International Weekend Wrap-Up - January 28-29

Contributions by Bex McLaughlin, Fraser Posford, Jenny Benson, Serena Cheong, Alex Stewart, Austin Sharp, and Gabriel Bernardes There is a lot going on in the world of quidditch on any particular weekend, and most of us only see the stories immediately relevant to our regions. However, it can be very interesting to look outside of our own bubble every once in a while and take a look at the rest of the global community. To that end, each week the Quidditch Post collects information about tournaments and events that happened during the weekend around the world. This week we are covering the UK’s Hateful 8 and Compass Cup, USQ Northwest Subdued Excitement, USQ Southwest Diamond Cup V, USQ West Anthill Funkdown, and Brazil’s first national quidditch event.

UK – The Hateful 8

By Bex McLaughlin and Fraser Posford

Editor’s Note: Bex McLaughlin is a player for Tornadoes Quidditch Club.

1. Velociraptors QC
2. Werewolves of London
3. WarWick Quidditch Club

The Hateful 8 took place at the University of Warwick on January 28-29. The tournament was comprised of the eight teams who placed in the top four at their respective UK regional tournaments last autumn: Velociraptors QC, Durhamstrang, Tornadoes Quidditch Club, and Loughborough Longshots from the North and Warwick Quidditch Club, Werewolves of London, Bristol Brizzlebears, and the London Unspeakables from the South. For Day One, teams were split into two groups of four based on community or university team status, with the top two teams from each group advancing to a winners’ round robin and the bottom two going on to a consolation round robin for Day Two.

Velociraptors QC at the Hateful 8 | Photo Credit: Rica Biasi

On Day One, Velociraptors QC, the Northern champions, topped the community pool, notably defeating fierce rivals Werewolves of London 100*-30. In the university group, Brizzlebears were the surprise package as they beat Northern runners-up Durhamstrang 80*-50^ in overtime as well as produced the biggest upset of the tournament, beating Warwick 60*-50 to take first place in the group. Durhamstrang finished highest in the consolation round robin thanks to wins over Tornadoes and London Unspeakables and a rare 70-70 draw with Loughborough Longshots with the game finishing prematurely to allow Durham to catch their train home. Tornadoes came second thanks to a 80*-70 win against Loughborough with the Longshots in third and Unspeakables in fourth, agonisingly losing 120*-110 to the Longshots. UK – Compass Cup

By Jenny Benson

Editor’s Note: Jenny Benson is a player for HogYork Horntails.

1. Bangor Broken Broomsticks
2. HogYork Horntails
3. Falmouth Falcons

Markeaton Park in Derby was the host to the second Compass Cup on January 28-29. The tournament was designed to give players a chance to play teams from further afield in preparation for the British Quidditch Cup in March this year. Initially, eight teams were listed – Norwich Nifflers were unable to attend but were replaced by Durham Direwolves – but the late dropout of Portsmouth Horntail Strikers meant that only seven teams were able to attend the tournament. This led to an unconventional structure: Day One was used as a ranking for the upper and lower brackets, and Day Two was a round robin of each bracket.

The two pools were as follows:

Pool A:

HogYork Horntails

Derby Union Quidditch

Bangor Broken Broomsticks

Durham Direwolves

Pool B:

Liverpuddly Cannons

Falmouth Falcons

Bristol Brizzlebees

On Day One, York and Liverpool were top of their groups, both undefeated and headed into the upper bracket alongside Bangor and Falmouth. Day Two saw Direwolves and Brizzlebees forfeit their match, leaving Derby to take the lower bracket by default. The match to determine the champions was between York and Bangor, with both teams going into the game undefeated on the second day. In a very even match with both teams deploying similar tactics, Bangor came back from 20 quaffle points down to catch the snitch, making the final score 70*-60 to Bangor. York came in second, and Falmouth came in third, edging out Liverpool in another very close game.

York and Bangor seekers | Photo Credit: Katherine Jeffrey

USQ Northwest – Subdued Excitement Showdown 2: The Streets

By Serena Cheong

1. University of British Columbia Thunderbirds Sports Club (UBC)
2. University of British Columbia Quidditch Club (UBCQC)
3. Western Washington Wyverns (WWU)

The first tournament of 2017 in the Northwest region was held in Bellingham, Washington on Jan. 28. Despite the last minute drops of the Boise State Abraxans (driving conditions) and Vancouver Vipertooths (insufficient roster numbers), it was still one of the bigger tournaments held in the region this season. This change in scheduling resulted in a round robin, where the tournament winner was determined by the best record. Perhaps the major storyline to come out of this tournament is the Rain City Raptors’ uncharacteristically poor performance. With tighter-than-normal games against teams they regularly beat, the Raptors lacked their usual cohesion. This is highlighted by a loss to the hosts, WWU, a team they have not lost to until this tournament. Whether this is rust, or indicative of parity in the Northwest remains to be seen. Other notable performances include the aforementioned WWU Wyverns and the University of Victoria Valkyries. WWU has improved drastically since the beginning of the season, with its numerous rookies starting to take on a bigger role. The same could be said for the Valkyries, who have solidified their chaser defence and have kept games closer than before.

USQ Southwest – Diamond Cup V

By Alex Stewart

Editor’s Note: Alex Stewart is the treasurer for Texas A&M Quidditch.

1. Texas Cavalry
2. Lone Star Quidditch Club

A long and exhausting day, Diamond Cup V did not disappoint. Filled with the high intensity and extremely physical playing style that the Southwest is known for, it is no surprise that the tournament ended with a broken thumb, a broken wrist, and a few concussions. However, there were no serious injuries.

The Warriors flew in from the northeast to compete in this Southwest tournament. | Photo Credit: Sana Sadiq Photography

The champions of Diamond Cup V were as predicted. Cavalry dominated just about every game it played until matching up against Texas State University - San Marcos, the defending champions of Diamond Cup in the semifinals. Although Texas State jumped out to an early 30-0 lead, Cavalry leveled the score and pulled the snitch, to earn a 90*-60 win.

Lone Star reached the finals on the back of a much improved performance, as it turns out having a full roster and a few Team USA beaters makes a big impact in quidditch. In the semifinals, the team overcame long-time rivals Texas Quidditch 100*-60.

After a back and forth affair, Cavalry notched the latest victory in the Texas community team rivalry with a 100*-80 win.

“We had fun hanging out, playing in competitive games, watching top teams fight for wins, and witnessing the development of Southwest teams in action,” Cavalry’s captain, Augustine Monroe, said. “Kudos to the Warriors for making the trip to compete.”

Perhaps the more surprising outcome of this tournament were the winners of the Platinum Cup. After pool play and the deciding round had been completed, Austin Quidditch, Death Row Quidditch, Houston Cosmos Quidditch Club, Oklahoma State University (OSU),  Ollivander’s Memorial Mercs, SHSU Quidditch, San Marcos Sharknados, and the Silver Phoenix were in the running for the Platinum Cup. OKSU met SHSU in the semifinals for a close game. SHSU was leading only 100-80 when the it pulled the snitch, sending the team into the finals. The semifinal game on the other side of the bracket was a different story, with Silver’s 170*-70 victory over the Sharknados. Silver carried this momentum over into the finals, taking a 60-10 lead early in the game. Keeping their collective foot on the gas, the Silver Phoenix maintained a large lead throughout the game. The final score of 160*-40 earned the Silver Phoenix its first trophy in the history of the team. In speaking with the team’s coach Ryan MacKay after the tournament, he did his best to squeeze all of the emotions he was experiencing into a few words:  

“I’m incredibly proud. [The Silver Phoenix] looked magical in that final,” MacKay said. “I cried profusely. I love my team. I love my family. That about sums it up.”

The Warriors, Texas A&M Quidditch, University of Texas at San Antonio, and Gulf Coast Gumbeaux each reached the quarterfinals of Diamond Cup V before being eliminated.

With the Southwest Regional Championship and US Quidditch Cup 10 approaching, the question of how the Southwest will perform outside of its region becomes ever present.

USQ West – Anthill Funkdown Invitational

By Austin Sharp

1. The Lost Boys

2. University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)

Anthill Funkdown was originally set for the weekend of January 21 but was postponed due to heavy rainfall in Southern California. The tournament started off with a modified round robin, with each team playing four out of the five others present. Anteaters did not play Long Beach Funky Quaffles (LBFQ) due to tournament directing logistics;UCLA did not play the Wizards of Westwood (WoW); and the Lost Boys did not play University of Southern California (USC).

Anteater Quidditch came into the tournament with a 3-6 record, hoping to improve its record and prove itself a contender at the West Regional Championship at the end of February. The Anteaters’ determination showed on the field as they claimed a 3-2 record, including a 100*-60 upset over the Lost Boys that will resonate as the story of the tournament. The team’s two losses were both out of range against UCLA, once in the round robin and once in bracket play.

Anteater Quidditch after Phillip Arroyo-Long pulls to beat Lost Boys | Photo Credit: Chris Rothery

LBFQ also managed a 3-2 record, with both of its losses to the same team – the Lost Boys. LBFQ has succeeded this year by training new recruits and veterans alike to bring a new depth to the team that showed this weekend.

Tournament champions the Lost Boys went 5-1, recovering marvelously after a tough loss early in the day to take the first place trophy after a finals win against UCLA 160*-90. UCLA showed this weekend that it is capable of being a strong contender in the West after years of being one of the region’s most prominent college programs. UCLA’s 3-3 record came on the back of a pair of blowout victories over Anteaters and a dominant win over USC, with one of the Anteater wins being enough to advance UCLA to the finals. USC brought a roster of seven players to Anthill Funkdown but were still able to claim a 120*-100 win over WoW and a record of 1-3 for the tournament. USC's program has declined in the last few years, likely due to the dwindling numbers. The Wizards of Westwood are a young team, with a roster that is populated with newer players, many of whom have shown potential to grow as players and as a team; however, they finished 0-4 on the tournament.

Brazil Hosts Its First National Event

By Gabriel Bernardes

Last weekend, one of the countries that took part in the last IQA World Cup hosted its first nationwide quidditch event. The Associação Brasileira de Quadribol (ABRQ) organized in Rio the Brazilian Summer Games 2017, an important step for a developing NGB in a country almost the size of Europe.

ABRQ Summer Games 2017 in Rio | Photo Credit: Raíssa Teo

Having gone as far as 20th place with no substitutes in the World Cup, the Brazilian national team had only one player actually living in the country: Vinícius Costa (former Southampton Quidditch Club/UK player). The lack of college or government support alongside  the costs and bureaucracy for the formalization of ABRQ are the most relevant obstacles in developing the sport and engaging a significant number of players. Also, the difficulty in traveling across the country constantly gets in the way of the association members’ ambition. In spite of all that, on January 28-29, people from Brasilia and São Paulo met the local players in Rio de Janeiro for workshops and fantasy tournaments.

Ana Barciela and Vinícius Costa give a workshop on rules and refereeing | Photo Credit: Raíssa Teo

Two notable presences were Ana Barciela (Macquarie Marauders/Australia player) and Costa, who gave the workshops on both days, sharing their experience and knowledge in rules and refereeing, seeking and snitching, quidditch fundamentals, and the role of gender in quidditch. Their talks and drills will certainly upgrade the level of training in Brazilian teams and will help prepare local players for the next IQA World Cup and Confederación del Sur - Quidditch (CSQ) Copa del Sur.

Fantasy tournament | Photo Credit: Raíssa Teo

On both days, the fantasy tournament could only gather two teams, but still provided a good time for those who were there. With Costa and Barciela, both certificated IQA referees, players learned about rules and tactics while playing a game in official standards.

In the end, the Summer Games proved to be a great success, as Brazilian quidditch attracted new players and was able to put up a high-quality event despite all the difficulties in the way. There is still a tough road ahead, though, and new moves are expected to keep the wheel rolling.

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Jogos de Verão ABRQ 2017 no Rio | Foto: Raíssa Teo.

No último final de semana, pela primeira vez, um dos países que participaram da última Copa do Mundo da IQA realizou seu primeiro evento nacional de quadribol. A Associação Brasileira de Quadribol (ABRQ) organizou, no Rio de Janeiro, os Jogos de Verão 2017, um passo importante para um NGB (Corpo de Governança Nacional) em desenvolvimento localizado em um país quase do mesmo tamanho do continente europeu.

Tendo chegado em 20º lugar na Copa do Mundo sem suplentes, a seleção brasileira tinha apenas um jogador que mora de fato no país, Vinícius Costa (ex-jogador do Southampton QC/RU). A falta de apoio universitário ou governamental, assim como os custos e a burocracia para a formalização da ABRQ são os obstáculos mais relevantes nos processos do desenvolvimento do esporte e do engajamento de um número significativo de jogadores. Além disso, a dificuldade em viajar através do país atrapalha constantemente a ambição dos membros da associação. Apesar de tudo isso, nos dias 28 e 29 de janeiro, pessoas de Brasília e São Paulo encontraram-se com os jogadores locais no Rio de Janeiro para workshops e torneios fantasy.

Ana Barciela e Vinícius Costa dando um workshop sobre regras e arbitragem | Foto: Raíssa Teo

Duas presenças ilustres foram de Ana Barciela (Macquarie Marauders/AUS) e Vinícius Costa, que deram os workshops em ambos os dias, compartilhando sua experiência e conhecimento em: regras e arbitragem, o pomo e o apanhador, fundamentos do quadribol e a importância dos gêneros no quadribol. Suas palestras e treinos certamente aumentarão o nível de treinamento nas equipes brasileiras e ajudarão a preparar os jogadores locais para as próximas Copa do Mundo da IQA e Copa del Sur da Confederación del Sur - Quidditch (CSQ).

Torneio Fantasy | Foto: Raíssa Teo

Nos dois dias, o torneio fantasy reuniu apenas dois times, mas mesmo assim mostrou-se divertido para aqueles que estiveram lá. Com Vinícius e Ana, ambos árbitros certificados da IQA, os jogadores aprenderam sobre a regra e tática enquando jogavam partidas em padrões oficiais. Ao final, os Jogos de Verão se tornaram um grande sucesso, já que o quadribol brasileiro atraiu novos jogadores e foi capaz de realizar um evento de excelente qualidade, apesar das dificuldades pelo caminho. Contudo, ainda há uma dura estrada pela frente, e novas ações são esperadas para manter a engrenagem em movimento. International Weekend Wrap-Up is a roundup of quidditch tournaments our correspondents attended last weekend. Were you at a tournament and want to make sure it gets featured in International Weekend Wrap-Up? You can send in your short submissions to quidditchpost@gmail.com until Tuesday.

Editors Note: A previous version incorrectly listed the rankings of the Hateful 8 tournament. The rankings have since been updated.