– Batidora Beach Rugby Team –

I was invited to play with Batidora in the Beach Rugby National Championship!!! It was great knowing that all of your hard work was recognized. Even though I had a great beach rugby season, I will still feeling bummed out about not qualifying for the nationals. Then, I received a message out of the blue from Batidora. They were short a player and were looking for someone to help fill the ap. They reached out the the owner and director of the tournament asking for suggestions. The coach of Batidora asks me if I would be interested in playing with them at the nationals. I was so excited and of course I said yes! I was very thankful and it was a honor to get to know as well as to play for them. Finally, after three seasons, I have made it to the Beach Rugby National Championship.

– My Games –

Game 01: Batidora (vs) –

Game 02: Batidora (vs) –

Game 03: Batidora (vs) –

Game 04: Batidora (vs) –

Game 05: Batidora (vs) –

– Tournament Results –

The post National Beach Rugby Championships!!! appeared first on RAM Sports Zone.

– Chiloe Beach Rugby Championship –

This is the last tournament of the season therefore my last chance to qualify for the national championship. Let’s take a moment to review what has happen sor far. First, in the Concón qualifier, I entered my own team, Cóndores del Silencio, and we failed to qualify by one point. Next, Bahia Inglesa qualifier, I played with Copiapó and we failed to qualify by one point. Now, in the Chiloe qualifier, did we manage to qualify for the national championship? Let’s find out.

– My Games –

First, the sand in Chiloe was more compact than other beaches I have played on. It made it easier to run, however, that also meant that the impact from the falls during the tackles had more force. After a full day of beach rugby, the moment has arrived. This is the last chance to qualify for the national championship. Everything comes down to this game one game. If we win this game, we will qualify for the national championship. It was an intense battle, but we just missed out. Can you guess by how many points? Yes, you guessed correctly; we lost by one point. This was a tough, but exciting season.

– First Women’s Tournament –

There were several women’s teams that took part for the first time.

– Tournament Results –

The post Jabalíes Beach Rugby in Chiloé appeared first on RAM Sports Zone.

– Burning White Sands –

Today, I finally get to not only visit Bahia Inglesa but play Beach rugby as well. When I arrived, there was such a glare from the sun was beating down on the White Sands that it made it difficult to see. I had forgotten how hot the Atacama region and I knew that if I didn’t find some kind of shade it would be a bad day for me. So I walked a few blocks over to the next Beach, and butt a beach umbrella. This not only protected my skin but my camera equipment as well.

– My Games –

The first game was tougher than anticipated due to the heat. It probably would have been a good idea to arrive one or two days earlier to acclimate to the extreme temperatures of the Atacama Desert. However, by the third game, I was in the zone. This was probably one of the best games I have played in Beach rugby as well as one of the most difficult teams. Who played against Tarapacá. However, I really enjoyed the game.

Game 01: Copiapó (vs)

The first game was proving to be more difficult to play than I had imagined. The Atacama sun beating down on you without any remorse, making it difficult to focus. It probably would have been a good idea to arrive an extra day earlier to acclimate to the weather.

Game 02: Copiapó (vs)

Game 03: Copiapó (vs) Tarapacá

I am not sure what was going on, but I was in the zone during this game. I would say that this was one of the best games I have played as well as one of the toughest teams I have played. We may not have won the game, but I certainly enjoyed it.

Game 04: Copiapó (vs)

Game 05: Copiapó (vs)

– Tournament Results –

Text.

The post Copiapó Beach Rugby in Bahia Inglesa appeared first on RAM Sports Zone.

– Concón Beach Rugby Championship –

My team, Cóndores del Silencio (Deaf Condors), made our beach rugby debut today. We have finally arrived to the first tournament of the national circuit. I’m really looking forward to playing in all the beach rugby championships on the circuit and improving from last year. I felt too tired in the matches during the 2015 circuit. So, this year I’ve been concentrating on my cardio and fitness. I started preseason training in December and it consisted of the following: Cycling = 4 x week / Running = 2 x week / Pool Running = 2 x week / Lifting Weights = 2 x week. What is my goal? Qualify for the Beach Rugby National Championship!

– My Games –

Game 01: Cóndores del Silencio (vs) URSA

We started our debut beach rugby game with a lot of anticipation. Our first match was the fifth match. We started scoring several tries but the URSA struggled and eventually the match was a draw. However, we won the match 5 to 4. Yes!!! One step closer to qualifying for the National Beach Rugby Championship.

Game 02: Cóndores del Silencio (vs) Lomas “A”

I have watched the Lomas play several times over the past few years and know their style of play. We maintained full control in both attack and defense throughout the game. However, the Lomas scored a point during the second half. Yes!!! We won our debut game!!! Now, we are one step closer to qualifying for the national championship.

Game 03: Cóndores del Silencio (vs) Stars

Our last match in the preliminaries was against the 2014 beach rugby champion in Viña. I remember because I saw them win it. We won two games and they won two games. Then, the winner of this match will qualify for the Gold Cup and the National Beach Rugby Championship. The match started strongly between both teams. When we scored a try, they scored a try. The match was a battle. Everyone was watching and with every score or mishandling of the ball, you can hear the crowd shouting yes or aaah. The Stars scored a try the last second in the corner and we lost 4-5. However, we have one more chance to qualify for the National Beach Rugby Championship. Piero’s 5 is the current National Champion of 2015 and already qualified for the Gold Cup in this championship. Then, the first silver place will qualify for the National Beach Rugby Championship.

Game 04: Cóndores del Silencio (vs) Tercer Tiempo “B”

Because of special circumstances, the Silver Cup winner will also qualify for the national championship. So, we have a second chance to qualify! I know Tercer Tiempos style of play and this will be a tough game. Unfortunately, we were unable to overcome impecable defense and we lost. Hey, we gave it our best.

Game 05: Cóndores del Silencio (vs) Old Green

This last game would have determined third and fourth place for the Silver Cup, but it was the only game that was not played because the tournament started late. So, we will never know how it would have turned out.

– Tournament Results –

The post Deaf Condors Beach Rugby Debut appeared first on RAM Sports Zone.

– Valdivia Beach Rugby Championship –

I’m excited to play rugby play again. My goal for this championship is to score three tries. However, I had a problem the week before the championship. I was doing something behind my apartment and I stuck a nail in my left foot. Nooooo, really?! Do I need an injection to prevent tetanus? With confirmation from my doctor in the United States, I am fine for three more years.

I couldn’t train or anything. I had to stay outside my foot to have the possibility to play beach rugby in Valdivia. It doesn’t matter that I hit a nail, nothing is going to stop me from playing beach rugby. So, I decided to go and play with the Lions of Valdivia. Thanks to Pato Jara and the Lions for allowing me to play with their team. Anyway, after a fifteen-hour trip, I arrived in Valdivia and stayed at the Aires Buenos hostel.

This championship had fourteen teams and two of the teams are from Argentina. I would like to play against a team from Argentina because of the experience. However, none of the two Argentine teams were in our group. Like the rugby world cup, we have groups of four teams to qualify for the gold, silver, bronze and honor cup.

Thank you very much to Paula for taking pictures of me while I played so I can receive memories of that event. I am very grateful, more than you know.

– My Games –

Game 01: The Galleons team we played in the first game won the silver championship. I think they played better than last year. I felt outside physically, more tired than normal and that I played badly. Not training before the championship because I entered a nail had a big impact on me.

Game 02: In our second match, we played against Los Langostas de Lota and they won the gold championship. I thought I’m not going to achieve my three-tries goal. I injured my shin badly. I think I broke a vein because it quickly swelled quite large. As I drove a nail into my foot, nothing is going to shake me and I kept playing.

Game 03: In the stubborn match against Los Rinos, I was super motivated to score a try. I felt like I played great in this match. Finally I was tackling better, etc. After several missed opportunities, I scored the last try at the end of the match. Yee-haw!!! With this victory, we qualified for the bronze cup.

Game 04: We played the Cavemen team for the fourth game and I wanted to score the other two tries to achieve my goal. I started well and strongly, yet things were going badly for me. I started having an asthma attack on the court after a tackle and I can’t lift. I got up, made few more tackles and went out on the court. Now the asthma attack is worse and I asked a game to take my inhaler out of my backpack. I recovered during halftime. Like my foot and shin injuries, nothing is going to hold me back and I kept playing in the second half. I couldn’t score two more tries. I forgot to change the settings when I passed the camera to Paula and the photos of this match were burned. However, I managed to save some photos.

Game 05: We can’t play our fifth game because there is still time. What a pity. I would have liked to play my fifth game for the opportunity to finish the championship with good vibes. I felt like I played badly and I’m disappointed in my performance. This is not how I wanted to play my last game. Then I looked at the pictures, maybe I played better than I think? However, I didn’t play well like when I played in Concón and La Serena. With all the problems, this trise that I did not have the opportunity to take a picture of me with the Lions.

– Tournament Results –

The post Lions Beach Rugby in Valdivia appeared first on RAM Sports Zone.

– La Serena Beach Rugby Championship –

This is the third tournament on the national circuit and I continue with my mission of photographing and playing beach rugby. I scored a try during the first tournament of the circuit and I’m looking to score more. However, there weren’t any available openings with any of the teams for this tournament, but then I received an invitation to play with Zahlís; a team from Copiapó. Now, I’m ready to enjoy the tournament as both a player and a photographer. However, I had no idea that I would eventually play against the 2014 national champions.

When I arrived on the beach in La Serena, I didn’t notice anyone around. The court changed more wax from the lighthouse. During the fifteen-minute trail, I found a team of players. Coincidentally, the players were from Zahíls’. We finally located the correct place on the beach, but the clouds seemed a little cloudy. So cloudy that I though it was going to rain. Now, it could be fun to play beach rugby in the rain, but how will I be able to photograph the games without a raincoat for my camera? It turned out to be just a cloudy day avoiding any rain.

– My Games –

Game 01: Zahlís (vs) Goliath “A”

I scored my first try of day and the first try of Zahlís against and the first try of this match! Yee-haw! We lost the match against Goliath “A” 3 – 6. Also, we lost the next three games with the following one in mind:

Game 02: Zahlís (vs) ???

Game 03: Zahlís (vs) Perros

The Perros (Dogs) are another team based out of Copiapó. So, this was was a match amongst friends. The game was an intense battle we lost to the Dogs 06 – 08. So close, but not close enough.

Game 04: Zahlís (vs) Marvin’s

Who would have thought that I would get a chance to play against the national champions? They moved the ball very quickly and tackled with a lot of force. It was very difficult to break their defense, However, I almost scored a try against them, but I was tackled right at the try zone. It would have been awesome to have scored against the national champions. This is a game of inches and that is all it take to score or not score.

Game 05: Zahlís (vs) Goliath “B”

After a long, exhausting day, we had one more game to play. This game was for honor and we won! The final score was 05 – 03. Not only did we win, I also scored my second try of the day! My next goal is to score three tries in the Valdivia Championship.

– Tournament Results –

The post Zahlís Plays Against National Champions; Marvin’s appeared first on RAM Sports Zone.

– Concón Beach Rugby Championship –

What do you think when you hear “summer”? Holidays, relaxing on the beach, sunbathing and swimming in the sea. However, in rugby world, they think rugby beach 5s. I traveled all the venues, except Pichilemu, of the National Beach Rugby Circuit by Vulture during the 2014 season photographing this version of rugby that I discovered. When I traveled to Valdivia, I decided to play with the invitation team and scored two tries! Thanks to Pato and his team in Valdivia we help with players so we can play.

– My Games –

I waited all year for the 2015 season because I’m not going to miss the opportunity to play this year. I checked the teams on the circuit page for the first date if there is a space available that I would like to play. Eventually, the director of the national circuit, Jaime Muñoz, made an offer for an invitation team. Me, me, me! I want me to be a part of it. At the time of registration, it is only me. A while longer we were 3, 5, 6 and then 8. Yes! We have our pool of players.

The day started cloudy and cool. I was able to take pictures of the matches and relax. After about one and a half hour it was my turn to play. Yee-haw! We lost the first two games against Tercer Mitad B and Costa del Sol. I have never received a “sin bin” in my rugby career and in my first match of the day I received a “sin bin.” Also, every time when I had the chances to score a try, they were penalties. However, we won our last two matches against Los Lomas and Taller de Rugby UDLA to be BRONZE CHAMPION!!! We jumped into the sea to celebrate.

Thank you very much to the Feña, and Carlos for taking pictures of me while I played so I can receive memories of that event. Thanks to the Francisca for taking the photo of all the teams so that I can be part of the photo too and several photos of me with the trophy. Thanks to the RUM team’s play to take several photos during the presentation of the prizes so that I can receive the trophy with my team. I am very grateful, more than you know. Now, I seek to register the invitation team for the headquarters in La Serena. So, if you played with the invitation team I agree and you are interested in playing in La Serena, please let me know. Let’s continue on the National Rugby Beach 5s Circuit.

– Tournament Results –

The post Invitational Team is Bronze Cup Champions appeared first on RAM Sports Zone.

I woke up at 7:00 am this morning to make breakfast and to take a shower only to find that there were no matches to light the stove and no towels to dry off with. I saw one of the owners walking around outside and asked him for the things that I needed. He almost seemed bothered by it it. If you don’t want to interact with people then don’t work in the service industry. The cabaña lacked the proper supplies for hosting guests and wasn’t worth the price per night to stay there. Anyways, I made a veggie omelette and then got ready for the tournament.  . . .

Eventually, the guys woke up from thier night out on the town and we were on our way to Playa San Ignacio (a beach). It was about a good forty-five minute to one hour drive. On the way, Carlos and I had decided that we were going to play in the tournament for the invitational team. I was excited about this decision because I had never played beach rugby before. After photographing three beach rugby tournaments, I wanted to PLAY! Let me tel you right now, it may look easy, but it is harder than you think. Here are some basic of beach rugby as I understand it at this moment:

• Field – thirty meters long by twenty meters wide.
• Players – five versus five with a max of ten players per team.
• Time (Regular Games) – five minutes per half with a two minute half time.
• Time (Championship Games) – seven minute halves.
• Rules – No kicking, no rucking, no mauling, and no line outs.

What? Wait! Really? How are we suppose to play rugby? It is possible and these rules allow the game to flow much faster which is why I said it is harder than it looks. Not to mention you are running on sand. Have you ever tried running around on sand? It’s not easy, but it sure is FUN!

As the tournament gets underway, I’m running around trying to find players to put my team together for the invitational side. Carlos decides to back out and I went from three to five to four to three again. Eventually, I noticed a team only had six players. I asked if we could merge with them. It was okay with them, the tournament director, as well as the other teams. What happened was they could play for us (the invitational side) and we could play for them (Lions). I was excited because now I was going to play beach rugby!

Game 1: I’m the captain of the invitational team and was excited and nervous at the same time. I hadn’t played in about two years since I had played sevens with the Linces en Limache. I learned that it was tough running in sand and spent the rest of the game trying to make sure I understood the rules.

Game 2: My confidence rose and I scored a try! What a great feeling! Later on, I scored anoter try in the corner, but it was declared no good because apparently I went out of bounds during the tackle while scoring. So close.

Game 3: We played a game of four versus four against the team that was helping us out, the Lions. More space, more running, no substitutions. I was dead after that game.

Game 4: I played with the Lion in the game for third place in the bronze division. I almost scored a try in the first half when I picked the ball up from a tackled teammate. I launched over hime to make a diving try and was help back by about two or three players. I broke the try plane, but I just wasn´t able to touch it down. However, in the second half of the game I intercepted a pass from the opposing team to score what would be the last try of the game. As I scored, I heard lots of people cheering because the gringo got a try and in nice fashion too. . . .

After all was said and done, I was dead tired. Like I said before, I had’t played in two years, but I have recently started doing a program called FREELETICS. I seriously think this program is what saved me today. I walked away with some war wounds. I had two big brusies on my biceps (one on each arm), bloody scrape on one ankle along with a huge welt on the inside of my left foot, and I though maybe I had fractured some ribs. The pain on the back lower left ribs was pretty intense. . . .

I ended the day in a photo with five beautiful Chilean women and two beach rugby jerseys as souvenirs. How could I have forgotten to ask if any of them wanted a photo session? Later that night, I actually managed to go out for a while and socialize.

pix of girls and jerseys

The post My First Beach Rugby Tournament appeared first on RAM Sports Zone.