Resounding success of our teams in Florida
The two combined BIWPA Academy teams were proclaimed champions of the 18th South Florida International Tournament
A total of 27 athletes were in Florida from February 10 to 18 representing the BIWPA Academy in the 18th edition of the South Florida International Tournament.
The event had 50 teams from 7 countries and took place from February 14 to 16 at the Coral Springs Aquatic Center in Miami. The two Academy teams participated under the name of Barcelona Waterpolo Club and took first place both in the 2004 Boys (16u) and in the 2001 Boys (18u) age groups.
The squads were formed by players from the Academy, both local and international, representing 7 different countries. Members of other clubs also joined the teams, most of them Catalan, such as CN Sant Feliu, CN Rubi or CN Sabadell, among others.
Incontestable triumph of the 16u
The 16u team, led by the Academy and CNSF coach Fran Torres, made it to the final unbeaten. In the group stage the boys secured first place after beating Riptides (2-15) and Rocky Mountain (8-15).
On the second day of the competition, for the quarter-finals, our guys achieved a comfortable 18-8 victory against NC Select. In the afternoon, in the semi-finals, they beat a combative Capital 7-12. On Sunday's final they faced the host team, SFWPC. After an even start, the Academy boys ended up winning broadly with a final score of 8-17.
The 18u, champions after an agonizingly close final
In the 18u category, the competition was much more even. To boys coached by Ferran Pascual suffered to get into the semi-finals after a very tight group stage.
The tournament started with a tight win over Riptides 8-9. In the second group game, Barcelona WPC beat NC Select more comfortably, 4-15.
On Saturday, the boys won 9-12 against Ontario, after a great comeback, finishing the group in first place. In the semi-finals, Navy was a tough opponent, but BIWPA got the pass to the final after an 11-7. The final, also against the host team, was not decided until the last seconds of the game, when the boys led by Ferran Pascual managed to comeback from a one-goal difference and win 9-10.
More than water polo
The USA Experience was much more than water polo. Before and after the tournament, the athletes were able to scrimmage several clubs in the area, but they also had time to visit Universal Studios in Orlando, enjoy an NBA game and take a tour around Miami.
All in all, it was an experience at all levels in which players from various teams and nationalities could spend time together, share their passion for water polo and discover an exciting country like the United States.
