A Victory for all the Catalan Quidditch Teams

By Maria Lucea  

On March 1, 2015, the first Catalan Quidditch Cup took place in Barcelona, Spain. The competition was set up to decide which team would represent Catalonia at the next European Quidditch Cup (EQC) in 2015.

This season had the presence of three Catalan teams: the Barcelona Eagles, the Wyverns Quidditch Team, and the Nightmare Grims. The Bizkaia Boggarts, Toulouse Muggle Quidditch, and Imperius Zaragoza also played as guest teams. For some teams, this competition was their introduction to the quidditch world and they played in their first matches.

The Three Contenders The Barcelona Eagles were the veterans of the competition and their experience was clearly visible on the field. For the Eagles, this competition helped them measure the abilities of the other emerging teams in the country. It was also a warmup for the EQC.

“We played very well, we are improving our internal organization and this allowed us to test and prepare new strategies” said Alba Arrieta, the captain of the Barcelona Eagles.

They will represent Catalonia at the European Quidditch Cup, but they had to bring their best game against the Wyverns and the Nightmare Grims to achieve this goal. They were in good physical form and they showed an offensive and overwhelming play. They stood out because of their individual fast and strong plays, always supported by a good beater defence.

The other team from the city, the Wyverns, showed great potential in their first official tournament. They played in their first matches and they demonstrated their ability to compete. Their tactics were based on a physical and fast game. Their captain, Alejandro González, said that they were really satisfied with their image and the communication and connection they showed on the field. They have a “good feeling” for the next competition.

The Nightmare Grims were the runners-up of the Cup. They were seen for the first time at the Tournoi International de la Violette, in Toulouse, France. Their style of play was far different from their opponents’. Their attacks were based on their teamwork and on passing. Despite their physical inferiority, they stood their ground on defense and they caught 100 of the snitches in the competition. Their captain, Àngel Miguel, emphasized that “the [hard work] during the training season has come to fruition. We have seen a great progress on our beater play and on the understanding amongst the chasers.” But he remembered that “the team has a lot of things to improve and work on.”

The Guest Teams The Catalan Quidditch Cup also celebrated an ephemeris: one year ago, Barcelona Eagles and Toulouse Muggle Quidditch forged a brotherhood together. For this reason, this competition was the best moment to celebrate their anniversary. Sandra Kreit said that they were happy to have been invited to the cup and that they feel like a family.

As for Bizkaia Boggarts and Imperius Zaragoza, they disputed their first official matches. Their captains, Yeray Espinosa and Noelia Doñate respectively, agreed on the importance of having been able to enjoy this experience, since it allowed them to learn how to play quidditch outside their training seasons. Both teams showed signs of having great potential.

The Barcelona Eagles won the first Catalan Quidditch Cup and the possibility to participate in the EQC 2015, but all the Catalan teams gained a lot during the competition. They gained experience, confidence, friendships, and they were able to show all of their potential. It was the first of many tournaments and friendly matches, and it is a turning point for quidditch in Catalonia.

The Results Group Stage: Nightmare Grims 90*-50 Wyverns  Barcelona Eagles 140-100* Nightmare Grims  Barcelona Eagles 110^-80* Wyverns

Bracket:

Semifinal

Nightmare Grims 100*^-60 Wyverns

Final

Barcelona Eagles 130-70* Nightmare Grims

Ranking:
1-Barcelona Eagles
2-Nightmare Grims
3-Wyverns Guest Matches (with mercs): Bizkaia Boggarts 210*-70 Imperius Zaragoza  Toulouse 160*-10 Imperius Zaragoza Toulouse 80*-70 Bizkaia Boggarts