Beach Ultimate Included in ANOC 2019

In ANOC 2019, Beach Ultimate, Featured Events, Official Communication, Press Release * Official Communication, Sports by WFDF

[lead]WFDF excited for Beach Ultimate to be included in the inaugural ANOC World Beach Games[/lead]

The World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) Board of Directors has reacted enthusiastically to the announcement that the initial edition of the ANOC World Beach Games (WBG) in 2019 will include the Flying Disc sport of Beach Ultimate. The San Diego Organizing Committee for the WBG have released the list of 19 sports being included in their sports programme for the initial edition of these games, all of which are different disciplines to any contested in the Olympic programme. The announcement followed meetings between San Diego and ANOC officials at last month’s Asian Beach Games in Danang. San Diego has proposed that the event be held from 10-20 October 2019.

“The ANOC World Beach Games in 2019 will be the highlight of WFDF´s Beach Ultimate calendar in 2019 and we are pleased and proud to be included by ANOC and the San Diego organizers of the Games,” stated WFDF President Robert “Nob” Rauch. “ Beach Ultimate has been growing exponentially since our first world championship in 2004, and our board has confirmed that the 2017 WFDF World Championships of Beach Ultimate in association with BULA (WCBU) being held in June 2017 in Royan, France will serve as the qualification event for the WBG.” As announced previously, the WCBU 2017 attracted a record breaking numbers of bids by 200 teams across more than 40 national member associations, with the event capped at 120 teams.

“It is a nice coincidence that the iconic Flying Disc was invented and originally produced out of Southern California, and what better place to showcase our sport but on the beach.  This is the first world championship hosted by the Association of National Olympic Committees, and it is indeed an honor to be included with so many other sports so well suited for play on the sand in the sun by the ocean.”

WFDF Beach Ultimate Committee chair José Pirès acknowledged that the postponement of the initial edition of the ANOC World Beach Games from 2017 to 2019 will allow for WFDF to stay with the event cycle and use the WCBU 2017 as the qualifying event. “This will make sure that the best Beach Ultimate teams and athletes will participate in these Games and that all teams participating in the event will be fully prepared.”