An incredible 2018 season for the Montreal Armada RFC
Francis Gingras
Rugby 15s Senior Women, Rugby 15s Senior Men
The Montreal Armada RFC ends its series of national and international tournaments within the IGR (International Gay Rugby) with honors!
Last weekend, the Montreal Armada RFC went to Toronto to defend its title in the Beaver Bowl. This tournament, which was in its 9th edition, was planned by Toronto Muddy York RFC and usually takes place in the capital during Labour Day weekend.
It is sanctioned by the IGR as an official meet. This year, players from the Colombus Coyotes, the Philadelphia Gryphons and the Washington DC Scandals of Washington joined forces with players from Toronto Muddy York, the Ottawa Wolves and the Montreal Armada.
This victory comes on the heels of the team’s first international title won at the beginning of the season during the 19th Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament which took place in Amsterdam from June 2nd to June 11th 2018. The Montreal Armada won the Challenger Cup, trophy given to the winners of the third division. The Montreal Armada took part in this tournament for the second time. The tournament had 60 teams from all around the world for its 2018 edition.
« The players started the year with a bang, achieving their first goal which was to win the Challenger Cup in Amsterdam. It goes without saying that they worked hard, training twice a week since January! Following this success, they kept their focus to keep performing and then reaize their second objective for the season, which was to win first place at the Beaver Bowl. »
says Pascal Lesné, co-trainer of Armada
The Montreal Armada will now focus on the end of its season in the development league D2, sanctioned by Rugby Québec. The team will soon participate in its first 7-player rugby tournament, heading to the 2018 New York 7's next November.
The Montreal Armada RFC is the first LGBTA rugby club in Quebec. The team was founded in May 2013. It currently has around 40 active players.
« We also need to mention the excellent recruiting effort. Our team is a big family and that is what makes this team beautiful: it succeeds on and off the field. We gave them the tools for them to perform on the field, and they managed to use them all the way they were meant to be used. Congratulations to all the players, I am extremely proud of your work!
adds Claudie Noël, co-trainer of the Armada.
The Beaver Bowl, put together by Toronto Muddy York since 2009 takes place in Toronto during Labour Day weekend. The tenth edition will take place in September 2019.
The Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament or Bingham Cup is an international, biannual, non-professional, and sanctioned by the International Gay Rugby. The first edition took place in 2002. This tournament is named in the memory of Mark Bingham, former San Francisco Fog RFC payer and co-founder of the New York Gotham Knights. Mark Bingham was one of the passengers on United Airlines 93 on 9/11, and attempted to take control of the plane before it crashed into a field during the attacks. The Ottawa Wolves are in the running to host the 20th edition of the Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament in 2020.
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For more information
Francis Gingras
514-917-6536 Fgingras99@gmail.com
Photo : Philippe Papineau