Die Herren erreichten mit Platz 10 (von 12) das schlechteste Ergebnisse seither diese an einer WM teilnehmen, die erstmals an den Start gegangene Damenmannschaft belegte den sechsten und damit vorletzten Platz.
Die zweifachen Herren-Weltmeister gerieten bereits am ersten Tag unter die Räder, als sie sich Japan, Dänemark und Israel geschlagen geben mussten. Auch die Damen verloren alle ihre Spiele zum Auftakt und danach auch jene des zweiten Spieltages. Den einzigen Sieg konnten die heimischen Flag-Ladies, immerhin EM-Dritte 2007, gegen Japan einfahren.
Einen Sieg mehr gab es für die Herren. Schweden und danach auch noch Südkorea konnten besiegt werden.
Genaues Ergebnis unbekannt
Der Veranstalter war auch zwei Tage nach dem Turnierende nicht imstande ein Ergebnis des Platzierungsspiels der Herren gegen Schweden zu übermitteln oder zu veröffentlichen. Weder der zuständige IFAF-Pressereferent, noch die Webseite des Turniers wissen wie dieses Spiel ausgegangen ist. Österreich hat verloren – behauptet zumindest die AFBÖ Plattform flagfootball.at.
Nach EM (2003)- und zwei WM-Titeln bei den Herren, so wie EM-Bronze der Damen 2007 ein ernüchterndes Ergebnis für Österreich.
Pressemeldung der IFAF:
Canada and Mexico Crowned Flag Champs
Defending Male and Female Champions France Defeat USA In Both Bronze Medal Games
Host Canada’s men’s team and the women from Mexico were crowned champions of the fourth International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Flag Football World Championship in St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Quebec.
The world’s premier senior 5-on-5 flag football players from thirteen countries and three continents were competing in the biannual IFAF showpiece tournament for adults at the Campus Fort St-Jean, located 12 miles from Montreal.
The championship games were filled with athleticism and emotion. The Canadian women attacked early, scoring on their first run of the game. Quarterback Vanessa Birri completed a pass to Ariane Gay that was just shy of a first down, but put the first points of the game on the board on the next play when she connected with Emili Pfeiffes-Badoox in the end zone for a 6-0 lead. The pair combined again, this time with Pfeiffes-Badoox passing to Birri for a second touchdown.
Mexico needed a momentum change, and they got that from Jessica Jordan who forced a safety, for the first Mexican points of the game. Quarterback Saudra Romero showed her accurate arm completing passes to Rocio Flores for a first down and then a touchdown, bringing Mexico closer with a score of 12-9 at halftime.
The second half belonged to Mexico, who won a second world title having also triumphed in 2004. The team scored three more touchdowns and only allowed Canada to reach the end zone once. Mexico went up 27-18 with a touchdown from Rosa Rivera with two minutes left in the game and sealed the win with an interception by Alexandra Flores.
‚We are representing Mexico and it is a great glory to win for our country,” said Tzinnia Valdes, who made some crucial catches during the game, and scored an extra point during the first half. ‚I can not explain the feeling.”
Alexandre Flores added: ‚We came out the first half nervous. We were not thinking and made mistakes. In the second half we said ‘this is ours, we have to take and take it home.”
The men’s final was just as competitive. Denmark and Canada were evenly matched in the first half and both teams made great defensive plays to prevent either one from putting points on the board. Denmark’s Lars Skytte broke up four passes that would have been either first downs or touchdowns and had an interception return for the team’s only touchdown of the game. Canada drew level near the end of the first half with quarterback Byers connecting with Marc Rimillerd.
The second half continued to be a defensive battle with Denmark’s Jonas Christiansen forcing an interception, and Canada’s Alexedre Veudette breaking up passes that would have turned into points for the opposition. With less than ten minutes remaining, Canada broke the tie with the decisive championship-winning touchdown catch from Marc Andre Kery for a 12-6 victory.
‚We have a lot of speed,” said Veudette. ‚In this kind of game speed is important. We also have two quarterbacks, so we can get the ball to our receivers well. But it is just a great feeling winning the tournament especially here in our home country.”
The women and men’s bronze games both featured France and the United States, with France winning both contests.
The men’s game was dominated an explosive French team that led by 32 points at halftime and eventually triumphed 45-0.
The women’s bronze game was a closer contest. At the end of one half, France was ahead 12-6 before USA earned its first led of the game with a second half touchdown from Lauren Pringle and an extra point from Adrienne Smith. With less than two minutes remaining, France made its final run ending with a precise pass from quarterback Stephanie Brygoo to Elisa Bonneteau for the game-winning touchdown in a 19-13 victory.
IFAF Senior Fag Football Championship Winners:
Year Venue Champion (M) Champion (W)
2002 Austria Austria Sweden
2004 France France Mexico
2006 Korea France France
2008 Canada Canada Mexico
IFAF Senior Flag Football World Championship Women’s Results & Schedule
Semi Finals
Mexico 44 France 7
USA 6 Canada 15
Bronze Medal: France 19 USA 13
Championship Game: Mexico 27 Canada 18
IFAF Senior Flag Football World Championship Men’s Results & Schedule
Quarterfinals:
Canada 60 Japan 0
Denmark 35 Italy 28
USA 37 Germany 13
Israel 13 France 39
Semifinals:
USA 12 Canada 42
Denmark 27 France 14
Bronze Medal: USA 0 France 45
Championship Game: Canada 12 Denmark 6
