Chinesisch-stämmige Eishockeyspielerin, die nachts auf dem leeren Eis ihrer neuen Wahlheimat ihren letzten Satz fährt.
The story
Xiu presses the helmet against her hip and hears the last speaker hum fade from the ceiling. The red stick still clings to her gloves, the blades glitter under the side light. She takes a few steps to the center, each glide sounding as if someone were scratching ice with a knife. Her breath hangs as a white trace over the blue logo. She waits until the echo of her steps has vanished before lifting her gaze.
The setting
The large hall, now dark except for the emergency lights, smells of rubber and frozen water. At the edge stands a lone broom cart, its yellow warning light slowly pulsing.
Who she is
Die Eishockeyspielerin
Xiu Li arrived from Harbin to Schleswig-Holstein at age eleven and has played for the Nordsee-Royals in the second league ever since. During the day, she works in the ice rink canteen; at night, she often borrows the key when the arena is empty. Tonight, the coach sent her for a last-minute photo for the club brochure before she travels to Berlin tomorrow for the junior world championship celebration.
Her world
In Kiel, the MERKUR Ostseehalle at Europaplatz is one of Germany's largest multi-purpose halls, covering about 5,000 square metres and hosting roughly 1.5 million visitors per year, just a few minutes' walk from the main station[1].
Every winter the Kiel Hörn at Germaniahafen turns into the Stadtwerke Ice Festival, a fully covered rink overlooking the fjord, with skate rentals and puck hockey, plus company and Christmas parties and children's birthdays on the ice[2][9][4].
The ice surface of the Kiel Ice Festival covers about 700 square metres directly on the quay of the Ostseekai, open from mid‑November to mid‑January and intended for recreational skaters, school classes, families and anyone who wants to take their first or last steps on skates[3][4][10].
A short glossary
Hörn
Bight at the end of the Kiel fjord, along whose shore lies the Germaniahafen and the Stadtwerke Ice Festival with its covered rink.
Forecheck
Aggressive pressure play by the attacking team in the opponent's zone to regain the puck early.
Backcheck
Defensive retreat of the attackers into their own zone to stop counters and close passing lanes.
Powerplay
A man‑advantage play for a team when an opponent sits on the penalty bench, creating more space on the ice.
