MuggleNet SnitchCenter recaps this past weekend at the Quidditch World Cup
For those of you who were lucky enough to be able to attend Quidditch World Cup VI in Kissimmee, Florida this past weekend, you are no doubt still talking about how amazing the whole event was. For those unable to attend, this article will only be able to touch on a few of the moments as we just hope to encourage you to attend Quidditch World Cup VII wherever it may be held next April.
Opening Ceremonies:
- All 80 teams marched onto the Championship Field and listened to the international teams (France, Mexico, and Canada) sing their national anthems, followed by the national anthem of America.
- After welcome speeches from Alex Benepe, the mayor of Kissimmee, and a few select IQA senior members, Alex Benepe broke out into the Harlem Shake.
The games were officially underway and there was nearly non-stop Quidditch action until 11:00 PM, as 160 games were played on 9 fields. During Saturday’s matches, MuggleNet also had the chance to sit down with a variety of IQA members:
- Alex Benepe – CEO and Co-Founder of the International Quidditch Association
- Meaghan Prenda – IQA Social Media Director
- Alex Terry – IQA Board Member
We also chatted with some of the key sponsors and partners of the IQA:
- Marie Sperling – Owner of All About Group Travel
- Dave Wedzik – Owner of Alivan’s Master Wandmakers
- Brian of the IQA Pro Shop
On Sunday morning, the top 3 winners from all of the pools were able to advance to the tournament’s bracket play. For Division I, this meant the top 28 teams automatically advanced while the next 8 had to play their way into the bracket to round out the top 32 teams.
On Sunday, MuggleNet had the chance to catch up with some of the teams as well as provide a preview of the day’s events with predictions and a look back on Saturday’s pool play.
- Keith Hawk and Allison Gilette preview the tournament brackets
- Bowling Green State University
- Miami University
- UCLA
- LSU
- Paris Phénix
- Emerson College
You can see how the final bracket standings played out right here: Division I | Division II
MuggleNet SnitchCenter caught up with the champions of Divison II (Sam Houston State University), and the runners-up and champions of Division I (UCLA and University of Texas at Austin).
MuggleNet’s Noah Fried also had the chance to catch up with Harry and the Potters (Snitchwitch makers) and Team StarKid for a lighter side of the weekend. There was also a quick look at the luxurious side of the Quidditch World Cup with a tour of the VIP tent.
Once again, a special thanks to the IQA for putting on an amazing weekend of Muggle Quidditch.
