Author: Jake

The Freestyle Players Association World Championships for 2017 Will Be Streamed Live

  By

FPAW 2017 LogoThe The Freestyle Players Association World Championships for 2017 (FPAW2017) will be streamed live by Frisbeeguru. You can watch here.

FPAW2017 takes place on Aug 3-6 in Udine, Italy. FPAW2017 is the premier annual freestyle Frisbee event. In attendance will be at least 70 of the best players from around the world showing off their most advanced skills and choreography, vying for a world championship title. To help get you excited for the event, I thought I’d pick out some of my favorite teams. 

In attendance will be the winning co-op team for 2016; Florian Hess, Christian Lamrad, and Alex Leist. These guys put on an amazing show in 2016, and have attacked 2017 with even more intensity. They took co-op at Frisbeebeer 2017 co-op and the German Championships so look for them to be in full performance mode in an attempt to defend their title. However, this may not be an easy task. The team of Randy Silvey, James Wiseman, and Ryan Young have been preparing all year and put in a few wins of their own: namely at Virginia States and AFO 2017. Randy is known for putting on exciting routines and Ryan and James are hungry to take the world of freestyle to new heights. 

In the mixed division, look out for the team of Matt Gauthier and Lisa Hunrichs. Though they have not played together in a mixed division this year, they have won the mixed division for 4 years running. They always come with a fun routine full of creativity, difficulty, and emotional engagement. Also on the hunt in this division are Paul Kenny and Ilka Simon. They took the Frisbeer mixed title and are set to put on a show at FPAW. Other teams to watch that of Lori Daniels and James Wiseman and Eleonora Imazio and Fabio Sanna. Lori and James are both top players with the skills to throw down some shred. Elle and Fabio are a veteran team with a previous win and always have great chemistry and imagination in their choreography.

In the open division, there are so many great teams to choose from. I can’t pick a favorite. James Wiseman and Ryan Young have been on fire, taking The Jammers and AFO 2017. They are both playing out of their minds, practicing daily in preparation. However, there team of Paul Kenny and Merdad “Graf” Housanian won pairs at Frisbeer and have the 2015 title as a pair. These guys have experience on their side, not to mention that Paul and Graf are two of the most innovative players competing at the top level today. Then you have Tommy Leitner and Daniel O’Neil. Tommy won open pairs last year with Christian Lamrad. Tommy is one the all-time heinest players and certainly has the most competition experience of anyone in this division. Daniel is a just a joy to watch, with buttery flow, yet explosive movements. These guys are playing at WFDF to warm up and could put on a show that brings the house down. And the list keeps going. There’s Christian Lamrad and Florian Hess, Jakub Kostel and Freddy Finner. All 4 of these players are at the peaks of their game. 

Finally we have the women’s division. Interestingly there are no teams from the recent competition history so this really could be anyone’s division. The team to beat is probably Lisa Hunrichs and Bianca Strunz. Both these women have world women’s titles under their belts. Both have mad freestyle skills. And, they are the top ranked team according the FPA rankings. However, it won’t be a gimme. The teams of Ilka Simon and Sophie Rickers, and Lori Daniels and Anna Merlo both have one world champion and one up-and-comer who is hungry for their shot.

You can check the list of players and teams for FPAW2017 here, and the FPA rankings here. You can also see event results and some performances from earlier in the year here. I’d love to hear your analysis of FPAW2017. Who do you think you will win and why? Let me know in the comments below.

Episode 24: More Insights from Bill Wright

  By

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Bill on the cover of FrisbeeworldJake, Randy, & Bill have a conversation about introducing new people to Freestyle and some of the reasons it’s so hard. It is more than teaching, it is inspiring people. When you find someone that has “the bug” you can see it, and it’s so cool! They also chat about the past and how Whamo managed to attract such big crowds to events. Oh, the good ol’ days of yesteryear….

How many people have YOU converted to Freestyle? We’d love to hear your success stories! 

Poll: On Which Fingers Do You Wear Fake Freestyle Nails?

  By

Guru Hand with Fingers LabeledWhen I first tried on fake nails, I was instructed to wear 4 nails – 2 on each hand; 1 on each index and 1 on each middle finger. Soon, however, I found it difficult to tip with all those nails. Tom Leitner explained to me that he wore nails only his index fingers for just that reason. I quickly made the switch and never looked back. However, many others (like Paul Kenny) wear even more than 4 nails; and find they have more intimate delay control. 

This Poll asks the question: On Which Fingers Do You Wear Fake Freestyle Nails? Please select all that apply. Just so there’s no confusion, check the graphic for the name of each finger.

 

[poll id=”27″]

WFDF 2017 Freestyle Event Will Be Live Streamed

  By

WFDF OC 2017 LogoThe WFDF Overall Championships for 2017 is coming up soon – taking place in Basingstoke, UK for six days of all-day Frisbee/flying disc games; from July 24th-29th. The Freestyle part of the Overall games will be during the final days of the week: July 28th and 29th.  This will be the first time in many years that the WFDF Freestyle event will garner Pro-level (“major”)  ranking points, especially since competitors are vying for the WFDF World Freestyle title.  The current list of participating competitors includes some of the best women, men, and junior-level freestylers in the world, from at least 12 different countries, and many of whom are preparing for the following week’s premier freestyle event: the FPA World Championships in Udine, Italy (Aug 3rd-6th). 

The WFDF World Freestyle event will include both open pairs and women’s pairs, and will use the standard FPA competition format. Ryan Young will be there to head up the judging with his tablet based system.

Being an Overall flying disc event means that points are earned by disc players in every disc game played throughout the week, including Freestyle.  Therefore, numerous “hidden” jammers (i.e., disc golfers, double-disc court players, discathon runners) will be putting on nails and competing in freestyle with routines filled with creative ideas and tricks. 

There’s a lot to see throughout the week, if you can come and watch the action.  Can’t be there in person?  Well, no need to fret! For the first time ever,  Jakub “Mystiq” Matula will be live streaming both days of freestyle!  Check it out here.

Episode 23: Jeff Felberbaum’s Final Installment

  By

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Jeff Felberbaum and the Washington Square WizardsJeff remembers some of the important, but forgotten players from his generation. He shares his perception on how the game has changed over the years and although the moves have become more technical, he questions the overall direction. Being asked to be in the Hall of Fame was meaningful for Jeff and he appreciated hearing that he’d made an impact on people’s lives. He now uses his passion for Freestyle to make the world a better place through his V-Disc Project. Here is the link to learn more.

Poll: What are the 5 Most Important Characteristics of a Freestyle Frisbee Shoe?

  By

Jam ShoesOpinions about the best shoes for Freestyle are varied. In Matt Gauthier’s article about Freestyle Frisbee equipment, he writes that wearing shoes one size too small helps with kick brushing control. Conversely, Larry Imperiale recommends one size too big. Donnie Rhodes and Ryan Young like jamming in Ballet shoes for maximum foot articulation, while Lori Daniels like high tops for ankle support.

In this week’s poll, we search for common characteristics that define the best Freestyle Frisbee shoe. Choose your top 5 answers.

What are the 5 Most Important Characteristics of a Freestyle Frisbee Shoe?

 

[poll id=”26″]

If you’re looking for shoes, here are 2 suggestions. Note: these are affiliate links so FrisbeeGuru gets a small cut if you use the link and make a purchase:


Rebook Classics – Jake’s Choice

Adidas Samba – Matt’s Choice

History: 1977-1982; Huge Growth of Freestyle

  By

80 MoldIn 1977, more State Championship tournaments got their start, specifically Arizona and Tennessee. The delay move rapidly replaced controlled tipping as the foundation of a freestyle routine. (It was either adopt the delay, or never catch up to Joey and Richie.)

The NAS Tournaments expanded and continued to fuel the growth of freestyle. The WFC Freestyle championship became the de facto world championship of freestyle; no other competition could match its prestige. Joey and Richie’s adroit use of the “lid,” as the Wham-O 80 mold 165 gram disc was affectionately called, began the transition that eventually led to the 80-mold becoming the new standard for freestyle. The 80-mold lent itself to longer delay moves due to its larger flight plate and weight, and this shifted the focus of play away from the direct catch and throw game.

Sky Styler BirdDave Marini started up the Freestyle Players Association in 1978, and freestyle became a sport of its own. The sport of Freestyle attracted a new generation of players such as Rob Fried, Doug Simon, Roger Meier, Peter Laubert, Krae Van Sickle, Jeff Felberbaum, John Dwork, Brad Keller, and Donnie Rhodes from New York City; and John Jewell, Brian and Matt Roberts from Los Angeles. Also new to the scene was Kevin “Skippy Jammer” Givens who would become highly influential mentoring numerous future champions. The sport also saw the emergence of the “Coloradicals” featuring Bill Wright, Doug Brannigan and Rick Castiglia. On the women’s side of things, New York’s Sue Strait and Jane Englehart set the standard and were closely rivaled by G Rose and Laura Engle. Seattle’s Mary Lowry also began playing around this time and would eventually become one of the most influential women’s players of all time. Seattle’s Randy Silvey got his start during this era. Discraft’s introduction of the Sky Styler disc in 1980 presented an option for Freestylers and became extremely popular as a freestyle disc, eventually replacing the 80 mold as the de facto disc of choice. The Sky Styler weighed in at 160 grams, slightly less than the 80 mold. While it had a smaller flight plate and delay surface area, it had a deeper rim which allowed for superior brushing, rolling, rim work and wind play. It was also easier to catch than the Wham-O 80 mold. Tom Schot’s World Disc Games in Santa Cruz got its start during this period and further fueled the growth of freestyle.

Last Article | Next Article

Thanks to the Freestyle Players Association (FPA) for sharing this information with FrisbeeGuru.com.

The entire document is stored on FreestyleDisc.org, as is the FPA’s Hall of Fame.

Wall of Gurus

  By

Guru Flower

Welcome to Wall of Gurus

This is a tribute to all those who’ve proudly supported FrisbeeGuru. We thank you. Our mission is to aid in the growth of Freestyle Frisbee. Click to read more. If you’d like to support us, donate, become a patron, or buy something from our store.  If you take a photo of yourself, send it to us! We’d love to add you to our Wall of Gurus.

[ngg_images source=”galleries” container_ids=”1″ display_type=”photocrati-nextgen_basic_thumbnails” override_thumbnail_settings=”1″ thumbnail_width=”120″ thumbnail_height=”80″ thumbnail_crop=”1″ images_per_page=”20″ number_of_columns=”0″ ajax_pagination=”0″ show_all_in_lightbox=”0″ use_imagebrowser_effect=”0″ show_slideshow_link=”1″ slideshow_link_text=”[Show slideshow]” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]

Episode 22: Ilka Simon, The Reluctant Champion

  By

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Ilka

Photo by Sisco Lord

Ilka Simon and Bianca Strunz won the Women’s Pairs division at the 2014 World Championships. In this episode, Ilka shares how factory work can lead to playing frisbee. For Ilka, Freestyle Frisbee was not love at first sight, but after experiencing the supportive environment, continued support from Boguslaw Bul and a little extra attention from the Beast, she was hooked. Hear why Ilka finds greater comfort in competing vs. jamming and why 2014 was one of the best years of her life.

Poll: How Many Hours Per Week Do You Play Frisbee?

  By

How Many Hours do You Play Frisbee Per WeekFor many of us, Frisbee is more than a pastime. It’s a passion. It’s what keeps us grounded. It relieves the daily stresses of life. It’s what we look forward to after work, on weekends, and for vacation. It’s what gives us purpose. It’s what we live for.

This Poll asks; How Many Hours Per Week Do You Play Frisbee? This means all forms of flying disc play, not just Freestyle.

 

[poll id=”25″]