The Girls Rugby 7s competition made a welcome return to the fold after the 2020 Games in Maple Ridge were cancelled due to the global pandemic. The competition is an ideal platform for BC’s top Girls Rugby 7s prospects to showcase their skills and compete for top honours, as well as helping to grow female Rugby in the Province.

The Fraser Valley team, gold medal winners at the Abbotsford Games in 2016 and silver medallists in Cowichan in 2018, regained its crown after a battling display on the field.

Vancouver Island-Central Coast (Zone 6), the 2018 gold medallists, settled for silver in Prince George with the Cariboo-North East (Zone 8) picking up the bronze medal.

The Kootenays (Zone 1) finished fourth in the standings, with Thompson-Okanagan (Zone 2) in fifth and the North West (Zone 7) side in sixth.

The Girls Rugby 7s competition was played in great spirits throughout the weekend, and also included a dance-off! While there were many standout performances throughout the weekend, the following athletes were recognized players for their respective Zones:

• Zone 1 – Aurora Panko-Dool (Rori)
• Zone 2- Jamie Dickison
• Zone 3 – Hailey Hibbs
• Zone 6 – Ava Ference
• Zone 7 – Gabby Knox
• Zone 8 – Maryn Sullivan

A huge thank you to BC Rugby officials Chris Assmus, Shanda Assmus, Ben Lambrick, Brittany Blackford and Miriam Sobrino who kept things running smoothly all weekend.

The BC Summer Games is also a pathway to the Girls BC Elite 7s Program, which returns this September and culminates at the World School 7s in Auckland this December. selections for the Elite 7s Series will be done through the 2022 PRCs, BC Summer Games, 2022 Western Championships, and the Canada Summer Games Team with notifications planned to go out out mid-August.

“A huge thank you is required to the local organizing volunteers, the Coaches who dedicated time and efforts and all Team Staff and Officials. Without the efforts of the Coaches in these zones and regions, we wouldn’t have been able to have this tournament and for 72 athletes to get the opportunity to compete against players from across the province. This rarely gets to happen and for it to take place in the North made it even better! It was a great restart to the 7s competitive season with IDs being made for the Elite 7s Series and the World School 7s in Auckland in December. As Program lead, I am excited to continue to work with coaches and players as we approach the Club season.” Elite 7s Program Lead Darcy Patterson