Keweenaw Report Your Source for Local News and Sports
CALUMET—Frisbee players and fans are converging on the Keweenaw Peninsula for the 59th Coca-Cola International Frisbee Tournament taking place at Agassiz Field in Calumet.
Six-time defending champion Boomtown Saints are expected to return and fight off challenges from 2012 champs the Appleton Assassins, local favorite Luigi’s, and other contenders, including many players from the two USA teams that recently competed in London, England, at the World Ultimate and Guts Championships. Team USA Blue took the gold medal and Spirit of the Game Award and USA Red finished fourth.
Teams will be playing Guts Frisbee, in which two teams face off at 14 meters (roughly 15 yards) and hurl the orange Professional Model Frisbees at speeds in excess of 80 miles per hour. The disc must be within reach of the receiving team who must catch it cleanly with one hand only. Games are played to 21 points and must be won by two points.
Saturday’s competition begins at 10:00 a.m. with a three-game round robin event to seed the teams beyond the first two. Then bracket play begins around noon. Between the two periods of play, the Dave Bradshaw Award will be awarded to Dennis “Wally Sr.” Walikainen of Hancock for his efforts to grow the IFT, Hall of Fame, and the sport of Guts Frisbee.
Sunday’s play begins at 10:00 a.m. also, with the finals to begin at 5:00 p.m. Over the weekend, a special announcement will be made, also, regarding the 60th Coca-Cola IFT to be held during Frisbee Week, June 30–July 9, 2017, from Tournament Director Emeritus Harvey J. Kukuk.
