Swarco Raiders Tirol
Encyclopedia
The Swarco Raiders Tirol, is a semi-professional American football club based in Innsbruck
, Austria
. Founded in 1992, the Raiders since has become one of Austria's and Europe's most dominant American Football clubs, winning the Eurobowl
title three times (2008, 2009 & 2011) and the EFAF Cup
once (2004). Playing in the Austrian Football League (AFL
), the team has won the league championship twice, in 2004 and 2006, and losing the bowl game multiple times to their main competitors, the Vienna Vikings and Graz Giants.
, Austria
and it clinched the club's first national championship. Also in 2004, the team won the EFAF-Cup becoming the first tyrolean team to win an international tite, shutting out the P.A Farnham Knight of Great Britain
45:00.
beat its rival from Austria's capital in a lopsided game with an overall score of 43:19. Again the game was played on neutral ground, as the game was held in Maria Enzersdorf
, Lower Austria
.
-title, as it won 28:24. Three of the last four teams in the EFL contest were Austrian, underlining the country's dominance in European football. Ironically, neither of the teams who faced in the final was able to claim the Austrian title, as the bowl went to the Graz Giants.
After the Raiders went unbeaten in regular season, it let the semi-final game of the AFL slip, as it gave away a comfortable 21:00 halftime lead and lost the game 22:21 to the Raiffeisen Vienna Vikings. One week later, the team redeemed itself, by winning its second EFL
title, beating the French top club Flash de la Courneuve in front of 6.500 spectators (at that time a record attendance for an American Football game in Austria
) in the Tivoli Neu
stadium of Innsbruck
.
In 2011 the Raiders won their third Eurobowl Championship at the Tivoli Neu
stadium of Innsbruck
in front of 8600 spectators, which is a new record attendance for American Football in Austria.
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. Founded in 1992, the Raiders since has become one of Austria's and Europe's most dominant American Football clubs, winning the Eurobowl
Eurobowl
The Eurobowl is both the final game and the trophy of the European Football League , a European American football contest.-Eurobowls:-Champions:...
title three times (2008, 2009 & 2011) and the EFAF Cup
EFAF Cup
The EFAF Cup is an international competition for European American Football clubs. The EFAF Cup is the second highest level of club competition in the European Federation of American Football , behind the European Football League ,.- EFAF Cup :...
once (2004). Playing in the Austrian Football League (AFL
Austrian Football League
The Austrian Football League is the elite league of American football in Austria. The league was founded in 1984 and plays by the rules of the NCAA.-History:...
), the team has won the league championship twice, in 2004 and 2006, and losing the bowl game multiple times to their main competitors, the Vienna Vikings and Graz Giants.
History
The Swarco Raiders was founded by a small number of volunteers back in 1992, starting in Austria's 3rd division in the spring of 1993, the team went unbeaten with an overall score of 158:11. After being promoted to the 2nd division, the team failed to continue its run of 1993, and posted a record of 2-14 in 1994 and 1995. After two mediocre seasons, the team was promoted to Austria's top division, the AFL, in 1998. In 2000 the young club played its first championship game, losing to the then-Chrysler Vikings Vienna.First Championship
After losing both regular season games against its rival the Vienna Vikings, the team fared much better in post season, beating the Vikings 28:20 in a thrilling game, hosted in SalzburgSalzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and it clinched the club's first national championship. Also in 2004, the team won the EFAF-Cup becoming the first tyrolean team to win an international tite, shutting out the P.A Farnham Knight of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
45:00.
Second Championship
After losing to the Vikings 43:14 in the bowl game of 2005, the two teams faced each other again in the final of 2006, but this time the team from InnsbruckInnsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
beat its rival from Austria's capital in a lopsided game with an overall score of 43:19. Again the game was played on neutral ground, as the game was held in Maria Enzersdorf
Maria Enzersdorf
Maria Enzersdorf is a town in the district of Mödling in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. In addition, there are many castles and ruins in the forest surrounding Maria Enzersdorf...
, Lower Austria
Lower Austria
Lower Austria is the northeasternmost state of the nine states in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria since 1986 is Sankt Pölten, the most recently designated capital town in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria had formerly been Vienna, even though Vienna is not officially part of Lower Austria...
.
Eurobowl titles
In another thrilling game against the Vikings, the Swarco Raiders claimed its first EurobowlEurobowl
The Eurobowl is both the final game and the trophy of the European Football League , a European American football contest.-Eurobowls:-Champions:...
-title, as it won 28:24. Three of the last four teams in the EFL contest were Austrian, underlining the country's dominance in European football. Ironically, neither of the teams who faced in the final was able to claim the Austrian title, as the bowl went to the Graz Giants.
After the Raiders went unbeaten in regular season, it let the semi-final game of the AFL slip, as it gave away a comfortable 21:00 halftime lead and lost the game 22:21 to the Raiffeisen Vienna Vikings. One week later, the team redeemed itself, by winning its second EFL
European Football League
The European Football League is a European Cup style tournament for European American Football teams affiliated to EFAF...
title, beating the French top club Flash de la Courneuve in front of 6.500 spectators (at that time a record attendance for an American Football game in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
) in the Tivoli Neu
Tivoli Neu
' is a multi-purpose stadium in Innsbruck, Austria. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of FC Wacker Innsbruck. The stadium capacity was 17,400 when it was built in 2000...
stadium of Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
.
In 2011 the Raiders won their third Eurobowl Championship at the Tivoli Neu
Tivoli Neu
' is a multi-purpose stadium in Innsbruck, Austria. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of FC Wacker Innsbruck. The stadium capacity was 17,400 when it was built in 2000...
stadium of Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
in front of 8600 spectators, which is a new record attendance for American Football in Austria.