Intercollegiate Quidditch World Cup draws big crowd to campus

Author: Ian Trombulak

The College hosted and won the second annual Intercollegiate Quidditch World cup for the second year in a row on Oct. 26, beating out Vassar College once again for the title. Fourteen schools sent teams this year, coming from as far as the University of Washington for the opportunity to compete.

In Quidditch, a sport adapted from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, there are two separate objectives: scoring points by throwing the Quaffle (a volleyball) through one of the other team's three hoops, and capturing the Snitch, a weighted sock hanging out the back of the shorts of a cross-country runner dressed in all gold. Putting the Quaffle through a hoop is worth ten points, while grabbing the Snitch is worth 30 and immediately ends the game.

The Middlebury team that mounted brooms as the Panthers on Sunday also won a title on Saturday, when they were victorious in the intramural Quidditch tournament flying as The Dementor's Kiss.

However much excitement there was on Saturday, it could not match the buzz at the pitch on Sunday as 14 teams from across the country walked onto Battell Beach for the second annual World Cup. However, the teams who showed up represent only a small fraction of those actually playing.

"Quidditch has already spread to around 200 colleges in the world," said league Commissioner Alex Benepe '09. "Most of them are in the US, but there is a team starting up at Oxford University, another at Belgium, a few in Amiens, France, Australia, Austria, etc." He hopes that next year the most international team to come won't just be McGill University from Canada. Nonetheless, fans flocked from near and far to see what all the fuss was about.

"We just found out that this is happening," said Denise Pavao of Massachusetts, who is not affiliated with any team but simply loves Harry Potter and wanted to come see Quidditch played in real life. "It's just a blast."

Local vendors showed up to keep fans well-fed, setting up shop on the lawn behind Forest Hall. Noonie's Deli and American Flatbread, both of Middlebury, sold sandwiches and pizza, respectively, while The Skinny Pancake of Burlington also sent staff down to sell their freshly made crepes. Owls and alpacas were present on the pitch at various times, adding to the magical atmosphere event organizers hoped for.

"The World Cup was phenomenal because everything came together," said Benepe, "between the sunlight breaking through the clouds, the amazing level of commitment, dedication, and turnout from the visiting colleges, [and] all the vendors showing up." A capella groups the Middlebury Mamajamas and Middlebury Mountain Ayres performed, as well as the juggling club, the Middlebury Flying Fists. Campus band Gremlin's Kremlin also performed, as well as a troupe of Irish Step Dancers accompanied by a fiddler.

The tournament itself was double elimination. Boston University and University of Massachusetts were the first two teams eliminated, both falling to Emerson College in their first game. After an initial victory against Chestnut Hill College (CHC), University of Washington fell to Middlebury 50-30, and was knocked out by McGill University in the loser's bracket. Princeton University scored a quick victory over McGill, before both fell to the loser's bracket and were swiftly eliminated. Once Ives Pond College fell in a sudden death match against Chestnut Hill, there were six down and six still in.

CHC fought up from their first loss to make it to the final three teams. Beating Emerson in the loser's bracket quarterfinals, CHC advanced to defeat Louisiana State, who had removed Green Mountain College from competition in the quarterfinals. Vassar, who had made an inconspicuous run to the loser's bracket finals, upset an electrified CHC fan section with a surprise snitch grab and a trip to the finals against undefeated Middlebury.

Before the final, Middlebury beater Nick Plugis '11 said the "[Vassar team] looks pretty good, but I think we can take them." Chaser Phil Gordon '11 elaborated, saying that bludger control and counterattacks would be key to victory.

Middlebury flew to a 70-10 lead over Vassar, before the Snitch reappeared on the pitch and the momentum of the game shifted. In Snitch Rainey Johnson '09's last game, the Vassar Seeker grabbed his sock to end to the game at 70-40 in favor of Middlebury.

Fans were delighted at the event, many sitting on the hill in front of Pearsons Hall for a view of both Quidditch pitches. "The commentators are wonderful," said Jackie Simons of Burlington, there with her 11-year-old daughter Ava. Will Bellaimey '10 and Xander Manshel '09 were a few of the announcers adding colorful commentary to the event, keeping the audience laughing and entertained.

"I liked that it was Middlebury students who invented this," said Professor of Political Science Allison Stanger, who was there with her 9-year-old son Jakub.

In the end, Benepe feels that perhaps the most rewarding part of the experience was when "a mother came up to [him] with her child and said, 'I wanted to thank you for helping my son do well in school. He loves Quidditch so much that he wants to play for the Middlebury team when he grows up, and I told him he would have to get good grades to get in to Middlebury, so now he does all of his homework!'"