Ruggerfest 2020 Update

Dear Ruggerfest, friends, family, players, and supporters,

During these uncertain times, we want to let you all know that we are monitoring the COVID-19 situation and how this will impact Aspen Ruggerfest 2020. Fortunately, we have time before we need to make a final decision about the tournament. If it is safe to host the tournament, we will do everything we can to make it the success it has always been.

We are accepting registrations, and if the tournament is canceled, or your team is unable to attend, you will be offered a full refund, or we can role your tournament fees into 2021.

Be safe,

Ruggerfest Committee.

Dear Aspen Ruggerfest Family,

Last week we made the difficult announcement that Aspen Ruggerfest 53 had been postponed.

This was not an easy decision, yet it was a necessary one. However, we feel as if it was the right decision to be made under the present circumstances.

As you can understand, to put on Ruggerfest takes a tremendous amount of planning and bringing together multiple groups to ensure we have a safe, successful, and enjoyable event for all. We are unable to do this due to the circumstances at this time. 

Aspen Ruggerfest 53 will now take place on September 23rd, 24th, 25th and 26th of 2021, At Wagner Rugby Stadium and Rio Grande Park.

The 2021 year promises to be better than ever before. We can already tell you that the interest and the phone calls we received over the past weekend asking questions about participation gave us much encouragement.

So that being said, if you registered and would like a refund we are happy to do that. Or,  if you would like to let it reserve your space for 2021 we can move your registration to the 2021 Ruggerfest. I will point out that come November 1st when we open registration for 2021 Ruggerfest 53 the entry fees will be increasing.

If you prefer to get a refund please contact Gretta McKenney, Aspen Rugby Club Treasurer, at ruggerfest.zg@gmail.com.

 Be safe, take care and we look forward to seeing everyone on September 23rd, 24th, 25th and 26th of 2021 for Ruggerfest 53.

For all other question, please contact aspenruggerfest@gmail.com

Aspen Ruggerfest Executive Committee and Aspen Rugby Club Board of Directors

ASPEN RUGGERFEST 53 – Postponed until September 23rd, 24th, 25th and 26th of 2021

Aspen, CO.  –  It is with great sadness that due to the current global situation and circumstances beyond our control, The Aspen Rugby Club Board of Directors, with direction from the Aspen Ruggerfest Chairman and executive committee, have made the decision to postpone the 53^rd Aspen Ruggerfest slated for September 17-20, 2020 to September 23rd, 24th, 25th and 26th of 2021. 

More details will be announced the week of June 22 -27, 2020.

aspenruggerfest@gmail.com

Come to Hawaii August 19-26 next year and stay at the Garden Island Inn in Lihue, Kauai for a $1000 donation to the Jerome Hatem scholarship fund. Included is five (5) days of cycling, hiking, surfing, boating, fishing,
all beach activities, cooking and eating. For more information see the advertisement here, or give Steve Layne a call at 9706183669 or email him at stevelayne@mac.com

The Dark and Stormy Misfits win the men’s open over a very spirited and talented North American Rugby Academy, a side of future superstars from Canada and the US funded by World Rugby . In the women’s open , Sister Wives beat Kougar & Kittens, while in the Master’s the Dark and Stormy Misfits beat Time. The Dark and Stormy Misfits also took the 45s but it was the Cardinals that took both the 50s and 55s. The entire tournament was blessed with great weather and spirited crowds to watch the total field of 30 teams compete over the four days. Next year’s dates are September 17-20 and registration online will open at the end of October. For further information please contact John Staub at 225-413-7505 or email aspenruggerfest@gmail.com.

Lock stock and two smoking barrels.

Two late entries, a men’s open and women’s open team, have made it a necessity to remake the schedule. They round off the tournament to an even 30 teams.

Thursday will see the 55s and the 45s team brackets take the field.

On Friday the 35s and the 50s will make the day.

Saturday the men’s and women’s open compete.

With 9 teams in the men’s and 5 teams in the women’s divisions, there will be little time for fans to catch their breath.

The returning winners of the women’s open, The Sister Wives from Utah will be defending their title while the Gentlemen of Aspen will try to repeat on the men’s side.

We are happy to see our women’s competition grow over the last four years. They add an exciting element of sport that our locals don’t get to see. The Sisters Wives will have to outlast Vail, Boulder, Kougar and Kittens and the ever-dangerous Misfits.

The men’s side will be highly competitive with Whitey Nelson’s Misfits coming back to try to grab the trophy for the third time after coming up short against Aspen in last year’s final. They will be joined with Boulder, the Rio Grande Caballeros, Glendale Merlins, a Utah Misfits side, the Denver Barbos and two younger sides whom we are looking forward to see play: Oklahoma University and The North American Rugby Academy.

With the weather forecast to be perfect, it looks like another rockin Ruggerfest!

Follow us on Instagram @aspen_ruggerfest and on Facebook #ruggerfest.

For the umpteenth time, Goslings has made a big commitment to sponsor Ruggerfest 52! The Aspen Rugby club is grateful for the great interest that the Bermudan rum company has shown towards the tournament. Without their support the tournament could not happen. Besides their Dark and Stormies, a mix of other creative cocktails will be served at the field side bars all weekend long.

In addition to Goslings, Pharmstrong, a high-quality CBD outfit partially owned by former Gentlemen Ty Storlie will be present along the sidelines with their line of products and educational material for those who want to learn more about the benefits of their CBD.

To help celebrate the fact that once again Ruggerfest falls on the same weekend as Oktoberfest, Colorado brewery, Odell, will be featuring its best beers for those non-sailor types.

And new to Ruggerfest this year Bumble, the online dating company, will be hosting a free cocktail party on Thursday night right after the games at Kirby Icehouse at the north end of Wagner.

We lost Jerome Hatem ( RIP) last June in a freak snowmobile accident.
Jerome was in many ways the backbone of the Aspen RFC: and in the true meaning of the word he was a gentleman to many more outside the rugby community. In his memory we have started a scholarship in his name to help Junior Gentlemen further their educations. On Thursday night at 8:15 PM there will be a benefit at Micholas to help fund his eponymous charity and to share stories about him. Beverages and food will be served till closing at you request for the donation of $75. Tickets are available online here and at the door the night of the event. Micholas is located at the corner of Mill and Main streets. If you can’t make it but would like to make a donation, you can make one here scroll down and select Jerome Hatem from the drop down menu “I want to designate my donation to”.
For more details about the event please contact RT Flanagan: tel 9703793404 or at mcflanigan@hotmail.com

As Aspen Ruggerfest ends one half century and begins another this September 14-17, the tournament committee has rewritten the rules to conform to those used in most other tournaments nationwide.  In the past few years the number of complaints about teams poaching players for finals matches, using players who did not qualify for their age bracket, and players competing on more than one team within the same bracket have spiked.

In order to make the competition fairer specific procedures will be adopted for all teams. The specifics of the new procedures, which will be applied this year and enforced by both the Tournament Committee and the Referee Committee, will be sent out to all registered teams with their invites..

To see the draft of the new tournament rules please go to : http://aspen-ruggerfest.com/tournament-rules/

To make comments please send an email to aspenruggerfest@gmail.com