Parkes resident Ben Powlay has returned from his first ultimate frisbee tournament in the country undefeated and a state champion.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
And he only began playing the sport in Australia last September.
The Englishman has been playing ultimate frisbee for about 10 years, competing in Great Britain before joining Sydney and Dubbo teams after he moved to Australia.
Powlay received news in December that he had been selected to compete at the 2018 World Ultimate Club Championships in the US in July, representing the Sydney team of Colony.
The Eastern Regionals Ultimate Championships – otherwise known as the NSW/ACT titles – on March 3 and 4 in Canberra were officially his first taste of competition on Australian soil.
And he was eager to spend time and learn the playing styles of his Colony teammates.
Colony entered three teams – Colony Pillage which was the team selected to go to the world titles, a second grade side and a development squad – in the Eastern Regionals, which consisted of 24 teams from across the state and a team from Townsville.
Colony Pillage won all four of its pool games, qualifying with seven others for the quarter finals, which they also won against Wollongong 15-7.
They met their second grade comrades, Colony Plunder, in the semi-finals.
“That was a hard game – it was all fun and games until they were 3-0 upon us, then the friendly rivalry went out the door and we knuckled down,” Powlay laughed.
Their 15-9 victory took them to the finals against Newcastle, claiming the championships undefeated with a 15-8 win.
“I really enjoyed it...towards the end of the tournament the play was a high standard,” Powlay said.
“NSW is one of the stronger regions, especially Sydney areas.
“I got to spend time with the boys, being in Parkes I obviously miss out on regular week-day training.
“I’m one of three players from abroad on the team – there’s me and two Americans – and it was an opportunity for us to play for the first time as a team.
“It’s nice to claim you’re undefeated in Australia at the moment,” he laughed.
Powlay has had the opportunity to compare Australian competition to that in the UK and even in frisbee, he’s noticed there’s a sense of mateship in the sport.
“It’s very different to playing in the UK, there’s more flair and more athletics in Australia,” he said.
“There’s more focus on physical prowess and ‘throw it back to your mate’, rather than the emphasis on techniques and tactics in the UK.
“It’s slower...and in a way it’s less thoughtful.
“I definitely prefer the Australian style!”
The top six men’s teams from Eastern Regionals have now qualified for the Australian Ultimate Championships on the Gold Coast from April 26-29.
It’ll be a great test for Powlay at a higher level of competition.
“We’ll be going in as the team to beat which is always tough,” he said.
“Everyone prefers to be the underdog because it’s less pressure.
“I’m feeling okay.”
For the time being, Powlay will continue to focus on his pre-season training, concentrating on his strength and speed.
“I’m not throwing as much as I should be but I’m going to the gym four times a week and when I can, I travel to Dubbo on Mondays and Wednesdays for training sessions,” he said.
READ MORE:
