The 20th Vancouver Annual got off to a roaring start on Friday and even included an overtime match. Read on to find out about all of the big stories from Day 1.

Ontario Undefeated

It was a fantastic first day for Ontario as both the Thunder (2-0) and Lightning (2-0) powered past their opponents.

David Willsie’s Lightning squad opened the day with a hard-fought 67-59 win over the Alberta Roughnecks. The high-scoring match featured plenty of quick tries and big hits as Ontario’s balanced approach got the best of Alberta’s hi-lo lineups.

They followed up that win with a 54-45 win over the hosts, Team BC.

Not to be outdone, The Thunder also won out on Friday. They opened their title defense with a 59-50 over Quebec and a close 56-51 win over Alberta. The father and son duo of Rio and Nick Kovacks made their debuts in the teams two victories.

Overtime Thriller

Quebec and Germany needed overtime to decide the most exciting match of the day!

Quebec got off to a quick start and had an 8-5 lead early on. Germany buckled now and created a couple crucial turnovers to tie it at 12 by the end of the 1st quarter.

From the point, the two sides exchanged leads and went back and forth, with neither team able to take full control in the 32 minutes of regulation.

In overtime, 1.5 Yanick Racicot came up with a pivotal steal for Quebec. This gave them a two-try lead that they wouldn’t give up, finishing on top 63-61.

For the Germans, Marco Herbst was a real difference maker. He scored plenty of tries and applied tremendous pressure on defense.

For the victors, Anthony Letourneau was a standout player. He continuously attacked the defense and found creative ways to get open in space.

Both teams are now 1-1, with three games left to play.

Portland take control in D2

The Portland Pounders avenged last year’s loss by defeating the Seattle Slam 46-42 on Friday. Both teams used balanced attacks with multiple scores and went back and forth in a closely contested match.

Rookie Justin Beaver has emerged as One to Watch through Portland’s first two games. While he’s still learning the game, he’s already an impact player at this level and was especially impressive in Portland 49-25 rout over the Alberta Bighorns.

Standings

Here are the standings after Day 1

D1

Team	Wins	Losses	Tries For	Tries Against	Try Differential
Thunder	5	0	279	243	+36
Quebec	3	2	259	242	+17
Germany	2	2	243	202	+41
Alberta	2	2	224	219	+5
Lightning	2	2	224	223	+1
BC	0	5	199	285	-86

D2

Team	WINS	LOSSES	Tries For	Tries Against	Try Differential
Portland Pounders	2	0	95	73	+21
Seattle Slam	1	0	90	67	+23
Alberta Bighorns	1	1	71	80	-9
BC Dev	0	2	52	94	-42

Full results and tomorrrow’s schedule are available here

Sponsor Shout-Out

Thank you to Nando’s on Mccleland Road for providing Friday’s fantastic lunches for our athletes and hardworking volunteers.

Last up in our team profiles are the two teams in the black and blue. They’re the ones with the fans in the stands, its the home team. It’s Team BC and BC Development.

History at the Vancouver Invitational

As the hosts, BC has competed at every Vancouver Invitational. In 2014, the team made history by becoming the first Canadian province to win the Vancouver Invitational.

Five-time Paralympian and current head coach Ian Chan led the charge for the title-winning side taking home MVP honors following a 56-53 triumph over Ontario.

After over a decade of contending for titles, Team BC is now in more of a rebuilding phase. The future looks bright though thanks to a group of exciting young players and the pressence of a few skilled veterans.

Watch Out For!

Trevor Hirschfield: The co-captain of Team Canada is one of the world’s best wheelchair rugby players. Opposing playmakers MUST be aware of where he is at all times. Otherwise, he’ll steal the ball before they even know what happened.

Joel Ewert: At only 19-years-old Prince George’s Joel Ewert has already spent four seasons with the provincial team. The NextGen athlete is known for his strong aerial game. Deceptively quick, he rely more on agility than pure speed, but still finds ways to get the job done.

Brandon Perger: The 2018 Canadian Wheelchair Rugby Rookie of the Year is making the step up to D1. The Kelowna native improves with each tournament that he plays in and gives BC another offensive option.

Max Arsenault: Local fans should get to know the 18-year-old from New Brunswick who has quickly become a key player for the BC Development team since moving to Vancouver in September. The NextGen Athlete and UBC student

Learn more

To learn more about BC Wheelchair Rugby, check out www.bcwheelchairsports.com or contact us today

Thank You

Thank you to Murphy Battista LLP. for once again supporting the Vancouver Invitational Wheelchair Rugby Tournament

After a three-year hiatus, the German National Team has returned to the Vancouver Invitational.

The 11th-ranked Germans are in Vancouver to prepare for this summer’s European Championships where they hope to qualify for the Paralympics for the first time since 2008.

The Germans have a rich history in wheelchair rugby and have competed at multiple Paralympics and World Championships.

Currently in a rebuilding phase, the team has a number of exciting prospects who will be in action at the Invitational.

History at the Vancouver Invitational

Germany is the only European team to have ever competed at the Invitational.

Led by 2014 World Championship all-star Thomas Schuwje, the team finished 6th in 2016. That tournament had an especially tough field that featured Paralympic heavyweights Japan and the United States.

Watch Out For!

Head coach Christoph Werner is bringing a young and hungry team to Vancouver that includes a mix of rookies and established talent. Here are three Germans to watch out for this weekend.

• Britta Kripke: A skilled defender and powerful picker. Kripke is one of several women competing and thriving at the international level. A veteran of the past two European Championships, she’ll be a key player for the team.
• Jens Sauerbier: An experienced class 2.0, who will be asked to provide leadership and playmaking for this youthful group. He’s also the Athlete Representative on the IWRF Board of Directors, ensuring that athletes have a say in the sport’s future.
• Marco Herbst The quick 3.5 class player will likely be Germany’s primary ball-handler. Look for him to have some exciting battles with opposing hi-pointers.

Learn more

To keep up-to-date with Team Germany follow them on Facebook and Instagram

For news about International Wheelchair Rugby including the upcoming European Championships, head over to iwrf.com

Thank You

Thank you to Boston Pizza Ackroyd for their support of the 2019 Vancouver Invitational and wheelchair rugby.

Next up in our team profiles is last year’s runner-up Quebec!

History at the Vancouver Invitational

Quebec has been one of the most consistent teams in the history of the Vancouver Invitational frequently placing in the top 3.

Despite never winning the tournament, they did place in 2007 and 2018. Their 2007 team featured an incredible collection of talent including New Zealand Wheel Blacks legend Dan Buckingham, and Canadian Paralympic medalists Fabien Lavoie, Patrice Simard and Daniel Paradis.

New head coach and boccia superstar Marco Dispaltro will look to Lavoie and Simard to help push Quebec over the line this year.

Watch Out For!

In addition to longtime stars Lavoie and Simard, Anthony Létourneau is another name that you should know. Since making his national debut in 2017, the 23-year-old from Boisbriand has continued to improve. His speed and strength make him a great secondary option for Quebec.

Yanick Racicot is another Quebec player who has worn the Maple Leaf. This year, he was part of the Canadian teams that traveled to Rugbymania in Prague and the King Power Quad Nations in Leicester. Racicot is an agile defender who can turn with the best of them.

Quebec’s opens their tournament against the Ontario Thunder on Friday at 1:30pm.

Learn More

To learn more about Quebec wheelchair rugby, check out Parasports Québec.

Thank You

Thank you to viaSport and Richmond Sport Hosting for their support of the Vancouver Invitational Wheelchair Rugby Tournament.

A storm is coming to the Richmond Olympic Oval, as the Ontario Thunder and Lightning are set to strike again in 2019.

History at the Vancouver Invitational

Ontario athletes have always competed at the Vancouver Invitational. For the first seven years they played on mixed Wheelchair Rugby Canada teams with players from Quebec and Nova Scotia.

Starting in 2007, Ontario began sending provincial teams to Vancouver. Many wheelchair rugby stars have represented Ontario in Vancouver including:

• IWRF Hall of Famer, Garett Hickling.
• Erika Schmutz, the first woman to score a try in a Paralympic wheelchair rugby match.
• 5x Paralympian and recent AMI-TV star David Willsie (Willsie will also be playing and coaching this weekend)

Last year, Ontario became the second Canadian provincial team to win the Vancouver Invitational. Following that great win, they now have their sights on repeating and securing a 1-2 finish.

Watch Out For

After winning MVP in 2018, Mike Whitehead will once again lead the Thunder’s attack. The national team veteran and TEDx speaker has a commanding physical presence and superb passing skills that make him impossible to ignore on the court.

For the Lightning, look out for Matt Debly. The 24-year-old is part of an exciting group of young players for Team Canada and will certainly light up the scoreboard for the Lightning. His high-intensity style of play is sure to energize even the most casual of fans.

You can watch the Thunder and Lightning in action live, March 8-10th at the Richmond Olympic Oval.

Learn more

For more information about Ontario Wheelchair Rugby, visit the Ontario Wheelchair Sports Association

Thank You
Thank you to the Sheraton Vancouver Airport for their continued support of the Vancouver Invitational and wheelchair rugby.

Next up in our team profiles is another USQRA team, the Portland Pounders.

History at the Vancouver Invitational

Portland has been the most dominant team in the tournament’s history. Led by U.S. Paralympic gold medalists Seth McBride and Will Groulx, the Pounders won seven consecutive titles from 2007-2013, only losing one match during this time.

In addition to McBride and Groulx, Portland’s dominant run featured a revolving door of other international stars including:

• 2x Paralympian Chuck Aoki
• Heavy-hitting Chance Sumner (Check out the 0:40 mark)
• Former Belgium international Lars Mertens
• Colombian superstar Jhon Orozco Nunez.

The team has recently transitioned into a D2 club. However they’re still a strong threat in the lower division and will look to avenge last year’s heartbreaking loss to Seattle.

Watch Out For!

Jake Wheeler: A big and powerful player for Portland who should be one of the team’s primary threats. He was a try-scoring machine at last year’s tournament and also dished out a number of big hits on opposing players.

Player/Coach Kip Johnson won Best Picker at last year and was a key player on several of the title-winning teams. Opposing players will aim to avoid his pick at all times.

Learn more

To learn more about the Portland Pounders and follow the team, check out their Facebook page.

Thanks to Pomme Natural Market and Clif Bar who will be supplying snacks to keep all the athletes fueled up and ready to go.

Next up in our team profiles are the two teams from Alberta.

Alberta Roughnecks (D1)

Alberta are on the rise. They finished in 2nd at the 2018 Canadian Wheelchair Rugby Championships and will look to do one better and make a statement at the Invitational.

Wheelchair rugby is booming in Alberta and all of their A Team players have experience with the national or NextGen programs.

Watch Out For!

The Dynamic Duo: Zak Madell and Branden Troutman

These two are FAST!!!!

Speedy Zak Madell led Team Canada in scoring at the 2012 and 2016 Paralympics. Although retired from international play, the silver medalist from Okotoks is still one of the country’s most talented rugby players. Defenders will have to keep their hands on their wheels to have any hope of keeping up with his pace.

His running mate is 20-year-old Branden Troutman. The youngest member of the Canadian wheelchair rugby team is fresh off winning a gold medal with Alberta’s wheelchair basketball team at the 2019 Canada Winter Games, and should deliver many exciting plays.

Try not to blink when watching this team, or you might miss a try!

Alberta Bighorns (D2)

Alberta also has a D2 team in the competition. The Bighorns have a number of newer players and will be aiming to improve on last year’s 4th place finish.

Para- rower Kyle Riva is a recent convert to wheelchair rugby and is a rookie to keep an eye out for.

Fun Facts

• Alberta’s best ever finish at the Vancouver Invitational was 3rd in 2017.
• Alberta has the most women competing at the Invitational of any province with four. Kendall Winter and Ashley Munroe on the Roughnecks and Kasey Aiello and Lana Cicko on the Bighorns.

Thank you to ChairStuff and BC Rehab Foundation for their support of the Vancouver Invitational.

First up in our team profiles are our neighbours to the south, The Seattle Slam Wheelchair Rugby Club.

History at the Vancouver Invitational

Seattle is the only team other than BC to compete at every Vancouver Invitational. Our southern neighbours have a rich history at the tournament. They won back-to-back D2 title in 2008 and 2009 and won last year’s D2 Championship in 2OT vs Portland.

In addition to their successful D2 campaigns, Seattle has also been a D1 contender. From 2015-2017, Japanese import and world champion Daisuke Ikezaki led the team to three top-four finishes. During this run, the Slam posted impressive victories over established teams like Germany, BC and Quebec.

Watch Out For?

Seattle’s captain and head-coach Jeremy Hannaford is one to look out for. However, as a picker, his impact might not be obvious to the casual fan.

Hannaford’s a tough defender who does a fantastic job of opening up lanes for his teammates and clamping down on opponents.

The Slam won’t have one clear go-to scorer. Instead, they have four or five guys who will all be expected to carry the ball and make decisions, whether that means firing off a pass or turning on the jets and burning someone for the try.

Seattle’s full roster is available here

Fun Facts

• Seattle are currently ranked 21st in the United States Quad Rugby Association
• They used to be called the Seattle AllNight
• For the 2018/2019 season, Seattle imported BC’s Andrew Davis for their domestic competitions. Canadians Rod Bitz and Fabien Lavoie have also played for the team in previous years.
• The Slam are partnered with the Seattle Saracens Rugby Club (Will we see some of them in the stands?)

Learn more

For more information on the Seattle Slam, you can follow them on Facebook here.

To stay up-to-date on all things Vancouver Invitational and Wheelchair Rugby, keep checking this site. Additionally be sure to follow BC Wheelchair Sports on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more content leading up to and during the tournament.

High-octane Wheelchair Rugby action is returning at the Richmond Olympic Oval from March 8-10, 2019 for the 20th Annual Vancouver Invitational Wheelchair Rugby Tournament.

The three day event will see intense competition across two divisions and feature teams from Canada and the United States, as well as the German National Team.

Confirmed teams for the 2019 Vancouver Invitational Wheelchair Rugby Tournament are as follows:

D1

• Team BC
•  Alberta
•  Ontario
• Quebec
• Germany

D2

• BC Development
• Alberta
• Seattle Slam
• Portland Pounders

The tournament organizing committee has also received letters of intent from the following D1 teams

• Ability360 Phoenix Heat
• USA At-Large Team

We are still looking for more D1 Teams. Interested teams should contact Tournament Director Kevin Bowie by email at kevin@bcwheelchairsports.com  for more information including a registration package.

For more updates on the Vancouver Invitational and wheelchair rugby in BC, be sure to bookmark this page and follow BC Wheelchair Sports on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

We had an awesome final day at the 2018 Vancouver Invitational Wheelchair Rugby Tournament. Things got off to a great start with Team-B winning the opening game of the day. Jeff Scott helped Rod “The Bod” Bitz and prospect Brandon Perger get their first win of the tournament over the Alberta club that had beaten them on Saturday afternoon.

In the afternoon, BC-A just couldn’t keep up with Alberta’s A squad, but the tournament provided some very good looks of up-and-coming prospect Joel Ewert. On the other court, the Seattle Slam won a very narrow victory in double overtime against the Portland Pounders. This USQRA standoff was a highlight of the tournament and drew a large and loud crowd. Seattle manages to leave the tournament unscathed with a 4-0 record.

Thanks to Nando’s for providing today’s (awesome) lunch.

The final match of the game featured Team Ontario and Team Quebec; both clubs are stacked with Canadian national players looking to hold bragging rights over one another. Quebec managed to stay right alongside Ontario for the first half, but Ontario’s longer bench allowed them to dictate the tempo and control much of the play though the 2nd. Congratulations to head coach David Willsie and his squad for their A-division tournament victory.

At the conclusion of the tournament, awards were given to Kip Johnson of the Portland Pounders (Best Picker), Jeff Scott of Team BC (Most Heart), Trevor Hirschfield of Team BC (Clutch Performer), and, of course, Patrice Simard of Team Quebec as the Vancouver Invitational’s Most Valuable Player.

We could not put on a tournament of this calibre without the generous aid of our supporters. We can’t thank them enough for being part of the parasport community, and are in their debt. Thanks so much to Postmark Brewing, Ceilis Modern Irish Pub, Viasport, Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel, Richmond Sport Hosting, Hollister International, Chairstuff, Save On Foods, Clif, Cobs Bread, Freshii, Nando’s, Murphy Bautista, the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association, Costco, Superstore, Canadian Tire, and, of course, we would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia.

Thank you all, and we look forward to seeing you again at the 2018 Canada Cup Wheelchair Rugby Tournament.