Are you excited? Get excited. The Vancouver Invitational is set to feature two national clubs this year, as both Team Germany and Team Japan will be joining us at the 2016 Vancouver Invitational.
Team Japan has made a huge push this year after a four point upset at the IWRF Asia-Oceania tournament moved them into 3rd place internationally. The tournament was held in Chiba, Japan; you can watch that game on Youtube. It was the first time Japan had ever won the tournament, and you can hear the appreciative crowd get a bit crazy near the end. To make things easier for all of us, there will only be one “Ike” playing for Japan at the Vancouver Invitational, as Daisuke Ikezaki will be playing for the Seattle Slam. Guys like Yukinobu Ike and Shin Nakazato will be on hand to pick up the slack, as there’s no shortage of experienced and dangerous mid-class players on Team Japan.
Germany may be looking to get some games under their belts as their local Bernd Best Tournament was unfortunately cancelled for the year. Germany is sitting in 9th place in the world, and could use a strong showing at the Vancouver Invitational. They’re looking to perform well at the IWRF 2016 Paralympic Qualifier in April in order to snag one of the two remaining spots that would send them off to the Rio Paralympics.
Entrance to the Vancouver Invitational will (as always) be by donation and is within walking distance of Lansdowne Station (if that’s your jam.) You can find more information on getting to the tournament here, you can find more British Columbia wheelchair rugby news here, and we are still accepting applications for volunteers. Come join us! You’ll get to meet me. Or maybe even head referee Kevin Bowie. You just never know.
