Stoica Sweeps the Podium in Valkenswaard as Windy UFO European Cup Final Tests the Field

Stoica Sweeps the Podium in Valkenswaard as Windy UFO European Cup Final Tests the Field

Adrian Stoica put on a historic performance at the 2025 UFO European Cup Final in Valkenswaard, Netherlands, overcoming gusty winds and rain to sweep the podium in Overall and nearly do the same in Freestyle and Throw & Catch.

The two-day event (August 30-31) saw Europe’s top disc dog teams battle through unpredictable weather, with Stoica and his canine teammates Inu, Iris, and Icaro emerging as the dominant force.

A Perfect Podium in Overall

Stoica’s consistency across the weekend was unmatched, as he claimed the top three spots in the Overall Championship — a first in UFO EC history — with Inu taking the win on 169.4 points, ahead of Iris (160.2) and Icaro (157.6).

It marks Stoica’s fifth UFO European Cup title and his first with Inu. “Typical Dutch OK... but this time it was more,” he said of the conditions. “I see a lot of very good players just stressed.”

Iris Leads Stoica’s T&C Sweep

The Italian star didn’t stop there, securing a full podium lockout in Throw & Catch with Iris taking gold (64.0 points), Inu in silver (60.0), and Diva in bronze (47.0).

Freestyle nearly went the same way, with Stoica taking first and second with Inu (76.7) and Icaro (73.3). Only Germany’s Angela Tederke and Bonbon could interrupt the clean sweep, grabbing third with a 72.5-point performance that surged on Day 2.

When asked about her dramatic improvement in Freestyle from Saturday to Sunday, Angela pointed at her training regimen as her secret.
“I practice a lot on good communication and showmanship,” Tederke said afterward. “I often spontaneously swap out elements in the cut, just to show off even more of what we can do as a team. I always think two minutes is way too short!”

Small Dog World Cup: Icaro Goes Back-to-Back-to-Back

The UFO Small Dog World Cup Championship also crowned its winner in Valkenswaard, with Icaro giving Stoica yet another title — his third in the Small Dog category. Austria’s Eva Steiner (Woodruff) and Germany’s Marion Schumacher (Easypeasy) rounded out the podium.

Bulgaria Tops the DTour Again

The UFO European DTour Championship saw Bulgaria claim both the women’s and men’s crowns in dramatic fashion.

In the women’s division, reigning champion Darya Ivantsova once again delivered, this time with a new dog-Mika. Her 55.9m throw in the finals put her just ahead of Italy’s Carlotta Salzano with Bebe at 54.0m and Germany’s Claudia Wagstyl throwing to Legend, who hit 51.7m.

The men’s competition went right down to a tiebreaker, with Bulgarian newcomer Nikola Nikolov and Karma edging out Germany’s Timo Kehlbeck and Imani after both posted 79.0m throws in regulation. Kehlbeck also took third with Bacardi 78.2m. This was an impressive feat given Kehlbeck's DTour championship last year and recent record-breaking throws. It looks like the beginning of a great rivalry!

Weather Adds Drama

Wind and rain were a constant talking point throughout the weekend, adding a layer of challenge for competitors.
“The weather was crazy—storms, rain, sun, and even a brief hail,” said Tederke. “I modified some elements to play safe for my dogs.”

UFO board member and Freestyle judge Reint Elzinga said the conditions were “typical Dutch,” noting, “Saturday the wind was the whole day on and off, Sunday we had light drizzle until around 12:30 and after that it got dry.”

Smooth Organization, Special Moments

Despite the challenging conditions, organizers and participants praised the event as one of the best-run in recent memory.

“The event went great,” Elzinga said. “Orga was super, we had okay weather, the wind was unpredictable but that’s Dutch. Competition was tough.”

He highlighted several standout performances: “Adrian’s first rounds with his dogs, Angela with Bonbon, Dion [Ouwens] with some nice throws, Amy with Hazel – Amy as always showing her throwing skills are nice.”

Co-organizer Cindy Vranken summarized the weekend nicely:
“Well it was a big event to tackle. Our team will go back to hosting the regular local! It was also an energy to see. And what Rouche and I always have in mind is to have fun with your dog. There was also a lot of fun. With the help from Reint and team it was nice and of course Hans and his team. Would definitely like to do it again in the future — but maybe with more time!”

The photos on this page were graciously provided by Peter Voort. Please visit his website at https://www.petervoort.nl/

- The UFO