NZ Indoor Nationals

Indoor Nats 2005

Indoor Nationals 2005 – The mainlanders rule supreme!!!

New Zealand’s biggest ultimate tournament, the Indoor National Championships 2005, has flown by for another year. In the closest competition yet, some 200 competitors across 10 A grade and 16 social teams contested this year’s event. Worth special mention was the four teams from the Waikato/ Bay of Plenty area competing in the social grade as well as the high number of high school students competing across three teams.

In the social grade, Kapow from Hamilton completed pool play undefeated followed closely by Kia Mataara, local hopefuls Oceans Samurai and last year’s finalists Vic University. In the other pool, defending champions DaMUDge also did the clean sweep with close fought wins over other quarter finalists Nelson High School Students Lambrettas, Palmy team Smoking Dragons and Auckland students Penguins with Guns. In the semi finals, DaMUDge held out for a narrow win over Smoking Dragons and the surprise package Lambrettas took down the previously unbeaten Kapow.

The final was a classic display of wizened experience versus youthful exuberance. DaMUDge held the lead throughout, although never by more than 2 points. As the game wore on, the young fullas pegged the score back to 10 all with a minute left on the clock. DaMUDge worked the disc up court and sent a blade into the zone with 30 seconds left in normal time. Sharp defense by player/coach Q Gately turned the disc over. Lambrettas then quickly moved the disc up court and hammered into the zone for an overtime victory. Congratulations to the young guns (& Q) from the top of the south who are deserved champions for 2005.

The A grade was the most competitive in the 5 year history of the tournament. Perennial finalists SPY lost their first 3 games to local students Oceans, defending champs DUDES (Dunedin) and Psycho Kitten from Wellington. Palmy team MUD drew with CHCH 10-10, who were fortunate to beat Oceans by one after trailing for much of the game. Top Palmy team Princess Brides proved the most difficult opposition for Dunedin with an 11 all draw in round robin. Semi final placings were not confirmed until the final round of pool play; DUDES and Psycho Kitten qualified 1 & 2 with SPY & Princess Brides 3rd equal.   

In the semis, DUDEs’ high game proved too much for Princess Brides who went down 17-11. In the clash of the Wellington Titans, a reinforced and reinvigorated SPY took out a nail biter 10-9.

In a repeat of last year’s epic final, DUDEs moved out to an early lead courtesy of the towering inferno (Big) Ben. Try as they may, Spy had little answer for the high game of the Southern Men & women (and Warren). Dudes cruised to a comfortable 15-10 victory, defending their titles and completing the Sth Island double.

Most valuable player awards:

A grade: Callum Thirkell (SPY), Penny Jackson (CHCH)

Social Grade: Hamish Crockett (Hamilton), Natsumi Nemoto (Oceans – PN)

SPIRIT awards:

A grade: Wuf Cool Blue (Wgtn)

Social grdae:  Oceans 1 (PN)

Final placings

A grade

1. DUDES (Dunedin)

2. SPY

3 Psycho Kitten

4 Princess Brides

5 Oceans

6 CHCH

7 WUF

8. MUD

9. Spanthers

10. WUF

Social grade

1. Lambrettas (Nelson College)

2. DaMUDge (PN)

3. Kapow (Hamilton)

4. Smoking Dragons (PN)

5. Penguins with Guns (Auck)

6 Vic Uni (Wgtn)

7. Oceans3

8. Kia Mataara

9. Virus (Wgtn)

10 Wupass (Whakatane)

11 Highland Fling (Wgtn)

12 Oceans2

13 Steam Team (Rotorua)

14 TNT (Rotorua - Lakes High)

15 IntMUD8 (PN)

16 Oceans1