Vikings at Raiders
ECTC Final - Swarco Raiders host Dacia Vikings for the European Club Championship
On Saturday June 29 a lot of eyes will turn to the Tivoli stadium in Innsbruck, Austria, when the current Austrian and CEFL Champion, the Swarco Raiders Tyrol, will host the Dacia Vienna Vikings, the Austrian Bowl record holder and five times European Champion, for the ECTC final 2019.
The European Club Team Competition is approaching to its final and most important day in its very first year of existence. The ECTC is the new club crown of American Football in Europe, officially recognized by the IFAF Europe. 13 teams, all campions or vice-champions within their countries, competed for the European title over the past months. With the Dacia Vikings and the Swarco Raiders the two final contenders are now set to fight the battle for the crown on Saturday in Innsbruck. Kickoff is at 7pm CET, and Raiders TV broadcasts live with English commentary (coverage will start at 6.30 pm).
We spoke to Dacia Vikings Head Coach Chris Calaycay who has been involved in all ten Vikings’ appearances in European Championship Bowls (from 2001 until 2013), as a player, a defensive coordinator and since 2006 as head coach. Five times the Vikings left the field as winners (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2013). The last European title for the Vienna Vikings - won in 2013 - was a 37:14 victory over the Raiders at Tivoli stadium.
Pre-Game Statements HC Chris Calaycay
… on the importance of this international play:
“First of all, for myself I am very proud that we are in this final game. I’ve been in European bowl games ten times in my career. That is quite an accomplishment of our program, our players and the long and successful international tradition we have here with the Vikings.
Our team is very excited to get back at this point. We’ve been out of the international play for a couple of years, and to have the opportunity to play at Tivoli to see who the number one team is is very special. That’s what you work for: to play in a championship.
We are really proud going into this game and we want to make sure we do everything we can to come out on top!”
… on the Swarco Raiders Tyrol:
“Generally, we know our opponent, who they are and the tendencies in what they do. It is a matter of us going out executing our game plan and focusing on us. It is tough to beat the Raiders at their home stadium; they have great players and they have been playing a consistent system for so long. So, they do what they do, and they do it really well. One of the key factors in their game is number 12. Sean Shelton runs the show; he is the leader out there. If a team has a quarterback for four years, it sets up for some tough things to do from our defensive side. But having said that, we’ve faced him a lot – so we kind of know what he does and how he can be stopped.”
… on odds, pressure and being considered the underdog:
“I think nobody expects us to win this game. We had an Austrian Bowl against the Raiders last year which was decided in the last seconds of the game only by a field goal. Facing them twice this regular AFL season, they beat us both times. So, it is three losses in a row, and now we play at their house. So, I don’t think anybody is counting on us to win. But frankly, that is fine with us. We will go out there, play Vikings football and we’ll see who wins the championship.”
… on keys to win the bowl game:
“I just want us to go out there and be ourselves! Be Vikings! Play together! Execute together! The guys need to be fired up and play good football. Often these types of games are decided in four, five game-changing plays. These are the plays we need to create. And that is my main focus on: That we create good stuff on defense, on offense and on special teams, so that we dictate the game. That is a real important factor. We have been working hard these last weeks to prepare for this match-up. We are excited for the game and we are ready to go for the championship on Saturday.”
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Text: Kiki Klepsch
Photos: Hannes Jirgal