Bulldogs’ Jess and Lydia out to help GB U-18 Women earn World Championship promotion

BIG CHALLENGE: Lydia Lutwyche (left) and Jess Wooding are in Heerenveen with the GB Under-18s Women at the World Championships.

BRADFORD BULLDOGS team-mates Jess Wooding and Lydia Lutwyche are going through their final preparations as part of the Great Britain Under-18 Women’s ice hockey squad that is set to compete in the World Championships this week.

The team will flew out to Heerenveen in the Netherlands on Thursday ahead of their opening game in the Division 2A tournament on Monday against Kazakhstan.

They will then play China, as well as hosts the Netherlands and Latvia before finishing off their campaign against Turkey on Sunday, January 21. 

Jess, 17, who plays defence for Bradford, will be playing her third World Championships tournament for GB Under-18s, having first donned the shirt in 2022 and again last year on home ice in Dumfries. 

She said: “It’s a great privilege to be chosen to represent GB again and with the talented players we have in the team, I’m confident we can go far in this year’s tournament.”

For Lydia, 16, it will be her first World Championships away with GB at Under-18 level. Both players were part of the Gb Under-18 Women’s team that finished second in the Four Nations tournament in Spain in November. 

“As it is my first time competing in a tournament this big, I am nervous but also very excited,” said Lydia, 

“It is a big opportunity for me to represent my country on the ice along with the team and it will be a great experience. 

“Our team is very strong and coming back from placing second in the Four Nations, I think we can do quite well out there. I hope we achieve what we’re aiming for.”

“Being part of the GB program is massive and one day I hope that I will be a part of the GB Women’s team.”

Bulldogs’ head coach Andy Brown heaped praise on both players, having come through the club’s junior system from an early age. Both girls also play for Kingston Diamonds in the WNIHL Elite. 

“It’s a fantastic achievement by Jess and Lydia,” said Brown. “They have both made fantastic progress during their time with us, as well as the time they have spent playing with the Diamonds. 

“We know they are going to do themselves proud when they step out on the ice, as well as their families. Everyone at the Bulldogs is right behind them and we’ll be following their progress along with the rest of the GB team next week.”
GB Under-18s Women’s head coach Sean Alderson, added: “Once again, we’ve had some tough decisions to make but we feel with the team we’ve selected we have the right balance across the squad. 

“We have a really good group that have shown great buy-in throughout the selection process so, as a coaching team, we are excited to see what they can achieve next month.”