2009 World Footbag Championships in Berlin Germany

30th Annual IFPA footbag World Championships, Berlin Germany. July 19-25th, 2009

Article By Jay Boychuk

Worlds 2009 began for most following the rumours spread from Worlds 2008 in Prague. Somehow, the men behind the curtain of footbag let it be known that the 30th Annual Footbag World Championships would be held in a city that a decade earlier brought the European Championships to Germany.

One year later, on July 13th the mandatory online registration closed with the biggest attendance of Freestyle Footbag competitors in history. A total 273 players, from 28 countries led to a total of 69 and 67 competitors for open routines and circle competitions, respectively. After last years change in World Champion for both events, all were eagerly anticipating the showdown for the top seats of the world.

Day one began with the check in, the nervous encounters, smiles, hugs and laughter from a group of the most eager footbaggers in the world. As you walked down Schlesische Strasse, and headed towards the event site road signs were plastered over with “Footbag WM” (Footbag Weltmeisterschaft, or World Championships) and you suddenly knew you were located exactly where you needed to be. Cobblestone beneath your feet, dining tents on the left, a sports complex with a gym, tennis court, turf soccerfield all on your right, and a sandy sitting area for relaxation. Decorative signs labelled “2 Square”, “Net”, “Freestyle” all let you know what direction you should be headed, but first you started out with registration. A handful of the hardworking FC Footstar club got your name and music, in return for a Worlds Bracelet, and a useful players pack that contained your bible for the week.

The first official shred of the week took place, with even the greats not holding back. Instantly circles with players such as Anssi Sundberg, Damian Gielnicki and Juho Marjo, threw down their gear, and began to do what many players go to Worlds for, sideline shred. Relaxing reggae tunes were playing in the background, to get the week rolling. Everyone met that night at Spreebar, a bar right along a river with food, drinks and construction art for discussion. Little footbag was seen, for groups of footbaggers crowded concentrically in groups from Steve Goldberg, and distantly to the dance floor. Before anyone knew it, Monday began and freestyle competitions were afoot.

Day two began bright and early, as groggy players filtered into the event site, and straight into a judging clinic. Vasek was yet to be seen, and gossip had already begun. By 15:00, the intermediate freestyle competitions had already begun. Players such as England’s first worlds competitor, Matt Bailey, and long time East Coast USA hero Ted Fritsch held the crowd attentive. Next up was Request contest, which started with three large pools of players, unaware of what Ianek Regimbald had prepared for them. Killer rounds requested players to do combos such as flurry to pixie ducking mirage, or pixie double legover to symposium eggbeater. As predicted and well deserved, Milan “Megatron” Benda became the World Champion of the Request competition. As soon as the sun was setting, it became apparent to anyone still freestyling that vicious 2-square battles had conquered the tennis court surface. 2-square legends such as Wiktor Debski, Steve Goldberg and Szymon Kalwak dug, collided and argued their way into the top ten. The party of the night was held in a nearby park, where the crew set up many cases of beer, benches and atmosphere for the night to unfold.

Day three had already settled the pace and routine for the week to come. The Berlin crew had settled a fantastic deal with food caterers, which supplied daily breakfast and lunch for all of those who bared the official Worlds Bracelet and Bible. Typical German foods such as bread rolls, nutella  and cold cuts for breakfast, additionally Goulasch and Schnitzel for lunch were served. Watermelon, bananas and other fruit were free to enjoy   at your leisure, and on site carbonated and still water to fill up your water bottles. No player went starved or thirsty, a great feat from the organizers. 17 pools of circle had to be ranked, organized and judged over 6 hours in the sun. One of the best runs of the tournament executed by Olaf Piwowar was done in the density round, with many fearless, ending on double spinning clipper to big apple had the crowd going wild. Every semifinal pool was a pool of death, and the qualifying competitors of day three struggled for the opportunity to be a part of it. A great party venue was sealed, which went by the name of “YAAM”. A V.I.P style entrance way lead players into a partial beach, basketball and marketplace for a night of partying. Anssi Sundberg and Nick Landes were the spotlight players for freestyle footbag, entertaining footbaggers and Berlin natives alike. Nemesii, alpine drifters, symposium whirling swirling dragons and whirlwinds were all tools used in the two man circle which captivated many.

Day four came far more quickly than anyone had realized, and Worlds was already half over. However, the crunch and dedication of serious freestylers was all on the line, as Open routines was on the agenda. Dropless routines by Ken Somolinos, and by a happy go lucky Dan Ednie set the pressure for everyone’s goal of perfection. Out of the 69 players, only 24 would advance to the semifinals, which set the top seat of each pool in everyone’s sights. After another 6 hours of judging Open routines, Womens Semi-finals began, with female dropless performances. A very high level of play existed among the several women’s circles, with players from all over the world. Then the add crunching began, where Shred 30 semifinals had scores higher than Worlds 2008 finalists, including former World Champion Tuomas Riisalo. Then, the moment that all of us had been waiting for was here. The video contest, with 9 entries from many of the sports best. Not unexpectedly Jere Vainikka’s “Reindeer Games” entry won the contest. The 6 minute video had 3 minutes of a comedic story line, and 3 minutes of high definition shred from Juho Marjo, Mikko Lepistö and Pekka Raitio hitting combos such as Whirr to Blurry Torque repeat, and massive tricks such as montage rake. Other entries such as “The good, the bag and the injured” also tied footbag and comedy together, while entries such as “Invazion” by Phil Morrison included dense shred.

Day Five began with a record number of scratches, as alphabetically Dan Ednie called out the names for 53 competitors, and having less than 25 actually compete. This years big 3 format  allowed for 9 total attempts, so long as you had hit a combo on your 3rd and 6th try to advance. Great players such as Tuukka Antikainen skillfully layed down combos such as “toe stall to toe stall to toe stall”, and others such as Jan Weber simply hit Blurry ducking double down to paradox torque to food processor, first try to seal his place in finals. Later in the day, everyone gathered round in 100% anticipation, for 16 players were about to battle it out for their spot in circle finals. Tough calls by judges in decisions   such as Honza versus Gielnicki, Milan versus Phil Morrison ended up in a finals circle of Gielnicki, Vasek, Milan and Serge Kaldany. Everyone knew it was coming nearer and nearer to crunch time, as Open Routines semifinals were first up for the next day, and that evening at the Glashaus, intermediate finals were to be held. The judging panel all wearing their official black shirts, and a complete stage with hundreds of seats each performer was about to show the world exactly what they had been preparing for. Ted Fritsch had a total of 4 drops, one of his best performances ever which had complete crowd enthusiasm, placing him fifth.  Jan Drudga won intermediate routines, representing the Czech Republic, Matt Bailey took second representing the UK, and Mike Brassel took third representing Switzerland.

Day Six started off with routines, where Australian, New Zealand, Polish, Czech, Finnish and all other country champions came on one gym stage to get the top two seats in their respective pools, to make it to finals. Vasek proved yet again that he was indeed a six time world champion, hitting spinning swirl to stepping ducking, pixie blacula, montage, gyro eggbeater, whirrs and double spinning all within one routine. Damian put together a remix of his qualification and finals routine which put immense pressure between Anssi Sundberg and Marcin Bujko, both great players within one pool. In womens circle finals, Tina Aeberli showed everyone yet again that she is indeed the Swiss Miss, slaughtering her competition. A day full of dense competition, Sick 3 finals also were held where Norek became world champion, hitting beta bedwetter to fusion to food processor, unseating the former champion Olaf Piwowar also from Poland, who hit fusion to food processor to big apple. Circle contest was ready to begin, as everyone sat around in complete awe because they knew this would be the only time they could really see what the tops were made of. Extreme pressure, where 2 phases making 6 rounds was all you had to show your skills. One bad run, and you were immediately out of the top seat. Vasek’s initial run was longer than a routine, being 2 minutes and 45 seconds without any mercy for his competitors. You could truly see the waves of his thought process, as he went from concept to concept, and link to link go from varying intensity. In time for him to seal the run with a handcatch, all other competitors were cold, exactly Vasek’s plan. Despite this, Milan, Serge and Gielnicki held their own hitting great runs, truly high variety and density alike. However, when push came to shove it was obvious that Vasek was to be the 2009 world champion, hitting less than a handful of BOPs within the entire density round, over one hundred contacts in three runs.

The last day of worlds was really a slow one, as everyone had to come to terms with the fact that the best week of the year was about to conclude. Many an ankle were sore, shin splints abound, muscle cramps ached and everyone knew it was the last day of worlds, and that they could relax because only 20 of the 273 competitors had to do what they do best. The arena was really a perfect venue for footbaggers and spectators alike.   You walked in through an entrance of large shipping containers, right alongside the river and into an urban feeling arena with planetfootbag shops and a large stadium with seating for the 2000 expected spectators. Slowly as the net finals battled it out, on live streaming for the entire world to see the stands filled with the locals and footbaggers alike. A live beatboxer, coupled with a few electronic devices put on a powerful show before finals, where he improvised some great music with interesting variety. He paved the way for Shred 30, as players filtered onto the stage and did runs for the crowd as he invented his music.Finally, Tina Aeberli secured her spot as Female Champion, opening a routine with Whirligig to a great mash up of popular music. Milan Benda took his second world title scoring 262 points, and Finland definitely represented by taking 5 of the top 10 spots. The multiple camera angles, big screen projection and smoke machines all created a great buildup for the final 8 competitors. A single dropless routine marked the now 7 time world Champion, Vasek Klouda to his rightful spot. Damian performed an extremely artistically captivating routine to a piano piece, which was also extremely audience friendly, placing him second.

Overall worlds 2009 was an extremely breakthrough event for footbag. With a footbag-sized budget they managed to run a world class event, with a top notch footbag facility, great accommodation and punctuality. At this worlds, every semifinals was a death pool. Fierce competition allowed only the most prepared, and deserving players to take their spot in footbag history. The Berlin crew certainly raised the bar for Worlds to come, whose location for the years to come is still unknown.

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