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Eight teams from Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Finland, Canada and the US are playing in these competitions here in the Shaiba Ice Arena in Sochi.

The opening ceremony was attended by President of the International Ice Hockey Federation and member of the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee René Fasel, President of the Kontinental Hockey League Dmitry Chernyshenko and Managing Director of the Junior Hockey League Alexei Morozov.

The President performed a ceremonial face-off in the first match between Yaroslavl’s Loko team and Alberta from Canada. The Yaroslavl Loko won the match.

President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev talked briefly with the team and congratulated them on their win.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Friends,

I would like to welcome all the players in the cup and the spectators!

We are already opening the 10^th Junior Club World Cup here in Sochi. We welcome all our guests and thank them for coming to Russia.

Hockey has always brought special interest in Russia. One of our wonderful coaches, Anatoly Tarasov whose centenary we marked last year, described sport as a noble competition – a competition in artfulness, speed and intellect. I am sure that today and in the coming days these young athletes will demonstrate their best qualities and remarkable skills to the delight of their fans.

I would like to congratulate you on the beginning of the cup and wish you success.

President of the International Ice Hockey Federation and member of the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee René Fasel (In Russian): Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends!

I feel very honoured and very pleased to be back in Olympic Sochi. And I’d like to thank the Russian Federation and especially also the Russian Ice Hockey Federation and KHL for organising this tournament. 

(In Russian) Once again, thank you very much, Mr President.

I wish all the participants and players good luck, and have fun.

Thank you so much.