Dear Participant,
This logistics packet will provide you and your team with many of the details concerningthe upcoming 2010 Ruggerfest Rugby Tournament, to take place in Aspen,CO from Thursday, September 16 through Sunday, September 19, 2010.Please have a representative of your team carefully read the packet thoroughly. These details will help you best prepare for your team’s arrival and needs during your stay and with your planning and preparation for the tournament.If you have any further questions in regard to the tournament at anytime, please do not hesitate to contact me.
We look forward to seeing you in Aspen!
Sincerely,
Sean Solon
Tournament Director
Aspen & US Lock Alec Parker
Tournament Location
Ruggerfest is played on 2 pitches. Wagner Park is in downtown Aspen looking up at the Ski Runs on Monarch St. and Durant Street. The second pitch is Rio Grande Park which is down by the river just off Mill Street. The town centre is relatively small and once in town, you can walk everywhere. The walking time between Wagner and Rio Grande is approximately 5-6 minutes (see map below).
Weather
Aspen weather in September can be variable. Average high is70F (21 C) and the low is 42 F (6 C). The average rainfall is low for the month of September but it is not unusual to have brief afternoon thunder storms in the mountains.
Accommodation
The Club has partnered with several Hotels in Aspen to secure group rate reduced prices to suit every budget. Our partner hotels have also agreed to make a donation to the Aspen Rugby Foundation which helps the Club to offset the costs of running Ruggerfest. It’s a win-win situation for You, the Hotels and the Club. When placing your booking with one of our partner hotels, please specify that the booking is “Ruggerfest 2010” to avail of the best rates and to ensure that the Club will receive the donation. Please note that there is 10% Room Tax on all Hotel Accommodations in Aspen.
St. Moritz Lodge, 334 West Hyman Ave., Aspen (5 blocks from Wagner Park) 11 2-bed rooms with rates from $79 to $92 per room per night. 1 & 2 bed Condos and Hostel style rooms also available. To Book Call Toll-Free (800) 817 2069and ask for Ruggerfest rates.
Limelight Lodge, 355 South Monarch Street, Aspen (Pitchside Wagner Park)
112 luxury Rooms with rates from $179 plus resort charge ($30 per room).To Book Call Toll-Free (800) 433 0832and ask for Ruggerfest rates.
Hotel Jerome, 330 East Main Street, Aspen (2 blocks from Wagner Park)
91 luxury guest rooms and suites from $219 plus resort charge ($30 per room) To Book Call (970) 4297616 and ask for Ruggerfest rates.
.rockresorts.com
Mountain Chalet, 333 East Durant Ave., Aspen (Pitchside Wagner Park)
To Book Call Toll-Free 1 888 925 7797 and ask for Ruggerfest rates.
Hearthstone House, 134 East Hyman Ave., Aspen (2 Blocks from Wagner)
16 Rooms (2 with 2 beds) rates from $165.To Book Call Toll-Free 1 888 925 7632 and ask for Ruggerfest rates.
The Annabelle Inn, 232 W. Main Street, Aspen (5 Blocks from Wagner Park)
35 Rooms with rates from $125 to $192To Book Call Toll-Free 1 877 266 2466 or email nd ask for Ruggerfest rates.
The Molly Gibson Lodge, 101 W. Main Street, Aspen (5 Blocks from Wagner Park) 53 Guest Rooms & Suites from $139 To Book Call Toll-Free
1 888 271 2304 specify “Aspen Rugby” or follow this link
Hotel Aspen, 110 W. Main Street, Aspen (4 Blocks from Wagner Park)
Rooms & Suites from $139 To Book Call Toll-Free 1 800 527 7369
And specify “Aspen Rugby” or follow this link
Referees
We will have over 20 referee’s controlling the matches. All matches are played by regulation IRB rules. Please see Tournament Rules document attached.
Volunteer Staff
We will have a volunteer staff assisting with the tournament; they will be dressed in Red T-shirts with “Volunteer” on Back and have black baseball caps.
Medical Staff
Aspen Valley Ambulance District will have trained medical staff at the Tournament, they are there to evaluate injuries and course of action for those injuries; they will not be there for taping. There are no trainers available for taping needs.
Registration & Age Verification
Teams need to register on Wednesday or Thursday evening (Depending on Division). The Masters 45+ and 50+ Teams must register at the Mountain View Bar on the top floor @ The Mountain Chalet Hotel on Durant Street beside Wagner Park between 17:00 and 19:00 on Wednesday the 15th September.Other Teams may register on the same evening if their representatives are already in Town. A full bar service will be provided and music is planned to welcome you to Aspen. The Masters 35+, 55+ and Open Divisions must register on Thursday 16th at our new Ruggerfest Social Headquarters, Hunter Bar, 430 East Cooper Ave, Aspen between 17:00 and 19:00. Any participant that in not CIPP certified must sign a CIPP waiver that is at the registration table. Each team is responsible for checking Photo ID’s to establish the ages of their players. The age rule at Ruggerfest has been established by custom & practice and operates per the following example: A player may play in the over 45 are if he is in his 45th year – that means that the player who has celebrated his 44th birthday on/before Ruggerfest can play in the over 45’s. The same rule applies in each age group. Please see the 2010 Tournament Rules for information on age verification, protests & dispute resolution.
Match Schedule
The match schedule will be decided by Live Open Draw. The Draws for the Over 45’s and Over 50’s will take place after registration at the Mountainview Bar on the Top Floor of the Mountain Chalet Hotel at @ 8pm on Wednesday the 15th September 2010. The draws for all other divisions will take place at our new Ruggerfest social headquarters for the Tournament, Hunter Bar, 430 East Cooper Ave, Aspen @ 8pm onThursday the 16th September. The Tournament Directors will seed the 2009 Winners and/or Gentlemen of Aspen Teams BUT only to guarantee the seeded team(s) their first game at Wagner Park – their opposition will be selected World Cup Style by Open Draw out of the hat.
Teams are required to be on the pitch, ready for kickoff within 5 minutes of the published kickoff time. Teams failing to field a team within 2 minutes of the published start time are subject to a forfeit loss by a score of 14-0. In the event of delay (due to injury, weather, etc.) the Tournament Director and Referees Committee have sole discretion on changes to match times and to cancel/reschedule matcheswhen necessary.
Operations
There will be Port-a-Pottiesprovided where necessary and there are well maintained public facilities also available beside both pitches.Trash cans and Recycling cans will also be provided. Please use these and if there are any issues with one, please contact a volunteer. There are no shower facilities or locker rooms available at either pitch.
Merchandising
We are proud to welcome Rugby Athletic and Madak Design as our new merchandising sponsor of Ruggerfest 2010. They will operate a full store pitch-side at Wagner Park selling a wide variety of marquee brand rugby merchandise and equipment together with Men’s & Ladies Ruggerfest T’s, Tournament Balls and other Ruggerfest branded merchandise – ideal pressies to bring home to the family.
Score Boards
The Tournament Score board will be located beside Wagner Park at the PA/Commentator tower and can be checked for future matches and results.
Parties
The official venue of Ruggerfest 2010 is the new Hunter Bar & Niteclub @ 430 East Cooper Street, Aspen. The Opening Party will take place on Thursday 16th September @ 9pm immediately after the draw for the over 45’s and over 50’s Tournaments. We would ask all participants to patronise our partner businesses as these are the people in Aspen who support Rugby and contribute to the cost of running the Tournament. By supporting our business partners, you will ensure that Ruggerfest will continue to provide an excellent event in the annual rugby calendar in years to come. Please see the attached Events Calendar below for more information.
EVENTS CALENDAR
WEDNESDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER 2010
18:00 to 20:00The Mountain Chalet, Mountain View Rooftop Room
Registration for Masters 45+ and Masters 50+ followed by:
20:30 Live World Cup style Draw for the Masters 45+ and Masters 50+
Team Welcome with Full Bar Service and music planned
THURSDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER 2010
18:00 to 20:00Hunter Bar, 430 East Cooper Street, Aspen (2 Blocks from Wagner Park) Registration for Open Division, Masters 35+ and Masters 55+
20:30The Hunter Bar - Welcome and Live Open Draw for Open Division, Masters 35+ and Masters 55+
21:00‘til LateThe Hunter Bar- Opening PartyThe Hunter Bar GOGO Club – come see why the boys love Holly’s Honey Revue. Followed by “Back to the 90’s” Ibiza Style Dance n’ Trance night with Top Local DJ’s.
FRIDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER 2010
19:30 The Hunter BarKiller Pool Tournament*
21:00“The Elvis Aaron Presley Club” in honour of the 10th Anniversary return to Ruggerfest of the Memphis RFC. 60’s 70’s 80’s dress essential. Find your mojo and Rock n’ Roll. Top Prizes for the best themed costumes. Cocktail of the Day & drinks Specials all night.
SATURDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER 2010
We are leaving Saturday more or less free as most teams like to have their Team Dinners etc. However, the Hunter Bar will be open for business as usual for Late Nite drinks and music. Cocktails and Beer specials for all Ruggefesters.
SUNDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER 2010
19:30The Hunter Bar Killer Pool Tournament*
21:30 Band & Beer – Entertainment planned with one of Aspen’s best live bands. Cocktail of the Day and happy hour drinks
* The Hunter Bar nightly Killer Pool Tournament * - Killer Pool is perhaps the simplest game that can be played on a pool table. We take entries @ $10 each. You get 1 life. We draw for the order of play. When it’s your go, you pot any ball or you are killed. The last man standing wins half the pot – the other half goes to the Rugby Club’s Chosen Charity - Simple!
MAP OF ASPEN
NB: The Aspen Ski Mountain (Ajax) is to the South of the town. The free tourist maps all tend to show the ski-resort at the top which can be confusing.
- Wagner Park – Green centre of map on Monarch St. & Durant St.
- Rio Grande Park – Green North of Wagner on Map off Mill St.
- The Hunter Bar – East of Wagner Park on the corner of Cooper Ave and Hunter St.
- Sardy Field Airport – 3 Miles to the West of Aspen on Highway 82
2010 Aspen Ruggerfest Tournament Rules
Aspen Ruggerfest is to our knowledge the World’s only all age full contact Rugby Tournament.
We play current IRB rules. Including contested scrums. If this becomes unsafe for any reason the referee will adopt NON contested scrums. The referee’s decision is final.
The referee’s watch is the official time piece of all matches, games will be shortened to keep the schedule on track if so needed. The referee’s score card is also final.
All matches must have a result. If at the end of regular time in a pool match the scores are equal. The referee will choose a goalpost and the team captains will nominate a player to drop kick from anywhere behind the 20m line. No player can kick twice until everyone on the team has made an attempt. Once one team has scored and the other has missed, we have a result. In any semi final or final extra time will be allowed for one (1) single ten (10) minute period and then if needed golden point extra time will commence meaning the first score of any type wins.
No Foul Play will be tolerated at the tournament, If a player is carded (Red or Yellow) at anytime during the tournament the referee and touch judges will give a report of the severity of the offence to the judicial committee. The committee will be made up of Sean Solon, Jim Russell and Charlie Haupt (and others who may be co-opted from time to time). The committee’s decision will be final and may include the offender(s) being banned from this or future tournaments. Appeals can be made on Monday 21st at Wagner Park to anyone willing to listen.
Gentleman like behaviour is expected off the field. Rugby is the gentlemen’s game and the town of Aspen is proud to allow us to play our sport here. Any unsocial, illegal, or unsportsmanlike behaviour off the field could also lead to being banned from the tournament and/or punishment by local law enforcement.
No player can play for two teams in the same age group. Any exceptions must first be approved by Tournament Director Sean Solon. Failure to do so may result in forfeit of the game(s).
All players must be on the team roster. Failure to do so may result in forfeit
All players must sign a waiver. It is the responsibility of the team captain, coach and manager to bring these waivers to the captains’ meetings the night before play and give them to Tournament Director or his representative. Failure to do so may result in forfeit.
Unlimited substitutions are allowed only at a stoppage in play. Except during semi finals and finals for the Open Men’s division. In these matches a limit of seven (7) substitutions are allowed. The seventh and final substitution must be reserved for a front rower. In these matches substitutions must be registered with the referee.