Sora & Kirby are victorious at the World Cup Finals
The 2023 UFO World Cup Series came to a majestic end this weekend. Colorado played host to the most amazing dogs in the world.
The UFO Finals were truly an international event, with 4 countries represented, and teams from Coast to Coast in the US.
With 5 different titles on the line, the talent that showed up was pretty impressive
First Up, the Men's Dtour Championship: Mike Hanson and Ace pocketed a 70.8 meter catch to put themselves ahead of Tony Kelso & Hardy. Tony and Hardy were one of the few teams to improve their day one distance, coming up to 67.8 meters. But in the end, Gary Duke and his "rocket on loan", Beep! teamed up to win the event and the World Cup Title! In fact, his winning throw was literally his first throw of the event! 85.1 meters!
The finish:
1-Gary Duke & Beep!
2-Mike Hanson & Ace
3-Tony Kelso & Hardy
The Women's Pro division was close, with spots in the top 3 being determined by centimeters. The day one performance of Macee Aumack and her dogs was enough to ensure a dominating finish, but host Colorado still managed a very respectable 3nd place as Brittany Jordahl and the Golden Snitch, SPICE, took a spot on the Podium!
The Podium:
1-Macee Aumack & Smirk
2-Macee Aumack & Dizzy
3-Brittany Jordahl & Spice
The T&C Championship consisted of 4 rounds of action. The Finals format is that all 4 rounds count. You simply can't blink in this event, you will get passed! But even this wasn't enough to separate the top teams! The "highest single round" tie-breaker had to be employed for every spot on the podium! In the end, an American sweep with the Legendary Chuck Middleton and Chica winning the title! Gary and Beep took another podium spot with second and Sora with Kirby McIlveen-with an event-high 19 point round, took third.
the top 3:
1-Chuck Middleton & Chica
2-Gary Duke & Beep!
3-Kirby McIlveen & Sora
The freestyle rounds executed during the '23 World Cup Final were among some of the most incredible ever. It was jaw-dropping and exciting from beginning to end. After round one on Saturday where the execution level was already otherworldly, the teams came back on Sunday to somehow take it even higher and absolutely mesmerize the judges and spectators. The Japanese have been on a month long journey through the USA for the various finals, and have been awarded the big trophies with very low numbers on them at every stop. Colorado and the World Cup would be no different. After everything Shawn Hirai and Goldrush took to straight up melting brains with their out-of-this-world freestyle. Their final round will be remembered for a very long time as one of the best freestyle rounds ever. It was sublime. Even this was just barely enoug to stay ahead of Kirby and Sora and Mona Hirai and Haribo. Less than 2 points separated the top 3. There were 10 rounds scored over 36 points in the Freestyle Championship, and 14 in the Overall-nearly 25% of the rounds. Simply wow.
The final lineup:
1-Shawn Hirai & Goldrush
2-Kirby McIlveen & Sora
3-Mona Hirai & Haribo
find the video and the streams of the event, it was super cool.
And the overall title: The reigning Champ, Adrian Stoica is a little busy with his life after his recent America's Got Talent victory. So the door was open for a new champ. the question was, would we see a legacy continued? or perhaps a legacy founded? It turns out, that winning the big title in Colorado is a particular specialty for Kirby and her dogs. with 2013 and 2017 on the shelf, Kirby wasn't going to be denied that especially rarified high altitude air of victory in Colorado. Sora was solid and spectacular, powering the team to their 3rd World Cup Championship and Kirby's 7th World Cup Overall championship. Her previous champ, the GOAT, Torch, even managed to secure a qualification for the finals and was on the field to compete for the 9th time as his little sister climbed to the top again. It was indeed a special event from every angle!
The World Cup Championship Podium:
1-Kirby McIlveen & Sora
2-Shawn Hirai & Goldrush
3-Mona Hirai & Haribo
Kirby and Sora were pushed to the furthest of limits by Shawn and Goldrush-less than 1 point separated the teams in the end.
So the Legacy continues...
Sora managed 3 out of 3 on podium spots, an awesome performance!
The event ran smoothly, and is receiving praise from participants and observers. These adulations rightfully fall on the Colorado Disc Dogs. A great job by the club to host this prestigious event.
Many thanks to all who helped make this happen!
And to all the competitors and their dogs who chose to come to the 2023 UFO World Cup Finals, thank you so much. It was an honor to host you and be witness to your amazing, special and incredible dogs.
Finals results:
DTour Championship- https://www.ufoworldcup.org/content/Results/DTour/DTour-Finals.php?year=2023&id=599
World Cup Finals-https://www.ufoworldcup.org/content/Results/Finals/Finals.php?year=2023"
- the UFO
The 2023 UFO World Cup Series came to a majestic end this weekend. Colorado played host to the most amazing dogs in the world.The UFO Finals were truly an international event, with 4 countries represented, and teams from Coast to Coast in the US.
With 5 different titles on the line, the talent that showed up was pretty impressive
First Up, the Men's Dtour Championship: Mike Hanson and Ace pocketed a 70.8 meter catch to put themselves ahead of Tony Kelso & Hardy. Tony and Hardy were one of the few teams to improve their day one distance, coming up to 67.8 meters. But in the end, Gary Duke and his "rocket on loan", Beep! teamed up to win the event and the World Cup Title! In fact, his winning throw was literally his first throw of the event! 85.1 meters!
The finish:
1-Gary Duke & Beep!
2-Mike Hanson & Ace
3-Tony Kelso & Hardy
The Women's Pro division was close, with spots in the top 3 being determined by centimeters. The day one performance of Macee Aumack and her dogs was enough to ensure a dominating finish, but host Colorado still managed a very respectable 3nd place as Brittany Jordahl and the Golden Snitch, SPICE, took a spot on the Podium!
The Podium:
1-Macee Aumack & Smirk
2-Macee Aumack & Dizzy
3-Brittany Jordahl & Spice
The T&C Championship consisted of 4 rounds of action. The Finals format is that all 4 rounds count. You simply can't blink in this event, you will get passed! But even this wasn't enough to separate the top teams! The "highest single round" tie-breaker had to be employed for every spot on the podium! In the end, an American sweep with the Legendary Chuck Middleton and Chica winning the title! Gary and Beep took another podium spot with second and Sora with Kirby McIlveen-with an event-high 19 point round, took third.
the top 3:
1-Chuck Middleton & Chica
2-Gary Duke & Beep!
3-Kirby McIlveen & Sora
The freestyle rounds executed during the '23 World Cup Final were among some of the most incredible ever. It was jaw-dropping and exciting from beginning to end. After round one on Saturday where the execution level was already otherworldly, the teams came back on Sunday to somehow take it even higher and absolutely mesmerize the judges and spectators. The Japanese have been on a month long journey through the USA for the various finals, and have been awarded the big trophies with very low numbers on them at every stop. Colorado and the World Cup would be no different. After everything Shawn Hirai and Goldrush took to straight up melting brains with their out-of-this-world freestyle. Their final round will be remembered for a very long time as one of the best freestyle rounds ever. It was sublime. Even this was just barely enoug to stay ahead of Kirby and Sora and Mona Hirai and Haribo. Less than 2 points separated the top 3. There were 10 rounds scored over 36 points in the Freestyle Championship, and 14 in the Overall-nearly 25% of the rounds. Simply wow.
The final lineup:
1-Shawn Hirai & Goldrush
2-Kirby McIlveen & Sora
3-Mona Hirai & Haribo
find the video and the streams of the event, it was super cool.
And the overall title: The reigning Champ, Adrian Stoica is a little busy with his life after his recent America's Got Talent victory. So the door was open for a new champ. the question was, would we see a legacy continued? or perhaps a legacy founded? It turns out, that winning the big title in Colorado is a particular specialty for Kirby and her dogs. with 2013 and 2017 on the shelf, Kirby wasn't going to be denied that especially rarified high altitude air of victory in Colorado. Sora was solid and spectacular, powering the team to their 3rd World Cup Championship and Kirby's 7th World Cup Overall championship. Her previous champ, the GOAT, Torch, even managed to secure a qualification for the finals and was on the field to compete for the 9th time as his little sister climbed to the top again. It was indeed a special event from every angle!
The World Cup Championship Podium:
1-Kirby McIlveen & Sora
2-Shawn Hirai & Goldrush
3-Mona Hirai & Haribo
Kirby and Sora were pushed to the furthest of limits by Shawn and Goldrush-less than 1 point separated the teams in the end.
So the Legacy continues...
Sora managed 3 out of 3 on podium spots, an awesome performance!
The event ran smoothly, and is receiving praise from participants and observers. These adulations rightfully fall on the Colorado Disc Dogs. A great job by the club to host this prestigious event.
Many thanks to all who helped make this happen!
And to all the competitors and their dogs who chose to come to the 2023 UFO World Cup Finals, thank you so much. It was an honor to host you and be witness to your amazing, special and incredible dogs.
Finals results:
DTour Championship- https://www.ufoworldcup.org/content/Results/DTour/DTour-Finals.php?year=2023&id=599
World Cup Finals-https://www.ufoworldcup.org/content/Results/Finals/Finals.php?year=2023"
- the UFO