Discs fly in Ultimate comps

BALLARAT Ultimate experienced a busy two days of competition last weekend, hosting ultimate frisbee and disc golf tournaments across Ballarat.

At Marty Busch Reserve and Trekardo Park on Saturday, 30 January, 17 teams from across the state and South Australia played the Golden City Classic; the first Ultimate Frisbee Club Season competition since 2020’s COVID-19 shutdown.

Two hundred and sixty athletes descended on Sebastopol and Redan as part of 10 open sides, and seven women’s teams, before the city’s first ever disc golf tournament at Victoria Park kicked off the next morning.

Seventy-two players including amateur, novice, national and international-level competitors registered for the event on the brand-new course installed by the City of Ballarat.

Ballarat Ultimate’s Matt Hill organised the tournament and said the club is becoming more accessible as it embraces disc golf.

“We’re looking to become more inclusive, providing opportunities for people of younger and older ages to get involved in disc sports in Ballarat,” he said.

“Ultimate is a team sport with lots of running which isn’t as accessible for everyone, but kids, families and the elderly can get active in Ballarat by playing and enjoying disc golf.”

Australian champion disc-golfer Patty Robinson has played for 10 years and took part in the men’s professional division on Sunday afternoon.

“For a new course to have a full field of players, that shows how much the sport has grown. Through the COVID lockdown, a heap of people came out of the woodwork to try the sport and we had a massive boom,” he said.

“What the council has done in Victoria Park is perfect, and refreshing. There are so many locals and spectators out here, and there aren’t many places around Australia where you see that, so it’s exciting.

“The Ultimate Frisbee scene here is strong, and it’s been great to see a lot of those guys come out and play. They’re not used to our discs yet, but they’ve got the skills so they’re set to be good players.”