European Freestyle

North Americans - It's time to jam in Europe!

By Jan Ekman (Sweden), 1993 FPA World Co-Op Champion

Return to March 1998 FPA Forum Home Page

Going back as far as early Rose Bowl’s, European players have traveled to America to compete. Europe is, in a way, similar to  America as players are spread out in different countries vs. states. A major difference is that product companies like Wham-O, as well as player organizations like FPA, for the last 20 years has offered a tour (FPA meets, NAS, State Championships) and major tournaments (FPA Worlds, US Open) in America.

In Europe, activities emerged from national associations who have arranged events in their specific country.  In 1980, the European Flying Disc Association (EFDA) was formed. In 1981-1987 they arranged the European Overall Championships. The tournaments were a great success and inspired players and created a European player identity.

The freestyle event featured high level freestylers from Sweden, Finland, Norway, Germany, England, Italy, Denmark and Switzerland. The tournament has also included a junior division were current world class freestylers such as Petri Isola and Visa Ruuhinen (Finland), Sune Wentzel (Norway) and Mattias Nilsson (Sweden) made their international debuts.

Some memorable moments from the archive: 1982 in Brussels two different styles battled for the gold. The English ”high diff” pair of Conn Cummins and Adrian Wainwright displayed an amazing level of against the spin center delay moves. Cummins/Wainwright finished second to a very well choreographed co-op routine from Swedes Jan Ekman-Peter Jansson-Dan Rösmark.

Finland captured their first title in Colchester, England 1985. With a routine filled with flow and tempo Petri Isola and team mates Kari Vesala-Kari Kaivola earned gold. In 1986, the use of props reached a new level in a routine by Conn Cummins and the two Italians Claudio Collera and Rosa Fabrizio. With a large air filled globe they relate to the power of good vs. evil and with a good performance they got first place.

The last European Championship title went to Mika Nordman and Petri Isola (Finland). Unfortunately the interest of the tournament decreased and so the activity of the EFDA (which lead to that the European Overall Championships) hasn’t been held since then.   Many players also went to compete in America, but inevitable it was negative for freestyle in Europe. European players have always participated in tournaments in America at the WFC (World Frisbee Championships) in the late 70's and early 80s, and later at the US Open and WFDF. The representation of European players at the FPA Worlds have varied over the years, but the last five FPA Worlds have included Europeans.

How about American players participating in tournaments in Europe? I’m sad to say that no American freestyle specialist entered the 1989 WFDF in England! The Swedisc Open that was established in1993 has in a way taken over the role of the former European Championships. Swedisc Open is bi-yearly and in the 1995 tournament Americans Rick Sader-Chuck "Poodle Boy" Richards participated and got top honors.

Last year WFDF was held in Finland. It turned out to be the best level of any freestyle tournament ever held in Europe. American world class players entered: Dave Schiller, Tommy Leitner and Chuck Richards made up a team and got 1st place. Larry Imperiale and Bill Wright played with Norwegian Sune Wentzel and finished 3rd. The European teams managed to do well in the competition; Jan Ekman (Sweden), Visa Ruuhinen and Petri Isola (Finland) finished 2nd. The team of Reto Zimmerman (Switzerland), Karl-Christian Storz and Hartmund Wahrman (Germany) finished 4th. Swedish teams Roland Karlsson-Joakim Arveskär-Stefan Karlsson got 5th and Mattias Nilsson-Per Jonsson-Björn Ahlström 6th.

The tournament involved a lot of good performances, energetic jams and a lot of fun. There are many positive aspects with tournaments in Europe, and especially when non-Europeans (primarily Americans) participate. They serve as an inspiration for all players and raises the standard and interest of a tournament. I’m also quite certain that most of the American players mentioned above had an positive experience of coming to Europe to compete. Many Europeans are hopeful for good American participation at tournaments in the future.

The 1999 WFDF will be held in Kalmar, Sweden. Kalmar was the host of the 1997 Swedisc Open and the sites and arrangements were great. I would suggest that anyone who would like to experience something different should bookmark WFDF in Kalmar 1999. Hope to see you in Seattle in July.

Jan Ekman

janne.o.ninna.ekman@sundbyberg.mail.telia.com

"From the land of the midnight jams"