One of the largest Can-Am Rugby tournaments in the United States is returning to the Tri-Lakes area this weekend for three days of action, marking its 50th anniversary and expanding to Tupper Lake.
Can-Am Rugby
Founded in 1974, the tournament will kick off on Friday, July 26, and conclude with championship games on Sunday, July 28. Although last year was intended to be the 50th anniversary, the event was canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
This year’s tournament will feature 120 teams across nine divisions, surpassing the usual target of 104 teams, according to Can-Am Rugby tournament director Cameron Moody. The addition of the premier division, which offers a higher level of competition, has contributed to the increase in team numbers.
“We’re hoping to maintain this level of participation in the future,” Moody said. “The reintroduction of the premier division has attracted more teams, and we’re optimistic that the experience will encourage them to return in subsequent years.”
The tournament includes divisions for men’s and women’s club teams, men’s and women’s social teams, and “old boys” groups for ages 35 and up, divided into over 35s, over 45s, over 55s, and over 60s.
Teams will come from as far as California, with the local host being the Mountaineers Rugby Club. Moody anticipates a strong turnout from families and new participants, particularly from the Old Breed Marine Corps team, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a special event honoring fallen Marines.
Games will be held on 15 fields across Saranac Lake and Lake Placid. In Saranac Lake, matches will take place at Schroeter’s Field, Petrova Fields, behind Spencer Boatworks, the Saranac Lake High School practice field, and at the corner of Edgewood Road and George H. LaPan Memorial Highway. Lake Placid will feature seven fields at the North Elba Athletic Fields, up from six fields used last year. The high school track in Saranac Lake is currently under renovation, which has kept the number of fields consistent with previous years.
The Can-Am Rugby tournament has traditionally been limited to fields in Lake Placid or Saranac Lake, which has constrained its growth. However, this year, Tupper Lake joins the event by hosting wheelchair rugby at the Tupper Lake Civic Center on Friday from noon to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Moody hopes this will be the start of more Can-Am Rugby events in Tupper Lake.
“We’re looking forward to potentially adding youth or unified rugby next year,” Moody said. “We just didn’t have the funding or time to prepare the fields this year.”
Additionally, the tournament will expand its community offerings with the Can-Am carnival in Riverside Park, Saranac Lake. Over the weekend, there will be live music, local bands, and bouncy houses for kids, a feature that was previously limited to Sunday.
“We’re excited about this expansion because we’re evolving from just a rugby tournament into a larger community event that brings together families and players,” Moody added.
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