IIHF World Juniors Introduces First Ever On-Ice Cameraman

One of my favorite sporting events of the year is the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship. It is a tournament of nations consisting the best 20 & Under hockey players in the world. The United States is one of the favorites to win this year. They started slow with a loss to Russia, but bounced back with a big 11-0 win over Austria on Saturday.

If you have been watching this year, you might have noticed some interesting camera angles. Up close zoom-ins on player’s faces. Ice-level shots looking up at the players that make you think, “How could they have possibly gotten that camera angle?”.

At first glance the angles seem impossible. We simply do not have the means to capture these live, up-close shots. But think again, folks. The IIHF has rolled out a revolutionary new technology that allows for camera angles previously thought impossible to get.

This groundbreaking ice-camouflage technology is only half the battle. It takes a very particular person to be trusted with the job of Invisible On-Ice Camera man.

Meet Yoichi Toyo – a 22 year old speed Japanese speed skating champion & film major at Ithaca College.

Toyo, along with 23 other carefully selected participants were carefully selected by the IIHF Board of Directors to attending an on-ice camera camp. The camp took place in Red Deer, Alberta where the participants competed in a series of drills that tested their ability to perform this important job. The camp that was originally planned to span a 6-month period was nearly thwarted by COVID. However, thanks to a team of dedicated volunteers, the IIHF was able to hold the competitions in a bubble over a condensed 3-month mini-camp.

At the end of the 3 months, Toyo had separated himself from the competition, and was unanimously selected to be the official On-Ice Cameraman of the 2021 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship