Just like one year ago Warsaw team GMF organized beach tournament in Dębki with characteristic of Fun written with big F. Once again under the patronage of BULA, but this time with the bigger impetus. In this year edition sixteen teams took part, including two german and one portugese. We played with one, sometimes two girls on the line. Astro Disco was close to the podium. We took forth place.
Final standings:
1.Diz-Cu – Lisbon
2.Uwaga Pies – Poznań
3.Spreevolvers – Berlin
4.Astro Disco – Bydgoszcz
5.Gmf – Warszawa
6.Cool Flights – Gdańsk
7.Dj Dahlem – Berlin
8.ADHD – Poznań
9.WD40 – Wrocław
10.Awf – Warszawa
11.Nine Hills – Chełmno
12.Tit Masters – Trzemeszno
13.KrakUF – Kraków
14.Bednarska – Warszawa
15.BC Kosmodisc – Warszawa
16.Żołądkowa Plażowa – All over Pickup Team
First of all I can’t forget to mention that some of the players visited the tournament place few days before the event. Plus I can’t forget to mention that those players took their friends with them, and these took also their friends, and other animals. That’s the way we got a preety nice mix of people who love to chill on the tiny sand.
Games started, thanks to Jah, at 10:00. It gave players a bit more time for regeneration, which was really beneficial for some of them…couse iodine was not enough. Saturday Astro Disco, or one forth of it, watched how other players eat breakfast, then play their first games to finally wait for the other (well, not all of them) emissaries of fire and play the first game…the hardest one this day. Our opponent was well known in Poland, Berlin squad Dj Dahlem.
We used Zone Defence 2-2-1 force middle. We played point by point but it was us, that was keeping the lead and setting the pace of the game. And we like it fast. So there was a lot of sprints. The main Astro reciver of this game was Nowy, who was sharply and decidedly cuting to the zone, where he recived the package at the clear position, or sometimes when needed skying the rivals. We won 9:8. This score gave us the confidence and smile which stayed with us till the end of this weekend.
Next game with Nine Hills. The army of 300 is big, and even that Kris the Bear, Kozi the Gustator and Junior the Beatles have been awake, we had fears of being tired while having less switches. But few days experience of Astronauts took over. Zone Defence was working, and players of Chełmno city made a lot of forced mistakes, which were punished with quick contras a’la Egzekucjan.
Warsaw team Kosmodisc aka Bez Ciśnień – this was our next rival. The game was similar to this one with Nine Hills, but the score was kind of double. It’s worth to mention that after one and only point scored by Kosmo, with the score of 8:1 we maneged to bring out our new tactic Braveheart.
After the disc was pulled to us, we have setup a horizontal stack. Disc was picked up by Kris. Everyone else bend one of their knees on the ground and hold a virtual spear. Stalling one, Kris says “HOLD!”, Stalling three, “HOLD!”. Warsaw players were disorientated and while not knowing what is it all about they were looking at us, and themselfs one by one. Stalling five, “HOLD!”, Stalling seven, “GO!!!”. Every Astronaut started to sprint as hard as he could to the end zone. Kris and his good fella – good timing throw soft outside/in backhand which was in the air so long, that cuters were able to make it nearly to the zone. Disc was cought by Lucjan who skied just before the zone line and landed already in it. Shock euphoria. The line is screaming, fans go crazy. Success. Braveheart is working. After the game we played few points for fun already in mixed teams. With this nice accent we finished the pool plays.
It was time for the semi final game. Game with new Poznan team ADHD. Fresh mens have been supported by some Uwaga players and some German guy, which i don’t know, so it wasn’t so easy. At least at the beginning. After ten minutes it was 4:0 … for ADHD. In normal circumstances team on our place should take time-out, but it’s not working on us. We have been trying to wake up from coma, and we did it. I don’t know how, i don’t know why.. We just fired up the rocket, get our flow moving, and started to score some points. We won with few points lead. Beautiful feeling. Saturday record 4:0. But don’t praise the day before the sun comes down…
…It was the party remaining. Before party at Nine Hills territory. And beach bar..ohh, i think everyone should say something on their own. What i remember the best, was those beer reces with cup flip on the tables. It was about 12 people from polish squads, and not only, taking part in it. It was wicked. People were giving such a loud boost, that DJ asked us to turn the volume down. Dances although didn’t last till dawn, like one year ago, but after party who knows. No doubt it was exellent.
With the tuna in the roll, we said ‘Hello’ to the morning, with Mati who just showed up. Thanks that we played the first game at normal hour, we enjoyed the calm breeze slowly steping to the beach. What can i say. Uwaga destroyed us about 12:3. We’ve been fighting brave for about first seven minutes..it’s a pitty the games were taking 50. Forget about the final. We could only fight for staying at the podium.
And that’s the place where the biiiig smile shows up. The journey with Berlin Spreevolvers team was a great experience. The game was tough, tight, intence and (i guess) nice to watch. You could say there was a bit of skills in it. A lot of longer difficult passes, sometimes hucks, inside/outs, floaters, few quick give’n'go’s and hand blocks. Those last ones – D’s we forced with our zone. But Germans quickly figured out our defensive setup. Our program on quick contra react after D’s wasn’t successful all the time, and our rivals were better and better in going thru our Zone Defence, which was crucial in this game. From leading at the beginning, thru tie in the middle, till the defeat by one point in the end. That’s the way we finished our plays on Sandslash 2009.
But the fun didn’t finished yet, couse the one we had after the game with Spreevolvers with them, remind me why i fell in love in Ultimate. Silly games in the circle which were hold by Nadia made us forget about the score and fell in to the kids world. A lot o laugh!
In the same time Uwaga was fighting for the first place. Unfortunately the discs throwed by Lisbon team Diz-Cu, which unshakable cuted the wind, seemed to be deadly for polish team. Uwaga Pies losses, Diz-Cu wins.
Awards ceremony. I guess everyone who was there would agree, that we won it without having the price for first place. Our little performance in about 25 people (whole Astro Family was there) seduced even the president of BULA. The chillout till the evening and fun pickup games was the sugar on top. It was all a great experience in having fun and playing beach Ultimate. We took forth place in this tournament, it was second in polish teams. It’s the best place in history that Astro achieved.
Pancake with all extras and we’re on our way. See You next year!
Spirit of the Game won team Diz-Cu.
Sandslash 2009 tournament date: 29-30.08.2009.
Astro Disco was represented by:
-Mati
-Nowy
-Aniou
-Alek
-Kożuch
-Kris
-Junior
-Bartolini
-Lucjan
-Majaz
-Elvis
-UOlcia
Lucjan