Summerfest Open Sizzles With Freestyle Talent

Thanks to the sponsors:

The Summerfest Open Flying Disc Championships 2000 soared into FPA history books, successfully attracting substantial freestyle talent from around the country, and thousands of spectators. The Summerfest Open took place July 1st and 2nd at Summerfest, an annual 11-day music blowout that takes place on 90 acres along the glistening shores of Lake Michigan in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Jammers started flowing into town on Thursday night, reaching critical mass in time for a Friday afternoon jam at Veteran's Park at the lakefront. With the lake in front of them, parkland and the city skyline beyond behind, the sun, a slight breeze, sailboats, curious skaters and kite-flyers completed the jam site scene. The registration party at the Oakland Trattoria featured high spirits, good food, and the distribution of packages of Alterra Coffee, courtesy of Alterra, one of the tournament sponsors.

Twelve competitors with world freestyle championship titles joined other top-notch jammers from around the country for the competition on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's action took place on a grass surface in Summerfest, where hundreds of festival-goers stopped to check out the action. Enthusiastic spectators, sunshine and pleasant temperatures made up for a sometimes-gusty wind.

Local NBC and CBS television affiliates filmed some of the hot Mixed Pairs semi-finals. Their coverage highlighted Erin Scott Waldron, from Oconomowoc Wisconsin, who came out of semi-retirement to compete with Pat Marron, a Minneapolis-based 1995 U.S. Open freestyle champion.

Eight Open Pairs teams came next, delighting the audience with their routines. Co-tournament director and MC Steve Jennings kept the audience engaged between rounds with demonstrations and contests for the spectators. Contest winners received prizes from tournament sponsors Art Smart's Dart Mart, Innova-Champion Discs, and the Nomad World Pub.

Judges, fueled by subs from tournament sponsor PJ's Subs, had their work cut out for them - trying to decide which four teams from each division would   compete in the finals on Sunday. Here are the results from the semi-finals.

Mixed semis:
1 Lisa Hunrichs Silvey and Arthur Coddington
2 Cindy and Jeff Kruger
3 Judy Robbins and Larry Imperiale
4 Anne Graves and Joel Rogers
5 Erin Scott Waldron and Pat Marron
6 Mary Jorgenson and Dan Yarnell
7 Nicki Nicholson and Steve Scannell

Open Semis:
1 Arthur Coddington and Dave Lewis
2 Jeff Kruger and Paul Kenney
3 Randy Silvey and Dan Yarnell
4 Larry Imperiale and Joel Rogers (Team Nextarhome.com)
5 Judy Robbins and Anne Graves
6 Dan Magallenes and Chuck Richards
7 Steve Scannell and Alan Caplin
8 Pat Marron and Rico Schneider

After Saturday's competition, another Veteran's Park jam provided a venue for informal mob-ops (large groups of jammers in spontaneous co-operative play with one disc). Others chose to use the time to perfect their routines for the finals.

Saturday night's veggie lasagna dinner for 30, partying, and dancing at Bethany and Rodney Sanchez' home was facilitated by a generous donation of wine and Wisconsin micro-brew beer from tournament sponsor Downer Wine and Spirits. Donated Alterra Coffee provided the java jolt accompanying Rodney's egg dishes, toast, and OJ, fueling all competitors at Casa Sanchez on Sunday morning.

The Sunday afternoon sky was overcast, but appreciative spectators filled the stands, no doubt fueling the HOT Open Pairs finals. Precipitation held off until the last of the Open Pairs competitors took the floor at the Sports Stage, but even the light mist did not deter Dave Lewis and Arthur Coddington from hitting their complex, high difficulty routine. Playing to Vince Guaraldi's Snoopy theme song, Jeff Kruger and Paul Kenny delighted spectators with their inventive tribute to Charles Schultz. Rounding out the Open Pairs final was Joel Rogers' and Larry Imperiale's "Time" routine, featuring new co-ops and the signature moves that have made them many-time world champs. But the first place trophy went to Randy Silvey and Dan Yarnell, who ignited the audience with difficult, smooth, exciting play, and never looked back.

After a half-hour rain delay, the Mixed Pairs finals took place before a new crowd of cheering spectators. First up were Joel Rogers and Anne Graves, who didn't seem to mind the slightly wet court. They played well together and individually. Anne's enthusiasm and catches fired up the crowd, feeding their vocal appreciation for Joel's moves. Larry Imperiale and Judy Robbins also worked the crowd with their veteran savvy. Cindy and Jeff Kruger's strong routine was hampered a bit by footing problems, but this didn't prevent either of them from hitting some great moves, especially a huge gitosis by Cindy. Lisa Hunrichs Silvey and Arthur Coddington shredded their finals routine, executing strong co-ops, difficult individual moves, and great presentation to snag first place trophies in Mixed Pairs.

Open Finals:
1 Randy Silvey and Dan Yarnell
2 Arthur Coddington and Dave Lewis
3 Jeff Kruger and Paul Kenny
4 Larry Imperiale and Joel Rogers

Mixed Finals:
1 Lisa Hunrichs Silvey and Arthur Coddington
2 Anne Graves and Joel Rogers
3 Judy Robbins and Larry Imperiale
4 Cindy and Jeff Kruger

Two post-tourney mob-ops - first at Veterans Park, then when the rain came, back in the ballroom at the UWM dorms - provided opportunities to expend any left-over energy. You might think that folks would have had enough, but the energy level went UP from there.

A group dinner and drinks at a local Middle Eastern restaurant started out the Sunday night partying. From there it was off to join the lively Sunday night crowd at the Nomad World Pub. There, donated pitchers of imported beer and high spirits sparked lively dancing and cavorting, with the Seattle women (Lisa, Mary, Cindy and Heather) leading the way. The party ended up back at Casa Sanchez, where more dancing and performance art hilarity  entertained everyone (except the neighbors) until the wee hours of the morning. A polite visit by the police sealed the proclamation that the party had been a success.

Bethany, Steve and Rodney extend a big "thank you!!" to everyone who made this tournament such a great success: our sponsors - Alterra Coffee, Nomad World Pub, Downer Wine and Spirits, PJ's Subs, Art Smart's Dart Mart and Juggling Emporium, and Innova-Champion Discs; the FPA, especially directors Larry Imperiale, Lisa Hunrichs Silvey, and Paul Kenny; and our volunteer helpers - Dave Bolyard on music, John Elsner and Kim Caldwell on judging and Mike D who served as Steve's assistant in the demonstrations and spectator competitions.

But the tournament would not have been nearly as much fun without the participation of each and every competitor. We are delighted to have attracted such a wonderful group to our fair city. We hope that you will spread the word, and bring others with you to Summerfest 2001!