The BBC will be providing coverage of the Great Britain’s qualifiers for the 2018 Winter Olympics, with live commentary of all three matches from Cortina on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra this week.

GB will face hosts Italy, along with Serbia and Netherlands, in the four-team pre-qualifying tournament from 11th to 14th February 2016.

The group winners will progress to the final qualifying stage for PyeongChang 2018, which will be played later this year.

Jonathan Wall, controller of BBC Radio 5 live and 5 live sports extra, said: “We are delighted to be providing live commentary of GB’s qualifiers for the 2018 Winter Olympics on BBC 5 live and 5 live sports extra.

“There are few games in the world as fast as ice hockey and we can’t wait to bring audiences all of the action from these vital games in Cortina as the team battle to qualify for the Winter Olympics for the first time in over 65 years.”

IHUK general secretary, Andy French, said: “We are so thrilled to be linking up with the BBC once again.

“They are now becoming a regular partner of ours at big tournaments and it is great people back home will be able to follow the action on their radios and on the internet.”

Commentary will come from Seth Bennett, who said: “Ice hockey is a brilliant radio sport and it is fantastic that 5 live will cover the event, giving people the chance to listen where ever they are in the country.

“This is a great opportunity for GB to show what they can do on the world stage and I am sure there will be lots of excitement over the four days in Cortina.”

(Image permission: IceHockeyMedia)