The event is being held in the rink of Playa Brava, just a few metres from the Pacific Ocean.

This is the last stand-alone World Championship in the history of rink hockey because, starting from next year, the World Roller Games will join all three rink hockey World Championships - male, female and male under-20 - together for a single event in Nanjing in China.

Proceedings in Iquique began with the Opening Ceremony where the mayor of the town, Jorge Soria Quiroga, and the International Federation of Roller Sports (FIRS) vice-president Armando Quintanilla Cerpa, welcomed the athletes in front of a large crowd.

The Championships then got underway and the first round of matches contained very few surprises.

Italy provided the most dominant display as they thrashed Egypt 16-0 in group A.

Giulia Galeassi was Italy's stand out performer, scoring five, while Maria Teresa Mele added a hat-trick.

There were also dominant wins for South American duo Chile, the hosts, and Argentina in the evening session.

Chile coasted to victory in front of a raucous home crowd, beating the United States 12-0 with Catalina Flores scoring an impressive four goals.

Another rout followed that to close the day's action as the current champions Argentina began their title defence with a crushing 9-1 over fellow South Americans Colombia.

Argentina's Daiana Silva scored four goals in the first half to set her team on their way to victory.

The event is also enjoying complete TV coverage thanks to CDO, a Chilean cable-broadcasting company, and Canal 13. 

FIRS TV, meanwhile, is streaming the event live online.