The second edition of the Women's Champions Challenge took place in Catania, on the island of Sicily. The event started on Saturday July 5 and ended on Sunday July 13. Participating nations at the women's six nations tournament were Germany, Japan, hosting nation Italy, New Zealand, Spain, and the United States. The Champions Challenge is a international field hockey tournament, played every two year. ... Catania is the second largest city of Sicily and is the capital of the province which bears its name. ... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian, Latin, Sicilian and Spanish, Σικελία in Greek, Sqallija Maltese) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,708 km² (9,926 sq. ... July 5 is the 186th day of the year (187th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 179 days remaining. ... July 13 is the 194th day (195th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 171 days remaining. ...

Each of the six teams play each other once in a round robin format to complete five preliminary round games. The top two teams at the end of the preliminary round matches play off in the final, with the winner earning a berth in the 2004 Champions Trophy in Rosario, Argentina. The 3rd and 4th placed teams play for the bronze medal, while the 5th and 6th placed teams meet in the 5th place play-off. Rosario is the largest city of the province of Santa Fe, Argentina, and the third most populous in the country, after Buenos Aires and Córdoba. ...

The tournament proved to be a springboard for a Germany as the tournament champions would continue on to win the Olympic gold medal in Athens the following year. Germany went undefeated in the tournament that would eventually produce three other Olympic teams including Spain, New Zealand and Olympic Qualifying Tournament champion Japan. Hockey at the 2004 Summer Olympics was held at the Olympic Hockey Centre located within the Helliniko Olympic Complex. ... Nickname: City of Athena or Cradle of Democracy Location of the city of Athens (red dot) within the Prefecture of Athens and Periphery of Attica Coordinates: Country Greece Peripheries Attica Prefecture Athens Founded circa 2000 BC Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis Area    - City 38. ...

Although the Italians did not win a game in the tournament, the host-team's appearance helped Italy move up in the international standings and provided the country with its first major international appearance since the 1993 Women's World Cup Qualifier Tournament in Philadelphia. Nickname: City of Brotherly Love, Philly, the Cradle of Liberty, the City That Loves You Back, the Quaker City, The Birthplace of America Motto: Philadelphia maneto - Let brotherly love continue Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country United States State Pennsylvania County Philadelphia Founded October 27, 1682 Incorporated October 25, 1701 Mayor...

Team Squads

GERMANY

(1.) Yvonne Frank (gk), (2.) Julia Zwehl (gk), (3.) Denise Klecker, (5.) Nadine Ernsting-Krienke, (6.) Anneke Bohmert, (7.) Natascha Keller, (8.) Melanie Cremer, (9.) Friederike Barth, (10.) Silke Müller, (11.) Cornelia Reiter, (12.) Caroline Casaretto, (13.) Marion Rodewald (captain), (16.) Fanny Rinne, (18.) Anke Kühn, (20.) Alexandra Kollmar, (21.) Badri Latif, (22.) Kerstin Hoyer, and (32.) Franziska Gude. Head Coach: Peter Lemmen.
Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... Julia Zwehl is a field hockey international and comes from Germany. ... Denise Klecker (born January 26, 1972 in Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate) is a field hockey defender from Germany, who won the gold medal with the German National Womens Team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. ... Nadine Ernsting-Krienke (born February 5, 1974 in Telgte, North Rhine-Westphalia) is a field hockey striker from Germany, who won the gold medal with the German National Womens Team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. ... Silke Müller (born November 11, 1978) is a field hockey midfielder from Germany, who won the gold medal with the German National Womens Team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. ... Caroline Casaretto (born May 24, 1978 in Krefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia) is a field hockey midfielder from Germany, who won the gold medal with the German National Womens Team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. ... Marion Rodewald (born December 24, 1976 in Mülheim an der Ruhr, North Rhine-Westphalia) is a field hockey defender from Germany, who won the gold medal with the German National Womens Team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. ... Fanny Rinne (born April 15, 1980 in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg) is a field hockey midfielder from Germany, who won the gold medal with the German National Womens Team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. ... Franziska (Franzi) Gude (born March 19, 1976 in Göttingen, Lower Saxony) is a field hockey midfielder from Germany, who won the gold medal with the German National Womens Team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. ...

ITALY

(1.) Roberta Lilliu (gk), (2.) Stella Girotti, (3.) Enrica Tagliasacchi, (4.) Claudia Torretta, (5.) Victoria Corso, (6.) Lila Grasso, (7.) Giorgia Carradori, (8.) Sonia Scalia, (9.) Francesca Faustini, (10.) Laura Garcia, (11.) Alessandra Filippi, (12.) Anna Russo (gk), (14.) Tatiana Nicoletti, (15.) Silvia Previgliano, (16.) Maltilde Canavosio, (18.) Dolores Miranda, (21.) Roberta Marrocu, and (22.) Daniela Possali. Head Coach: Picco Roberto.
Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ...

JAPAN

(1.) Rie Terazono (gk), (2.) Keiko Miura (captain), (3.) Akemi Kato, (4.) Yukari Yamamoto, (5.) Sachimi Iwao, (6.) Chie Kimura, (7.) Yuka Ogura, (8.) Sakae Morimoto, (10.) Naoko Saito, (11.) Kayo Soga, (12.) Nami Miyazaki (gk), (15.) Erika Esaki, (17.) Asuka Chiba, (18.) Tomomi Komori, (19.) Rika Komazawa, (21.) Rika Ishida, (22.) Yuko Kitano, and (23.) Emi Sakurai. Head Coach: Tsuda Toshiro.
Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan_(bordered). ... Keiko Miura is a field hockey international playing for Japan. ... Nami Miyazaki (born April 13, 1976) is a field hockey international goalkeeper from Japan, who was a member of the national womens team that competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. ...

NEW ZEALAND

(1.) Kayla Sharland, (2.) Nikki Grimwood, (3.) Paula Enoka, (4.) Jan Rowsell, (5.) Rachel Sutherland, (6.) Meredith Orr, (8.) Jaimee Provan, (12.) Karen McMillan, (13.) Jo Galletly, (14.) Suzie Pearce (captain), (16.) Helen Clarke (gk), (18.) Diana Weavers, (19.) Melody Rowe, (20.) Amanda Christie, (21.) Niniwa Roberts, (23.) Tara Drysdale, (26.) Anita Wawatai (gk), and (28.) Karen Syddall. Head Coach: Ian Rutledge.
Image File history File links Flag_of_New_Zealand. ... Kayla Marie Sharland (born October 30, 1985 in Palmerston North) is a field hockey striker from New Zealand, who represented her native country at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. ... Jaimee Sarah Provan (born February 3, 1978 in Christchurch) is a field hockey forward from New Zealand, who represented her native country at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. ... Suzie Muirhead (born April 10, 1975 in Whangarei, New Zealand) is a field hockey defender from New Zealand, who finished sixth with her national team at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Helen Shearer. ... Diana Elizabeth Weavers (born May 4, 1975 in Darfield, New Zealand) is a field hockey defender from New Zealand, who finished sixth with her national team at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. ... Niniwa Kiri Rata Roberts-Lang (born June 1, 1976 in Takapuna, New Zealand) is a field hockey striker from New Zealand, who made her debut for the womens national team in 2001 against India. ...

SPAIN

(1.) María Jesús Rosa (gk), (2.) Silvia Manrique, (3.) Olalla Piñeiro, (5.) Mónica Rueda, (6.) Silvia Bonastre, (7.) María del Carmen Martín, (8.) Marta Prat, (9.) Silvia Muñoz, (10.) Lucía López, (11.) María del Mar Feito, (12.) Maider Tellería, (14.) Rocío Ybarra, (15.) Erdoitza Goikoetxea, (17.) Núria Camón, (18.) Ana Raquel Pérez, (19.) Isabel Barguño (gk), (20.) Raquel Huertas, and (21.) Esther Termens. Head Coach: Jack Holtman
Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... María Jesús Rosa Durán (born November 11, 1979 in Madrid) is a field hockey goalkeeper from Spain, who represented her native country at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. ... Silvia Manrique Pérez (born March 6, 1973 in Llodio, Álava) is a former field hockey player from Spain, who was a member of the Womens National Team that surprisingly won the golden medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics on home soil (Barcelona). ... Silvia Bonastre Peremateu (born November 29, 1981 in Terrassa, Catalonia) is a field hockey midfield player from Spain, who represented her native country at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. ... Silvia Muñoz Escudé (born September 18, 1979 in Terrassa, Catalonia) is a field hockey midfield and forward player from Spain, who represented her native country at two consecutive Olympic Games: in 2000 and 2004. ... María del Mar Feito Acebo (born September 10, 1975 in Madrid) is a former field hockey forward from Spain, who represented her native country at three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1996 (Atlanta, Georgia). ... Maider Tellería Goñi (born July 14, 1973 in San Sebastián) is a former field hockey player from Spain, who was a member of the Womens National Team that surprisingly won the golden medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics on home soil (Barcelona). ... Núria Camón Farell (born March 3, 1978 in Terrassa, Catalonia) is a field hockey midfield player from Spain, who represented her native country at two consecutive Olympic Games: in 2000 and 2004. ...

UNITED STATES

(1.) Tamika Smith, (2.) Kristen McCann, (4.) Margaret Storrar (gk), (5.) Tara Jelley, (6.) Robyn Kenney, (7.) Tracey Larson, (8.) Kelli Gannon, (9.) Tracey Fuchs, (11.) Katie Beach (captain), (12.) Dina Rizzo, (13.) Keli Smith, (15.) Jill Reeve, (17.) Carrie Lingo, (19.) Abbey Woolley, (21.) Natalie Dawson, (22.) Kate Barber, (25.) Amy Tran (gk), and Jessica Coleman. Head Coach: Beth Anders.
Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... Robyn Kenney (born February 6, 1979 in Plainfield, New Jersey) is a field hockey midfielder from the United States, who earned her first senior career cap vs Russia on May 2, 2002. ... Tracey Claire Fuchs (born November 3, 1966 in Centereach, New York) is a former field hockey defender from the United States, who was a member of the US womens team that finished fifth at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. ... Amy Tran is a mystical creature who is generally associated with beauty, peace, yoga, recycling, and feng shui. ... Elizabeth Rambo (Beth) Anders (born November 13, 1951 in Norristown, Pennsylvania) is a former field hockey sweeper from the United States, who was a member of the national team that won the bronze medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. ...

Results

Standings after Round Robin

WOMEN'S CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE 2003	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
Germany	5	4	1	0	13	4	13
Spain	5	3	2	0	8	3	11
Japan	5	3	1	1	16	8	10
New Zealand	5	2	0	3	5	5	6
United States	5	1	0	4	9	13	3
Italy	5	0	0	5	3	21	0

Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan_(bordered). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_New_Zealand. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ...

Play-offs

Final ranking

1. Germany

2. Spain

3. Japan

4. New Zealand

5. United States

6. Italy

Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan_(bordered). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_New_Zealand. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ...

Remarks

• Germany will participate in next year's Champions Trophy in Rosario, Argentina.

Rosario is the largest city of the province of Santa Fe, Argentina, and the third most populous in the country, after Buenos Aires and Córdoba. ...

Awards

• TOPSCORERS:
  • Tomomi Komori (Japan) – 5 goals
  • Kate Barber (United States) – 5 goals
  • Niniwa Roberts (New Zealand) – 5 goals

• PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT
  • Denise Klecker (Germany)

• GOALKEEPER OF THE TOURNAMENT
  • Margaret Storrar (United States)

Niniwa Kiri Rata Roberts-Lang (born June 1, 1976 in Takapuna, New Zealand) is a field hockey striker from New Zealand, who made her debut for the womens national team in 2001 against India. ... Denise Klecker (born January 26, 1972 in Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate) is a field hockey defender from Germany, who won the gold medal with the German National Womens Team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. ...

Reference

• Match Reports on FIH-site