The International Softball Federation has announced the round-robin groups and a provisional schedule for this summer's Women's Faspitch World Championships, to be played in Haarlem, in the Netherlands, from 15-24 August, the first time the tournament will ever have been played in Europe. The GB Women's Team will enter the tournament ranked at #11.
The current World Champions Japan will head Pool A, while the USA will head Pool B, the pool in which the GB Team will play. Each pool consists of eight teams, and the top four teams from each pool will proceed to a double Page Playoff. The bronze and gold medal games will be played at noon and 3.00 pm respectively on Sunday afternoon 24 August.
However, for the first time at a Women's World Championship, there will also be a Consolation Playoff this year, which will also be a double Page Playoff involving the bottom four teams from the initial round-robin pools, and the Consolation Championship game will be played at 1.30 pm on 24 August.
Pools
The round-robin pools for the Women's World Championship, based largely on final placings at the last World Championship in Whitehorse, Canada in 2012, are as follows:
POOL A
Japan
Canada
China
Puerto Rico
Czech Republic
New Zealand
Russia
Cuba
POOL B
USA
Australia
Netherlands
Chinese Taipei
Italy
Great Britain
Botswana
Dominican Republic
Schedule
Over the first seven days of the competition, each team will play one game per day in round-robin play.
GB will play their opening game of the tournament against Botswana at 2.00 pm Friday 15 August.
GB's full round-robin schedule will be:
15 August
GB v Botswana, 2.00 pm, Field 2
16 August
Dominican Republic v GB, 5.30 pm, Field 1
17 August
GB v Australia, 2.00 pm, Field 2
18 August
GB v USA, 3.00 pm, Field 1
19 August
Italy v GB, 11.30 am, Field 2
20 August
Netherlands v GB, 8.00 pm, Field 1
21 August
GB v Chinese Taipei, 4.30 pm, Field 2
Playoffs and Consolation Playoffs will both begin on Friday 22 August.
Tickets
Tickets for World Championship games have been selling quickly, and people who want to see the GB Women's Team in action -- as well as the best softball in the world -- should order through the tournament website on www.wcsoftball2014.com.
For full details on World Championship tickets and costs, click here.
The full GB Women's squad for the World Championships will be announced shortly by Head Coach Hayley Scott.