Over the weekend, Team UK competed amongst the best of European Quidditch in Bamberg, Germany.

Saturday saw them walk away undefeated, with comfortable victories against Catalonia, Italy, Denmark, and Finland in the group stages.

Sunday saw Team UK face off against Norway with an incredible result of 120*-20 against the Norwegians, and putting Team UK into the Semi-Final against France. Team UK fought hard in a tense and physical match, with seeker Callum Lake catching for overtime. Unfortunately, France quickly caught in the overtime period, and Team UK lost to the eventual European champions 100*-130*

Down but far from out, the United Kingdom came up against Germany for the 3rd place play off, quickly pulling ahead 50-0 within the first 5 minutes. The host team rallied themselves and fought back, ultimately leading to a SWIM game when seekers were released. Both nations fought hard, but eventually Callum Lake came through with another spectacular catch, and Team UK won 110*-90 to take the bronze medal.

Head Coach, James Thanangaden, had these remarks –

“Whilst disappointed to not come away with the win, I am immensely proud of my squad and the way we performed, especially to the players making their international debut. We’ve also said this event would make an excellent stepping stone on the way to Richmond next year, and you better believe we are upping our game in preparation for World Cup 2020”

Team Scotland also made their debut at this years European Games, finishing 14th out of the 20 attending teams. Starting their Day 1 with a difficult group consisting of Belgium, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Their debut performance on Saturday saw hard fought matches against all four nations, culminating in a victory against the Swiss in their final match of Day 1.

Day 2 brought a new shift to Scotland, dominating both Finland and Slovenia, with unfortunate losses to Poland and The Netherlands – both being decided on a single snitch catch. The efforts of Scotland over this entire season are to be celebrated, and we are incredibly proud of their performance and attitude this weekend.

Head Coach, Gavin Hughes, has this to say –

“Considering the calibre of our opponents on the first day of the competition we played respectably, and we really came into our own on the second day, showing Europe our distinct brand of quidditch at its best and picking up a few well-earned victories in the process. This has been an invaluable learning experience for a lot of the players on the team and there’s no doubt that the future of Scottish quidditch is bright. We’re excited to move forward into the new season, potentially with some new leadership, and I have no doubt that our athletes are going to look back on Scotland’s debut international season with pride.”

A huge congratulations to both squads for their performances and efforts this tournament. And thank you to the coaches, athletes, and volunteers that contribute so much to the running and organisation of these teams.

For those wishing to watch the games, streams of the matches can be found here on the International Quidditch Association channel.

Photos from Sebastian Klick and Ajantha Abey Photography