i've had some requests for DC details, so before the memory fades, here's a write-up.

buoyed by a top 4 finish at gaia cup, we felt the DC title was within reach and began preparing specifically with this goal in mind. injury and number (especially women) concerns were answered by timely interest from andrea (china), charlotte (australia), and daniel (US), who filled out the roster nicely.

similar to gaia, IKU started with an unfavorable matchup, this time against gold catfish, the defending champs. ouch. captains senco and jei did a good job of making sure we were ready for this first very important first round battle.

and we were ready. the O-line set the tone, scoring on its first possession, and second, and... every possession. the D-line wore down their smallish roster with high energy, and capitalized in the second half with a couple breaks. O-line continued to dominate, and IKU closed it out 13-11. booya!

relieved of pressure and feeling confident, IKU bageled re:turn the afternoon game to win the pool and a semi-final date with a familiar foe, the happy campers.

after a typical night of onsen, team dinner, and shenanigans, we woke to miserable sunday weather. unrelenting rain and chilly winds were to be a defining element for the rest of the tourney.

we soon found ourselves in familiar territory: a scrappy battle of zone with the wily happy campers. turnovers were plentiful, points were long. i believe we received tied 5-5 with the timecap looming. with seconds left a mid-range huck goes up to yano, who comes down with the winner! IKU storms the field, the crowd (ha) goes wild... but wait, HC contests, saying time had expired just before the catch. after protracted discussion and a review of the rules, the campers happily get second life, and captains flip for universe point possession.

IKU receives. and a handler who shall go unnamed promptly throws it away. but the O-line shows it can play D too, getting the disc back and finally punching it in for a well-earned 6-5 victory.

on to the finals! waiting was the taiwan national team, a small army of skilled and youthful runners who had blown past the competition. they seemed determined to prove themselves ahead of the world games this summer, while IKU was eager to avenge a lopsided defeat at DC last year.

the rain and wind had picked up, and all games besides the finals were cancelled. O-line receives and is promptly broken, the first and only break given up all weekend. high-pressure D from Taiwan almost forces another break, but IKU offense is resilient and finally scores a big upwinder. an itchy D-line takes the field and gives Taiwan fits with its patented trap-zone, but can’t punch it in. after trading for a couple (long) points, D finally gets the big break with a nice atsushi forehand to kerry. up 5-4, D-line pulls with about a minute remaining, forces a turn, and holds on until the final horn sounds.

IKU wins DC!

this victory, the first major tourney win for IKU, was the sweet fruit of over three years of hard work and growing pains. and we earned it, with tough wins over three of the top contenders. though a majority of the original cast are gone -- cheesiness alert! -- this championship belongs to whole IKU family.

yoshio

more details in the club jr. newsletter: http://www.clubjr.jp/2009dreamcup/?p=135

Awesome write-up,Yoshio!I'm impressed you remember everything after a while from DC. That's so amazing how much IKU has been developed as a team even members changes.

I am so happy and proud that I am a part of IKU-community

I miss you guys!!


Yasuko

Nice writeup, Yoshio. <cheese> We original cast members still wear our IKU! colours proudly on the other side of the pond. </cheese>

When is mixed nats? Should be around this time, no? Best of luck, get that spot to Prague!

Congrats IKU, well done. I will be wearing my IKU jersey with pride at tryouts for JAM and Revolver, perhaps somebody will notice and say "That the same jersey as the TEAM that won DC this year?"

Probably not, but that'd be sweet for sure.

Keep them wheels running, very cool.

-pallaver

Thank you for the detailed write-up Yoshio. It was an exciting read.

Congrats to Iku! for breaking through and winning the first (major) tourney (I guess the first Taj Cup doesn't count as major? )

You think the DC and Gaia organizers would look for a location that is NOT the foot of a huge mountain prone to wind, rain and cold.

Jason
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