South Africa host the Division III tournament after being relegated to this level last year. As with every year, North Korea is a wildcard for showing up - although it looks like they are good to go this year. UAE and Greece qualify for this tournament back in October.
Note: Most information from the IIHF website.
World Ranking
41. South Africa
42. Ireland
43. Luxembourg
44. Greece
45. North Korea
47. United Arab Emirates
Rosters
Greece
Goalies: Georgios Foitakis (Albatros Athens), Dalibor Ploutsis (Iptameni Athens)
Defense: Nikolaos Chatzigiannis (Iptameni Athens), Antonios Kanellis (Avantes Athens), Marios Libertos (Iptameni Athens), Nikoloas Papadopoulos (PAOK Thessaloniki), Diogenis Souras (Iptameni Athens), Orestis Tilios (Iptameni Athens)
Forwards: Kyriakos Adamidis (PAOK Thessaloniki), Polykarpos Amanatidis (Aris Thessaloniki), Eleftherios Fournogerakis (Mad Cows Athens), Dimitrios Kalyvas (Iptameni Athens), Georgios Kalyvas (Iptameni Athens), Pavlos Kasampoulis (Greece), Ioannis Koufis (Iptameni Athens), Georgios Kouleles (Iptameni Athens), Panagiotis Koulouris (Aris Thessaloniki), Dimitrios Malamas (Aris Thessaloniki), Iason Pachos (Iptameni Athens), Alexandros Valsamas-Rallis (Iptameni Athens)
Ireland
Goalies: Scott Bickerstaff (Wightlink Tigers), Adam Pepper (Besancon Eagles)
Defense: Paul Cummins (Kilkenny Storm), Dean Kelly (Dublin Rovers), Robert Leckey (Belfast Junior Giants), David Morrison (Belfast Junior Giants), Timothy O’Driscoll (Ireland)
Forwards: Stephen Adams (Solway Sharks), Steven Balmer (Streatham Redskins), Philip Catherwood (Belfast Junior Giants), Sean Coleman (Belfast Junior Giants), Stephen Cooper (Dublin Flyers), Jamie Cummins (Kilkenny Storm), Sean Dooley (Ireland), David Gibson (Belfast Junior Giants), Stephen Hamill (Belfast Junior Giants), Adam Jackson-Wyatt (Ireland), Mark Pepper (Dublin Flyers), Conor Redmond (Swindon Wildcats), Gareth Roberts (Belfast Giants)
Luxembourg
Goalies: Philippe Lepage (Tornado Luxembourg), Michel Welter (IHC Beaufort)
Defense: Yves Barthels (Tornado Luxembourg), Kevin Gronlund (IHC Beaufort), Ronny Scheier (Tornado Luxembourg), Francois Schons (Tornado Luxembourg), Clement Waltener (Hiversport Huskies)
Forwards: Yannick Back (Tornado Luxembourg), Sascha Backes (Tornado Luxembourg), Robert Beran (IHC Beaufort), Thierry Beran (IHC Beaufort), Ben Houdremont (IHC Beaufort), Steven Minden (Tornado Luxembourg), Bob Schneider (Tornado Luxembourg), Patrick Schon (Tornado Luxembourg), Eric Wambach (IHC Beaufort), Benny Welter (IHC Beaufort)
North Korea
Goalies: Kuk Choi Pak (Taesongsan), Kun Hyok Pak (Taesongsan)
Defense: Song Choi Jon (Taesongsan), Choi Hyok Kim (Taesongsan), Nam Hyok Kim (Pyongyang Choldo), Song Gun Kim (Pyongyang Choldo), Kum Song Ri (Taesongsan), Pong Il Ri (Taesongsan)
Forwards: Chun Rim Hong (Taesongsan), Song Il Jong (Pyongyang Choldo), Sung Hyok Ju (Pyongyang Choldo), Choi Bom Kim (Taesongsan), Hyok Ju Kim (Pyongyang Choldo), Kwang Ho Kim (Pyongyang Choldo), Myong Choi Kim (Pyongyang Choldo), Sung Choi Om (Kimchaek), Choi Min Ri (Taesongsan), Se Gwang Ri (Taesongsan)
South Africa
Goalies: Lucian Lorenzo (Cape Town Penguins), Jack Nebe (Cape Town Storm)
Defense: Robin Forsyth (Melbourne Mustangs), Marc Giot (Cape Town Penguins), Jason Gonsalves (Pretoria Capitals), Deen Magmoed (Cape Town Penguins), Andre Marias (Pretoria Capitals), Chris Reeves (Cape Town Penguins), Uthman Samaai (Cape Town Penguins), Luke Stringer (Cape Town Penguins), David Watson (Johannesburg Scorpions)
Forwards: Cameron Birrell (Cardiff Devils), Xander Botha (Pretoria Capitals), Luke Carelse (Cape Town Penguins), Zayn du Plessis (Johannesburg Vipers), Wesley Krotz (Cape Town Penguins), Cai Nebe (Cape Town Storm), Joshua Reinecke (Toronto Garys), Macky Reinecke (Toronto Garys), Jack Valadas (Johannesburg Wildcats)
United Arab Emirates
Goalies: Ahmed Al Dhaheri (Abu Dhabi ISC), Khaled Al Suwaidi (Abu Dhabi ISC)
Defense: Mohammed Al Shamisi (Abu Dhabi ISC), Turki Al Shamsi (Abu Dhabi ISC), Faisal Al Suwaidi (Abu Dhabi ISC), Mohamed Al Zaabi (Abu Dhabi ISC), Mohamad El Jachi (Abu Dhabi ISC)
Forwards: Faisal Al Blooshi (Abu Dhabi ISC), Juma Al Dhaheri (Abu Dhabi ISC), Yahya Al Jneibi (Abu Dhabi ISC), Khalifa Al Mahrouqi (Abu Dhabi ISC), Ali Al Mazrouei (Abu Dhabi ISC), Obaid Al Muharrami (Abu Dhabi ISC), Saeed Al Nuaimi (Abu Dhabi ISC), Salem Al Romaithi (Abu Dhabi ISC), Ali Al Sarour (Abu Dhabi ISC), Omar Al Shamisi (Abu Dhabi ISC), Theyab Al Subousi (Abu Dhabi ISC)
Schedule
April 15
North Korea vs. United Arab Emirates
Greece vs. Ireland
Luxembourg vs. South Africa
April 16
United Arab Emirates vs. Greece
North Korea vs. Luxembourg
South Africa vs. Ireland
April 18
Luxembourg vs. Ireland
North Korea vs. Greece
South Africa vs. United Arab Emirates
April 19
Ireland vs. North Korea
United Arab Emirates vs. Luxembourg
Greece vs. South Africa
April 21
Luxembourg vs. Greece
Ireland vs. United Arab Emirates
South Africa vs. North Korea
Prediction
1 (Promoted) - South Africa
2 - North Korea
3 - Luxembourg
4 - United Arab Emirates
5 - Ireland
6 - Greece
Needed a bit of help figuring out how well each team is (thank you IH Forum) Personally, I see South Africa taking the tournament. Depending on if they show, North Korea could be a good contender for a promotion (they were close last year). Luxembourg sounds like they still have a squad good enough to earn a medal. UAE will shock a few teams and finish fourth. Ireland will edge out Greece again and finish ahead of them.
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