Dressed to please, Rugby Sevens fans take in strength at B.C. Place
Vancouver ditched its flannel and yoga pants Saturday for spandex, fur, and face paint at B.C. Place Stadium.
Moments earlier than Canada’s eleven a.M. Sport towards Samoa on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, a parade of purple bunnies, mad scientists, cows, unicorns, astronauts, and Mounties accumulated at the stadium’s Terry Fox Plaza.
A few dozen got here dressed as the past due to Gord Downie, wearing the Tragically Hip singer’s iconic silver pants, “Jaws” T-shirt, and extensive-brimmed hat. Gorillas spilled out of the SkyTrain at Stadium–Chinatown station.
It’s a lifestyle to get dressed up for the Sevens, and on Saturday, the town didn’t disappoint.
John Moe was considered one of 3 B.C. Place Welcoming Team participants out of doors the stadium geared up with a megaphone and high-quality humor feel. Passersby at Gate H grinned as he blasted them with pointers about Sevens etiquette and feedback about their costumes.
“We have a laugh with human beings all of the time,” Moe said.
They had a laugh with Moe, too, just like the bunch of bananas who booed him after he warned them the yellow fruit became banned this year. He wound up making a small exception for them. It was the first Canada Sevens for Tara Haynes, dressed as a ring-tailed lemur, and 2nd for Michael Dykes, a beaver. The Burnaby couple has been joined by vintage pals, additionally in animal costumes.
“I’ve heard there’s numerous drinking, pleasure and amusing,” Haynes stated. “I visit hockey games on occasion. I feel adore it (the Sevens) will have a lot greater electricity simply as it’s in B.C. Place. A lot of those who don’t commonly get out to things might be right here … and it’s as soon as 12 months, as an alternative of every other day.”
“Everyone is amiable, and you just get to recognize human beings,” introduced Dykes. “You see some dressed the same as you, and you deliver them a high 5. It’s a sincerely celebratory atmosphere.”
Canada wound up getting pummelled 38-7 through Samoa. However, the excitement and fanfare didn’t want, and Canada upset Fiji 26-19 before going through Kenya in the night.
The famous event is expected to draw higher than 75,000 spectators over the weekend.
Some got here from America, such as Mike Orr from California, joined by using 3 fellow McGill graduates who wore colorful rompers, wigs, and sunglasses. It’s an annual amassing for the guys who said “no one else” would need to spend time with them, given their clothing.
“We’re right here for two days, especially for the rugby,” Orr said. “This is my fourth yr here … It’s awesome.” Ryan Elliott of Vancouver, wearing a denim head-to-toe “Canadian tuxedo” along with five buddies, said he hasn’t neglected a Sevens because it got here to the city in 2016.
“It’s the first-rate wearing event that I’ve ever attended,” he said. “The enthusiasts, the electricity — it simply beats out the Olympics,” Elliott said it can get rowdy inside B.C. Place and the beer flow freely, but the enthusiasts are “civilized animals” and greater courteous to one another than at other events he’s attended in Vancouver.
Tourism Vancouver said Canada Sevens result in $24 million in tourism to the metropolis. Players, contractors, and match groups of workers e-book extra than 2,300 nights at lodges. B.C. The place serves more than $three million in food and drink. Last Wednesday, Rugby Canada secured the rights to host the Sevens series for every other 4 years. Gareth Rees, a Rugby Canada administrator and World Rugby TV commentator, stated that the occasion has “hit an ideal hurricane” in Vancouver.
“This is the coziest stadium in North America, I assume,” Rees stated. “We have excellent lovers. We have excellent company support.” Rees believes that once the city misplaced the Molson Indy Vancouver in 2004, human beings have been hungry for something to update it. Rugby Sevens brought a quick and exciting sport that’s clean for any target audience to understand, he stated.
“It’s recreation for every person. The games are close, usually on a knife’s part,” he said. “These are some remarkable athletes — suit and rapid and effective.”
