Calgary, Alberta

Calgary's Ho Down is a long standing institution in Western Canada. The site is one of the things that makes this tourney so popular. There is ample camping in the velodrome, which is surrounded by the fields; there's an adequate amount of beer on tap; the Alberta Beef BBQ is here right after the games on Saturday; and the party this year was in the indoor arena. And there are hot tubs: a whole bunch of them, going all night.

The teams in A Pool were competitive, but no match for Team Canada Toque, who was rarely challenged all weekend. The weather was warm and sunny for the semis and the final, and the sidelines were festive as everyone stayed around to relax, heckle, and fraternize. The game to watch was Eye Candy from Seattle/Edmonton and the local Lawn Party. Eye Candy came back with something like 5 straight points for the win. After this drama Toque's victory in the final was a bit anticlimactic.

Other notables from the weekend: Friday night had some Guts and Cups matches going on. Nichols brought his motor home, and it was often full of people. There was talk of trying to do laps in the velodrome with the big bus but Ry vetoed that. There was some official Dopio Cantimate going on; I saw them make a run to get another double cheeseburger. I think there was some 7 foot beertimate as well. The party had a less than popular band playing, but the tunes in between got some people up and moving. The Support Hos womens team were doing a 'Shot and a Spanking' fundraiser which was good for some laughs. Brent broke out the Jager late in the night and shared profusely. And the hot-tubbing continued until sunrise or so. Sometime during the semi someone stole the Regina guys' clothes from the shower room and deposited them in the middle of the track, forcing them to streak out and retrieve them. Poor bastards; however did that to them was an ass.

And no excuses about shooting: Nikon was nice enough to lend me a camera to replace my dead one so here are the pics.
- GWAC

Miss Calder of Team Canada Toque in perfect form but just missing the score against Eye Candy in the final.
(1)

Brent, the TD.
(2)

Everyone chasing the disc in the Eye Candy - Lawn Party semi.
(4)

Skeeter and
Shawnee.
(5)

The other guy in charge,
Grant Burns.
(6)

Alphie of Lawn Party showing the disc.
(7)

Wargasm cheering
CHAOS.
(9)

Kelly Mah.
(10)

A Ro-sham player
with a D against
Invisible Hand.
(11)

Eric rasslin' with Gindl;
both members of Eric(k)s and the Shady Ladies.
(13)

Steph of Lawn Party passes upfield against Eye Candy.
(14)

Beer Elf Risk
and Dave.
(15)

Coach
Donna.
(16)

Nat of LP on the mark against Eye Candy in the semi.
(17)

Al-Bob of Toque with a big pull in the final.
(18)

Ro-Sham with a big mack line.
(19)

A sideline tater gun.
(20)

An Eye Candy girl with a solid grab.
(21)

The Springs boys.
(22)

Mackie bids.
(23)

Shots out of the nipple cup.
(24)

Eye Candy with a grab.
(25)

The Regina
boys.
(26)

Chandler up
but not getting
the D against
Red Meat.
(27)

Vancouver kids.
(28)

Damien of Lawn Party up for a score in the Eye Candy semi.
(29)

Ang and the Dish, obviously being Shady.
(30)

Chandler laying out past Mackie as Eye Candy came back against Lawn party.
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Lawn Party and Eye Candy after the semi.
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Doc of Eye Candy with the long put up the line in the final.
(33)

The Beer Elf rasslin' with Chandler's wife (?).
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The throw.
(35)

The catch.
(36)

GC and C Mackie,
spectating.
(37)

Cruikshank over Lou as Toque rolled through the final.
(38)