Out-of-towners, if you need a place to stay or help getting around, let us know. If you’re looking for a team, there is discussion at mplsbikelove.com with a list of unattached players. Spectators may want to come later in the day to witness the small end of the bracket. Of course, you’re welcome at any time.

The tournament is being organized by the most excellent Connor and is part of the All-City Championship Alleycat Weekend thrown by bikejerks.com and inimitable Jeff.

Poster by yours truly.

Photo via bjorn1101

A tournament recap from Sven:

I am probably forgetting someone if I am I apologize.

Thanks to the sponsors who provided prizes and support to Minneapolis Bike Polo Banjo Brothers, All-City, Twin Six, Surly, Peace Coffee, Minneapolis Park and Rec and the Bicycle Film Festival.

Thanks to the Bike scene in Minneapolis and all my volunteers, Steef the grill master, Atomkinder(A+++ would use again) the mechanic, Bjorn, Chris, Connor and everyone else that timed and reffed games. A big thanks to Brian for doing stats on EVERY SINGLE GAME. Seriously man, your concentration was amazing. I can’t wait to see that spreadsheet.

Thanks to the spectators for cheering, screaming, ringing cowbells, playing the drums, and heckling us.

Thanks to the out of town players who came. It really meant a lot to have you travel to Minneapolis and give us a chance on our very first tournament. Jess and Arlyn from DC (the best husband/wife combo in the world), Jones from KC (hope you enjoy that Twin Six METAL mess bag. Let them know where ya got it), Cait and Ellen from MKE (you two rock! it was great partying with you on Sat and Sun), and Yetiman (nice to see you again. Sorry we couldn’t get you on a team but glad you had fun rocking the race on Sat)

Congrats to the podium

1st Place, Rawesome

• Gus – Boston/MPLS
• Cian – NOLA/MPLS
• Elana – MPLS

2nd Place, Wake Me Up Before You Polo

• Dustin aka Dabney Coleman – MPLS
• Ebbin – MPLS
• Cait – MKE

3rd place – TCDC

• Jess – DC
• Arlyn – DC
• Bjorn – MPLS

MVP – Gus
19 goals and a shitload of blocks
Gus’ impressive goals scored combined with his mountain of blocks propelled him to first place over Arlyn in the MVP category. Gus walked away with the All-City 165mm crankset. That thing is beefy and beautiful.

Collected Media tagged with “MPLSBFFPolo2009″

• Round Robin Results

• Championship Bracket

• Stats from the entire tourney

• Team photos via Bjorn1101

• Jeremy Stratton’s photos

• Bjorn1101’s photos

• Kat’s photos

• Levi’s photos

Even if Minneapolis didn’t come back with a podium spot, Dustin came back with some great footage. Here is part one of the 2009 Milwaukee Messenger Invitational 2v2 hardcourt bike polo tournament. Check out parts two and three for the outcome.

On the rack

Dustin, Bjorn and Sven traveled to Wisconsin for the Milwaukee Messenger Invitational VIII alleycat and 2v2 bike polo tournament. Bjorn raced and completed the alleycat. More on that elsewhere.

After getting drunked out of the place we were staying Friday night we made up for it on Saturday. Had a great breakfast, hit the race, hung out and saw the awards after the race and then played some random pickup polo with Chris and Nick from Columbia, MO on a massively snowy night. It continued to snow until 2 or 3pm on Sunday. Which was a problem.

Jake explains the format of the tournament

With at least 4″ on the ground and more predicted, the tournament was held in the parking garage downtown.

18 teams entered the tournament. Teams from Chicago, Madison, Minneapolis, Columbia, MO and Milwaukee. The format was a two 9 team brackets round robin to determine seeding followed by a single elimination tournament. Round robin games were to 3 points or 7 minutes. Ties held.

Dustin and Sven teamed up under the banner of Minnehaha. Bjorn joined up with a MKE local, Andy H, under the banner of “Bjorn to Be Wild”.

Minnehaha-4 shared a bracket with Dad That Hurts-1, Huamanuer-2, Ball Quif-3, Fuck Yeah-5, okay-6, Bjorn to Be Wild-7, Trix and Hoes-8, and I Got Nothing-9. Bracket B was filled with a bunch of jerks that you can read about in Jonny from Madison’s record of the tournament.

Bracket A had some really skilled and really fun teams to play against. Here is my recall of the games we played in no particular order. Note the team numbers above.

4vs1, L, 2-3; 4vs2, L, 1-3; 4vs3, W, 3-0; 4vs5, W, 3-0; 4vs6, W, 3-0; 4vs7, L, 2-3; 4vs8, W, 3-0; 4vs9, W, 3-?

We came out of the round robin at 5-3. Seeded in 8th place overall. We faced a local MKE team from bracket B and won. Next up was team Old Bear Poop made up of Joe and Brian from MKE. We scored two quick goals to go up 2-0 on OBP and then blew the lead as experience got the better of us.

knocked out

After our elimination we watched several amazing games. Dad That Hurts (Jonny/MAD and Ben/MAD) were knocked out by Old Bear Poop and then later came back to win in the consolation match to bring home 3rd place.

Old Bear Poop faced off against Huamanuer (Kremin/MKE and Ben/CHI) in the final. A great game. Dustin will have some great video highlights to share real soon.

In the end Old Bear Poop won and kept the 2v2 honor in Milwaukee for another year.

-Sven

Congrats Joe and Brian

Update: Official Results

1. Snowy Bike Pile, 2. Dustin Through Beverages, 3. Milwaukee Art Museum: Morning, 4. Joe and John, 5. Thanh, 6. Johnny

A few photos fromthe Milwauke Messenger Invitationl 2v2 Polo Tournament. This mosaic is just a few select photos from Bjorn’s photoset on Flickr.

2v2 Tourney in MKE 03.29

Minneapolis will be sending at least two, maybe three teams to Milwaukee this weekend for the 2v2 tournament on Sunday. Good luck to the teams from Minneapolis as they battle it out in Milwaukee.

If the court is free we are looking to get some pickup games in on Saturday.