October 15, 2024
Opening Ceremony. All credit to Focus Ultimate.
Author: Jamie Truong
October 14th, 2024, marked the first-ever World Beach Ultimate Club Championships. 1844 athletes, 706 games to be played, 117 teams from 33 different countries, and 3 exciting divisions (Open, Mixed, Women’s), what more could a Beach Ultimate fan ask for?
The first day of competition was what many would describe as a perfect day. A beautiful sunny day with a whisp of clouds sliding through the sky and only a whisper of wind. Festivities kicked off with an energy-inducing Opening Ceremony, setting the tone for a day filled with 97 high-flying, sand-in-your-face games. Let’s recap the action in each division.
Showcase Game: UFA (PT) vs. AKS ZĹ‚y (PL)
UFA vs. AKS ZLY. All credit to Focus Ultimate.
Starting off the day, we witnessed a Mixed division match-up of Portugal’s UFA and Poland’s, AKS Zły. UFA came out firing on all cylinders, using the space on the field exceptionally well and playing to their experience on the beach. UFA took the lead early and never looked back, leading the match all the way through and by as many as 5 points. While AKS Zły mounted a late surge thanks to their defense, it wasn’t enough as UFA took their first win. UFA will certainly be a team to look out for throughout WBUCC 2024.
Open Division
The Open division is jam-packed with talent. We saw some unbelievable feats of athleticism, sky-high pulls, and ridiculous layouts.
Humiliswag (US):
Entering as the number one seed, the boys from Humiliswag were out to impress. In their first matchup, they faced Ireland’s PUG and showed out with a staggering defensive stand, racking up 9 break scores and winning 13-4.
Later that evening, they found stiff competition from the 12th seed, France’s 33 Tours Stade Bordelais. Bordelais took an early 2-point lead with an offensive hold and a break score, showing the Americans they weren’t to be underestimated. But in typical fashion, Humiliswag returned the favor with a hold and break score of their own. It was an incredible matchup, but an unfortunate late turnover from Bordelais gave Humiliswag the cushion they needed to close out the game and secure the win.
Humiliswag vs. Bordelais. All credit to Focus Ultimate.
Warao (VE):
Hailing from Venezuela, the 24th seed, Warao, had a fiesta on the beach after upsetting the 4th seed, Magic Disc from France. With quick passes and gritty defense, they convincingly took half with an offensive hold and back-to-back break scores. After halftime, the game was nip and tuck as Magic Disc’s #25, Hugo Herbin, tried to make Warao vanish with his 3 goals and 1 assist. However, Warao refused to participate in the disappearing act, sealing the win with an offensive score by #11, João Sousa Lopes.
Disckick Berlin (DE):
In one of the day’s most thrilling matchups, the 38th seed, DiscKick Berlin, took down the 12th seed, SunDogs (USA), on a dramatic Universe Point. The game was a nail-biter from start to finish, with neither team able to pull ahead by more than a single point. Both sides exchanged offensive holds and break scores, showcasing patient, high-level disc movement, and fantastic defensive prowess. For Disckick, it was the heroics of #66 Caspar Gross who stole the show, tallying a game-high 7 goals and 1 assist. His partner in crime, #96 Tom Benjamin Sudhaus, quarterbacked the offense beautifully and racked up 6 assists. Despite the relentless efforts of the SunDogs, they couldn’t stop the Sudhaus-Gross duo on Universe Point, allowing Disckick to complete the upset and claim victory.
Mixed Division
Guayota (ES):
Guayota continued to show why they’ve been and still are a force on the beach, dominating Mighty Hucks (GB) with a 13-6 victory. Known for their quick, precise tiki-taka style, Guayota took the lead early and ended the match commandingly, scoring 6 goals off turnovers and controlling the game until the end. While Mighty Hucks had flashes of brilliance with strong break-side throws, they couldn’t match Guayota’s pace of play.
Boracay Ultimate (PH):
Boracay Ultimate is one of the teams that should be on everybody’s watch list and their matchup against Italy’s AUT BeeFire is the perfect example of why. Boracay led the game all the way through, with lightning-quick cuts and tight defensive pressure. They put up 3 early break scores and to add insult to injury, Boracay’s #21, Edgar Sumbi snagged himself a ridiculous Callahan score. They closed the match out with a 13-5 win.
Freezgo (FR):
In a stunning upset, 24th-seeded Freezgo defeated the 3rd seed, Margarita Mix’d (IE), by 4 points in a hard-fought battle. The game was neck and neck throughout, with Margarita’s #8, Sebastian Rossi, and Freezgo’s #17, Quentin Peschard, going point for point. Freezgo captured Galaxy Point and used that momentum to propel themselves to their eventual win. Peschard was the standout player for Freezgo, tallying 6 goals and helping to secure their first win of the day. Freezgo went on to finish the day 2-0, taking the victory versus Frubb Frankfurt (DE), 13-5.
Women’s Division:
LAMP (US):
Coming in as the number one seed, LAMP put on a dominant display, proving to both fans and opponents why they deserved the top spot. They finished the day 2-0 with an unbelievable 15-goal differential. Leading the charge was #12, Malti McKinnon, who racked up 8 goals, while #24, Danielle Walsh, supported her with 8 assists. This dynamic duo is definitely something every team should keep on their radar!
Torrijas (BE):
Another upset! The 22nd seed, Torrijas, took down 2nd-seeded Valkyria (SE) in a thrilling back-and-forth battle. Torrija turned the defensive dial all the way to 10 straight out of the gate, jumping to an early 2-0 lead with back-to-back break scores. The game remained tight all the way through until the end, but thanks to Torrija’s early defensive showing, they were able to hold on to the lead, maintaining control and outpacing Valkyria to secure a memorable victory. Don’t sleep on these ladies!
E6 (SE):
Sweden’s E6 is no stranger to Beach Ultimate. Silver medalists at the 2023 European Beach Ultimate Club Championships, E6 continued to show their strength with a fantastic first day at WBUCC. Their leading scorer, #19 Maja Lindroth, was unstoppable in the end zone, racking up 10 goals. In an interview with Ulti.TV’s lead commentator, Stefan Rapazzo, Lindroth was asked about managing the team’s expectations. She responded, ‘We don’t really have any expectations. We try to tell ourselves to stay calm… We don’t know what people will show up with or what they’ll bring, so we just try to stay calm and play our game.’ Lindroth’s game-by-game approach will be key to her and her team’s success throughout the tournament.
Reflections on the Day & Looking Ahead
With such a successful Day 1 of WBUCC 2024 in the books, fans and players alike should have plenty to look forward to. Pool play is set to continue October, 15th, with dreadful showers on the forecast. It will be interesting to see how teams adapt to the severe changes in weather and which teams solidify themselves as top contenders in the tournament.
To follow the schedule, standings, results, and stats of every game, be sure to bookmark https://live.wbucc.org.
To take a look back at what players said during their winning interviews, take a look at the compilation video below. Ulti.TV will also continue their fantastic coverage of the tournament on their YouTube channel HERE and you can check out a reel of all the first-day festivities HERE.
#gotadisctothrow
