Wheelchair Rugby Canada closed out a successful week at Rugbymania 2025, sending two teams—Canada Development and the Northern Lights—to compete against top clubs and national programs from Italy, Luxembourg, Great Britain, and host nation Czechia. The tournament provided meaningful competition and important international experience for developmental athletes across both programs.

Canada Development: Undefeated and D2 Champions

 

The Canada Development squad delivered a dominant performance in Prague, finishing the tournament undefeated and securing the Division 2 championship. Several individual honours capped off the success. Mélanie Labelle was named Best 1.0, Max Arsenault earned Best 1.5, and Canadian referee Joli-Anne Levesque was recognized as Best Referee of the tournament. Levesque’s strong officiating throughout the week also earned her an assignment to the Division 1 gold-medal game, an impressive milestone at her second international tournament as a referee.

“Rugbymania was one of my first international competitions back in 2019. It’s such a fun event to come back to with up and coming players. I’m excited to witness the growth of our Development players every game” said Labelle as she reflected on the achievements on the weekend.

“No matter the opposition we had specific goals to work on throughout the tournament. It gave us a clear foundation to find success in the final game. We have new players and I loved to see the passion in learning the game’s tactics” said Labelle.

Canada’s emerging athletes delivered standout offensive performances as well. In just his second international tournament, Austin MacLellan finished as Canada’s top scorer with 94 points across four games. Jean-François Huneault, competing internationally for the first time, followed with 49 points in four games. The tournament also marked international debuts for two more Canadian athletes, Max Arsenault and Kurt Timmons, reinforcing the rapid growth of the national development pathway.

Head Coach Trevor Hirschfield emphasized the importance of these opportunities for Canada’s future.

 “Rugbymania in Prague was a great opportunity for development athletes to get quality experience internationally. We were able to build our tactical knowledge and implement it in games. These opportunities are key for the development of our athletes, and we will see the benefits of this as we move forward.”

Northern Lights: A Historic First for Women in International Wheelchair Rugby

 

The Northern Lights, Canada’s women’s development team, made history in Prague as the first fully women’s team to compete in an international mixed-gender wheelchair rugby tournament. In their first event playing together as a team, the group finished 8th overall and gained valuable on-court experience that will fuel continued growth.

“Our time in Prague proved to be incredibly valuable for both the program and the players involved. The level of competition challenged us, but it also provided a clear understanding of the areas we need to improve to achieve long-term success” said program Head Coach and four-time Paralympian, Patrice Dagenias. “We’re hopeful that we’ll continue to have opportunities like this to train and compete together, allowing us to grow and progress as a team”.

The team’s participation was supported by an extraordinary fundraising effort, with more than $20,000 raised to make the trip possible. Veteran athlete Cory Harrower delivered a standout performance, earning recognition as the tournament’s Top 3.0 classification in Division 2.

 “I had a very good time at Rugbymania. I thought it was a very competitive competition that allowed our team to grow and get better. I have played against and with these ladies in domestic tournaments in the past and it was awesome to play as a team. I think our improvement has shown and will continue to show” Harrower said.

The Northern Lights aim to build on their Rugbymania experience through domestic programming targeted toward female athletes, with hopes of preparing for future international competitions and the 2026 Women’s World Cup in Paris.