The Portland Pounders are back again in 2023 and have their sights set on the title after finishing as runners-up for the past two years.

A fixture at the VI, Portland has competed in every edition of the tournament and has won titles in both Division 1 and Division 2.

Offensively they’ll be led by 3.5 Justin Beavers and 3.0 Michael Summerson, while a stable of savvy and speedy low-pointers will look to cause havoc on defense and open up lanes for Beavers and Summerson to attack.

Ones to Watch

Justin Beavers (3.5)

The speedy 3.5 and emerging talent continues to improve for Portland/ Incredibly agile with phenomenal turning ability, he’s taken his game up a notch this year, learning under Canadian star Zak Madell and helping Portland to the 5th seed in the USWRA rankings.

With Madell busy with Team Alberta in Vancouver, Beavers will have the reigns of Portland’s offense in D2 as they look to make their 3rd straight final and come out on top this year.

Max Woodbury – 1.0

One of the most experienced players at this year’s event – Woodbury was named Best Low-Pointer last year and should once again cause plenty of problems for opposing teams at the Oval!

With great speed for his classification, an underrated pass and the smarts to manipulate opposing players, don’t be surprised to see Max make clutch plays for the Pounders. Great low-pointers are often x-factors at the D2 level, and Max is definitely one of them.

Portland This Season

As mentioned above, Portland is currently ranked 5th in the USWRA. They’ll be competing in Division 1 at U.S. Nationals next month in Rockford, Illinois, and have been one of the stronger teams on the West Coast this season.

Portland will open the Vancouver Invitational on Friday, March 31st at 10am against Alberta 2 on Court 2.

We’re excited to announce that registration for the 2023 Vancouver Invitational Wheelchair Rugby Tournament is now open

We’re hoping to host a six-team D1 and six-team D2 tournament this year with a mix of international teams, elite clubs, and developing squads from around the world.

The full registration package is available here and team managers should send any questions to Tournament Director Jackie Patatas at jackie@bcwheelchairsports.com

Important deadlines:

• Team Confirmation: January 30^th
• Roster Form submission: February 15^th
• Accommodation booking: February 28^th
• Transportation Form: February 28^th

We look forward to welcoming the wheelchair rugby world back to the Richmond Olympic Oval this spring.

The Vancouver Invitational Wheelchair Rugby Tournament is back at the Richmond Olympic Oval – March 30- April 2, 2023.

We hope to return to the two-division format in 2023 with international teams and elite clubs in D1 and developmental clubs in D2.

Interested teams should contact Tournament Chair Jackie Patatas at jackie@bcwheelchairsports.com

Team Quebec is back this year and competing in D2 for the first time in nearly a decade. The representatives from Parasports Quebec are always tough and well-prepared.

The Quebec Development Team has been a force in Canadian D2 lately. They finished as runners-up at the 2019 Canadian Wheelchair Rugby Championships in Ottawa and are bringing 3/4th of that starting line-up to the Oval.

With Eric Lavoie (3.5*), Alexi Macias (2.5), and JP Nadon (2.0) making plays plus Canadian Parapan Am Games silver medalist Melanie Labelle (1.0F) and emerging talent Maxime Drolet-Gauthier (1.0) locking things down on defense. They’ll be a real threat in Pool B.

In addition to their regular squad, Ontario’s Ben Perkins will be joining Quebec for the weekend. The Ottawa Stinger and Ontario Thunder veteran will add more explosiveness and aggression to the group.

Schedule

Quebec are in Pool B and will open competition on Friday at noon against the Alberta Bighorns. They’ll wrap all of their preliminary games in one day by facing BC2 later in the afternoon at 2:30pm

Wheelchair Sports Alberta are sending two teams to this year’s tournament. With a mix of D1 and D2 regulars both the defending champion Roughnecks and talented Bighorns should be in the hunt for the title.

While the Roughnecks are a D1 team and the Bighorns compete in D2 at Nationals – Here in Vancouver they’re mixed squads with a balance of established and emerging talents.

Alberta Roughnecks

The Roughnecks are full of fan favorites from past tournaments. Denolm Stephens always brings the energy for Alberta, and Kenny Hicks might be the most willy veteran in Canadian D2. On the defensive side of the ball Kasey Aiello and Rob MacIssac are about as dependable a pair of low-pointers that you can find at this level.

Additionally, playmakers Lana Cicko and Jeff Dow love to play physical defense. They both know how to use their strong hands to deflect passes, knock the ball off of laps and create momentum swinging turnovers.

Look for Stephens to be the primary offensive option for this balanced team that could be a real dark horse to make the final.

The Bighorns

Don’t call the Bighorns a “B” Team this year. With Branden Troutman (3.5) making plays and creating havoc on defense. The Bighorns should be big favorites to take home the title.

However, they are more than just a one-man show. Dale Nording (2.5) is one of the most experienced players around. The trio of Kendall Winter (2.0F), Andrew Cheung (1.5), and BJ Engerdahl (0.5) are capable pickers who’ll clear paths, pop tires and more than likely make some great catches for tries off deep passes from Troutman and Nording.

Keep an extra eye out for rookie Kurt Timmonds who will be competing in his first tournament this weekend! It’s always exciting to see new players.

Schedule

The Roughnecks are in Pool A while the Bighorns will compete in Pool B. Catch the Roughnecks in the tournament opener on Friday at noon against BC1 on Court 1 while the Bighorns play Quebec on Court 2.

The Portland Pounders are back at the Vancouver Invitational and will once again contend! Led by player/coach Kip Johnson, the Portland Pounders enter the 2022 tournament aiming to improving on 2020’s 2nd place finish.

They’re bringing a familiar core back to the Oval with a powerful offensive trio of Justin Beavers, Mike Summerson and Jake Wheeler! Each of their ball handlers bring different strengths to the table which will allow Portland to adapt to different situations.

Beavers (3.5) was named best high-pointer in 2020. His speed and maneuverability are among the tournament’s best and he should be near the top of the scoring charts again this year.

Historically, Portland is one of the best teams in the history of the Invitational. The Pounders have won 8 VI titles across both Division 1 and 2. They always come prepared to compete hard and are never afraid to pop a few tires and dish out big hits.

Whether you like watching the speed of high-pointers like Beavers or prefer honing in on the technical side of the sport, Portland will be a great watch.

Low-pointers Max Woodbury (1.0*) and Kip Johnson (0.5) are two experienced low-pointers to watch out for. They’ve both played in big games and been a part of some truly elite Pounders’ teams over the years.

Keep an eye out for James Menning (1.5) and JD Duran (1.0). Two emerging talents who’s playing time and skills continue to rise.

Schedule

The Pounders are in Pool A. They open competition on Friday versus the Alberta Roughnecks in a rematch of last year’s title game. Portland wraps up the preliminary round with a Cascadia rivalry match against British Columbia 1.

Are you a Portland Pounders fan coming to the Invitational? Let us know you’re here and tag your posts with #VancouverInvitational and #WCRugby

Learn more

To learn more about the Portland Pounders – Follow them on Facebook and visit their website at https://www.portlandpounders.org/

To learn more about Wheelchair Rugby in the United States – Please visit the United States Wheelchair Rugby Association and check out on Facebook and Instagram.

13 Matches, 6 Teams, 3 Days, and 1 Champion. We’re excited to announce that the 2022 Vancouver Invitational schedule is now available.

Join us at the Richmond Olympic Oval from March 11-13 for all the tries, hits and rugby action. Come take in the thrills as teams from BC, Alberta, Quebec and Portland duke it out for the title.

With 13 matches, spread out across 3 days, there’s plenty of opportunities to catch a game.

Opening Day

Everything tips-off on Friday, March 11th at 12pm with a double-header. Local fans will want to head over to Court 1 as the ageless Rod Bitz (3.0*) leads British Columbia 1 into battle against the defending champion Alberta Roughnecks in Pool A.

Meanwhile, Pool B tips-off over on Court 2. Reigning MVP Branden Troutman (3.5) will lead the Alberta Bighorns against a Quebec team that features two Canadian National team players in Melanie Labelle (1.0F) and Ben Perkins (2.0).

These two matches open the pool play portion of the tournament which runs through Saturday morning.

Crossovers and Final

The top team from each pool will receive a direct bye into Saturday’s evening semifinals. 2nd and 3rd place finishers will play an additional crossover at 1:15pm.

Championship Sunday features the 3 finals. The 3rd and 5th place games run simultaneously at 10am. The Grand Final tips-off at 1:30pm followed by the Trophy and Awards presentation at 3:15pm

Follow The Tournament

To stay up-to-date with the Vancouver Invitational Wheelchair Rugby Tournament, follow BC Wheelchair Sports on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Visiting the event? Be sure to the hashtags #WCRugby and #VancouverInvitational!

Spectator Note

A valid COVID-19 vaccine passport and photo ID are required to enter the venue.

The Vancouver Invitational Wheelchair Rugby Tournament is back! After a two-year hiatus, five teams from across the Northwest are coming to the Richmond Olympic Oval from March 11-13.

Although the Canadian National Team will be away at the 2022 World Wheelchair Rugby Americas Zonal Championship. This year’s tournament will shine the spotlight on D2 and give old rivalries their chance to shine.

The defending champion Portland Pounders headline a competitive field of D2 Teams. While the returning Alberta Roughnecks and Bighorns will be looking to improve on their 2nd and 3rd place showings in 2020.

Locals will have lots to cheer for as two BC squads will be competing. Can one of the home teams give BC their 2nd Vancouver Invitational title in 22 years? Will a new hero rise and make their mark in tournament history?

The Vancouver Invitational wouldn’t be possible without our fantastic volunteers and we’re looking for more to join the 2022 crew. Sign up today and/or contact Tournament Director Jackie Patatas at jackie@bcwheelchairsports.com for more information.

All of the action tips off on Friday, March 11th. We’ll be releasing the full tournament schedule on Monday, February 21st.

Stay tuned for more info on the Vancouver Invitational including full team previews, daily schedules, and more! To stay up-to-date on Wheelchair Rugby in BC, follow BC Wheelchair Sports on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

We’re excited to announce that registration for the 2022 Vancouver Invitational is now open!

Division 1 and 2 teams are invited to the Richmond Olympic Oval from March 11-13th for one of North America’s longest-running Wheelchair Rugby tournaments!

Team managers can access the registration package here!

We can’t wait to welcome the Wheelchair Rugby world back to BC!

We’re excited to announce that the Vancouver Invitational will be returning to the Richmond Olympic Oval, March 11-13, 2022.

Teams are encouraged to add the dates to their competition calendars and look out more information in the coming months.

BC Wheelchair Sports can’t wait to welcome the wheelchair rugby world back to the Oval next year!

To learn more, please contact Tournament Chair Jackie Patatas at jackie@bcwheelchairsports.com