Extremfeiner Schottercup

Last Friday, Dario and I rather impulsively hopped on a train from Zagreb to Graz, Austria, where there was an ultimate tournament this weekend, http://www.frisbee-graz.info/schottercup. We didn't have a team to play on, directions to the fields, or any sort of 'plan,' and it was pouring down rain when we arrived on Friday afternoon. It was perfect, and we had an awesome time. Seeing ultimate friends from all over this region is reason enough, and we also spent a fun afternoon on a walking tour written and emailed by none other than Julz Katzenbeisser of a team called Chuck Bronson, in Vienna.

Here is my favorite picture of the weekend, sent from Rytz Richtsfeld of Graz Catchup, the tourney hosts. The players at these tournaments are mostly great friends, and there are many very happy moments during play. This shot was taken just after I faked the disc, Rytz called 'up,' and looked away, literally said out loud 'where is the disc?', and then turned around to see it still in my hand. We both laughed hard, and he had the spirit to send me this great picture, with the Zip-esque caption, 'You got me':


I've said it before and I'll say it again: she is the best ultimate player in all of Europe, Julz:


Greg Connelly (former coach of the Brown women's team) pops up everywhere, from Mount Washington (on a bike) to Graz, Austria, where I found him lined up to guard me in the first game on Sunday. Also pictured, another cool expat named Gilbert. The three amigos:


On the pre-tournament tour, Dario and I climbed the steps up Schlossberg, and took a look at the city, including the big friendly alien in the center. I also learned to count big numbers Croatian on the steps up:


Dario, rising Croatian ultimate stud and big punk:


The Felix, a quick and explosive ultimate player, and exhibitionist of Parkour, a new generation of freestyle running, www.parkour.com:


Slovenia and Croatia representing in Austria...Damian, Maja, Me, Jasmina and Dario:



Finally, the cats Dario and I played with, Stack Overflow, www.omikron.at. Saturday was notable only for featuring particularly miserable ultimate, but bits of improvement game-by-game ended up with a remarkable day Sunday. We upset a very fun and good-spirited Chuck Bronson team, guaranteeing us a placement game higher than playing for last or next-to-last. Excellent. We gave Catchup a run for their money in that ninth place game, showing a much better side than we had when we played Catchup the first time on Saturday: