Ice hockey & Skating

The Czech Republic is one of the few countries to have a sport more popular than football, but being regular world champions at ice hockey have, not surprisingly, made it the national sport. They first won the world title in 1947 and took the title six times as Czechoslovakia before carrying on as the Czech Republic (five times, including 2005). The ELH (Extraliga ledního hokeje) containing 14 clubs, begins every September. The two Prague giants, Sparta and Slavia, are traditionally strong in this of course but have been overshadowed by the mighty Vsetin. A small industrial town close to the Slovak border, Vsetin was dawdling in the lower leagues until they were bought by Slovenian petroleum company Slovnaft in the early 1990s. Whilst all the top Czech players were following the carrots being dangled in the US, Vsetin snatched the best of the Russian and Slovak players. The formula money + sports club = success works a treat still and Vsetin have won the league five years out of the last six. Tickets to games are cheap (50 - 120Kč) and can be bought at the stadium.