This would mark a step up for the sport in Britain following the country successfully hosting the men's World Championships at both under-18 and under-20 level in 2013, with both events also held in Dumfries.

It will also be seen as a way to boost the popularity of the game and to provide the national team with a better opportunity to win promotion to a higher division of the World Championships in time to make a bid for Olympic qualification at Pyeongchang 2018.

At the event, Great Britain will be in a group with relegated Kazakhstan and promoted Croatia, as well as three opponents they also faced at the 2014 World Championships, consisting of South Korea, Poland and New Zealand.

Britain beat all three of those opponents at the 2014 event in Asiago, Italy last month, in which they narrowly missed out on promotion after losing their final match 1-0 against eventual winners Italy. 

The men's team, meanwhile, finished fourth at the World Championships 1B division event in Vilnius, Lithuania.

It is hoped hosting a World Championships will enable further improvement for both male and female teams ©Getty Images



Voting for next year's tournament will take place at the IIHF Congress in Minsk next month, where votes will be cast by 14 council members as well as by the countries in each division.

The tournament is likely to take place in late March or early April next year, with any rival bids to the British one still to emerge.

"We have a massive desire to host the women's tournament again," said the interim chairman of IHUK Jim Anderson.

"We have enjoyed the last four IIHF competitions we have held in the UK and have received high praise from the IIHF for the running of the tournaments.

"Over the last couple of years we have had great backing from Dumfries & Galloway Council and Dumfries Ice Bowl - and we have worked with them on three tournaments now.

"The plan is to return to Dumfries again and we have already held lengthy discussions about bringing the women's competition to Scotland next year.

"We have a great working relationship and it would be fantastic to work with them again on a prestigious tournament."

Similar enthusiasm was conveyed by the Dumfries & Galloway Council's events champion councillor Colin Smyth, as he outlined how the council are "committed to working with Ice Hockey UK".

"We want to do all that we can to build on the great success of the recent World Championship competition held at Dumfries Ice Bowl and to secure future international ice hockey tournaments," he added. 

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