mediterranean Sea, Sardinia and Sicily. Italy has a population of about 60,000.000. The country shares borders with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia to the North; the country is host to two independant enclaves, the autonomous republics of San Marino and Vatican City.
==History of hockey in Italy==
The first Italian ice hockey team was created in Torino in 1911. The same year, a club called Circolo Pattinatori Valentino played its first official game against a team from Lyon, France. Soon hockey gained popularity, particurarly in the north of Italy. Hockey teams were founded in the 1920's and the country's first indoor rink was opened in Milan in 1923.
Italy's ice hockey association was created in 1924. A year earlier, Italy had joined the International Ice Hockey Federation. The first national championship was held in 1925.
==Organization==
Ice hockey in Italy works accordingly to a promotion and relegation system. Besides the league system, there is also a national Cup (la Coppa Italia) and a supercup, the Supercoppa italiana, where the previous winner of the Serie A meets the winner of the Coppa Italia.
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Elite 	Serie A (8) 	Serie A (8) 	Serie A (8) 	Serie A (8) 	Serie A (8) 	Serie A (8) 	Serie A (8) 	Serie A (8) 	Serie A (8) 	Serie A (8) 	Serie A (8) 	Serie A (8) 	Serie A (8) 	Serie A (8) 	Serie A (8) 	Serie A (8) 	Serie A (8) 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Second 	Serie A2 (9) 	Serie A2 (9) 	Serie A2 (9) 	Serie A2 (9) 	Serie A2 (9) 	Serie A2 (9) 	Serie A2 (9) 	Serie A2 (9) 	Serie A2 (9) 	Serie A2 (9) 	Serie A2 (9) 	Serie A2 (9) 	Serie A2 (9) 	Serie A2 (9) 	Serie A2 (9) 	Serie A2 (9) 	Serie A2 (9) 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Third 	Serie C Under 26 Prima Divizione (10) 	Serie C Under 26 Prima Divizione (10) 	Serie C Under 26 Prima Divizione (10) 	Serie C Under 26 Prima Divizione (10) 	Serie C Under 26 Prima Divizione (10) 	Serie C Under 26 Prima Divizione (10) 	Serie C Under 26 Prima Divizione (10) 	Serie C Under 26 Prima Divizione (10) 	Serie C Under 26 Prima Divizione (10) 	Serie C Under 26 Prima Divizione (10) 	Serie C Under 26 Prima Divizione (10) 	Serie C Under 26 Prima Divizione (10) 	Serie C Under 26 Prima Divizione (10) 	Serie C Under 26 Prima Divizione (10) 	Serie C Under 26 Prima Divizione (10) 	Serie C Under 26 Prima Divizione (10) 	Serie C Under 26 Prima Divizione (10) 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Fourth 	Serie C Under 26 Seconda Divizione (9) 	Serie C Under 26 Seconda Divizione (9) 	Serie C Under 26 Seconda Divizione (9) 	Serie C Under 26 Seconda Divizione (9) 	Serie C Under 26 Seconda Divizione (9) 	Serie C Under 26 Seconda Divizione (9) 	Serie C Under 26 Seconda Divizione (9) 	Serie C Under 26 Seconda Divizione (9) 	Serie C Under 26 Seconda Divizione (9) 	Serie C Under 26 Seconda Divizione (9) 	Serie C Under 26 Seconda Divizione (9) 	Serie C Under 26 Seconda Divizione (9) 	Serie C Under 26 Seconda Divizione (9) 	Serie C Under 26 Seconda Divizione (9) 	Serie C Under 26 Seconda Divizione (9) 	Serie C Under 26 Seconda Divizione (9) 	Serie C Under 26 Seconda Divizione (9) 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Fifth 	Lombardia (5) 	Piemonte/Val d'Aosta (4) 	Nord-Est (5) 	Centro-Sud (3) 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Sixth 	Leghe amatoriali altoatesine di hockey su ghiaccio	Leghe amatoriali altoatesine di hockey su ghiaccio	Leghe amatoriali altoatesine di hockey su ghiaccio	Leghe amatoriali altoatesine di hockey su ghiaccio	Leghe amatoriali altoatesine di hockey su ghiaccio	Leghe amatoriali altoatesine di hockey su ghiaccio	Leghe amatoriali altoatesine di hockey su ghiaccio	Leghe amatoriali altoatesine di hockey su ghiaccio	Leghe amatoriali altoatesine di hockey su ghiaccio	Leghe amatoriali altoatesine di hockey su ghiaccio	Leghe amatoriali altoatesine di hockey su ghiaccio	Leghe amatoriali altoatesine di hockey su ghiaccio	Leghe amatoriali altoatesine di hockey su ghiaccio	Leghe amatoriali altoatesine di hockey su ghiaccio	Leghe amatoriali altoatesine di hockey su ghiaccio	Leghe amatoriali altoatesine di hockey su ghiaccio	Leghe amatoriali altoatesine di hockey su ghiaccio	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
====Women's====
Women's Serie A
==International==
		
Italy	
Italy	
Italy					
		
Info		
Rinks		
Players		
Referees	
 161
		
Population	
60,231,214	
Indoor	
53	
Total	
6,454	
Male	
--
		
Capital	
Rome	
Outdoor	
10	
Male	
1,976	
Female	
--
		
IIHF Since	
January 24 1924			
Junior	
4,085		
						
Female	
393		
The Italian national team made its debut at the World Championships in 1930. In the Olympics, Italy played first time in Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936. The best achievement in the olympic ranks is from year 1956: Italy finished 7th in the games in Cortina.
The country has competed in Pool A of World Championships several times, last in 2002, but has not won any medals. Italy's junior and women's teams have competed in Pool B and C of World Championships.
==Some great Italian players==
* Michele Strazzabosco
* Lucio Topatigh
* Bruno Zarrillo
==National Teams==
*Italy men's national ice hockey team
*Italy men's national junior ice hockey team
*Italy men's national U-18 ice hockey team
*Italy women's national ice hockey team
==See also==
* :Category:Italian hockey players
* :Category:Italian hockey coaches
* :Category:Italian ice hockey teams
Category:Hockey Countries
Category:Ice hockey in Italy
Category:Countries