Women's ice hockey in Great Britain

The Women's Premier Ice Hockey League ( also British Women's Premier Ice Hockey League) is the highest female hockey league in Britain. The implementation of the league is done by the English Ice Hockey Association, the British Association under the auspices of the British Ice Hockey Association Ice Hockey UK. From 1991 to 2005, the winning team of the competition received the Chairman's Cup. In 2005, this was named in honor of the occasion and the unexpectedly sudden death of Bill Britton, according to the chairman of the Women's Department of EIHA who made ​​a great contribution to the further development of women's hockey. Since then, Bill Britton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually. One level below the Premier League teams play Division I, which is divided into regional groups.

Evolution of the structure

In 1984 an English woman Hockey League was held for the first time. At this Women 's English League first five teams participated. From the following year it was increased to seven participants. From 1988, the then British Women's League called League took on other teams and split into three regional divisions, each with four to seven teams. But after only two seasons a single-track top Premier Division was created below which two regional groups, the North Division and the South Division were formed. With the Conference League also a regionally structured leagues third level was installed in 1995. The two winners of Divisions and Conferences of the play among themselves the winner of the league. The winner of the finals of the Division has the right to play against the Premier League last to the right to start in the highest league.

In addition to the League Cup, a competition for the Elite Cup between all teams in one-two system is played between the teams.

Title holders