Dubbo frisbee player Bridget Kaitler can't wait for hundreds of Australia's best to descend on Dubbo this weekend, and hopes the city will embrace the sport.
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More than 500 players will converge on Lady Cutler Ovals from 8am on Saturday for the Eastern Regional Championships - the NSW and ACT qualifier for the National Championships.
Among them will be two western NSW teams - the Gypsies (women's) and Nomads (men's) - as well as two sides from Singapore, 2018 World Club runners-up Colony (Sydney) and more than a dozen Australian Ultimate League professionals.
The Gypsies boasts a record ten Dubbo Ultimate Frisbee Federation players.
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"This weekend will be a terrific opportunity to play - and watch - some of the best frisbee Australia has to offer, right here in Dubbo," said Kaitler, who was a founding member of the Gypsies in 2016 but makes her leadership debut this weekend.
"The Gypsies and Nomads are excited to put their best foot forward representing Dubbo and western NSW."
The Gyspies open their account against the sixth seed Factory Fire (Canberra), before facing two strong Sydney sides in Hills and Manly.
The Nomads face Krank (Wollongong), Fyshwick Unit (Canberra), Work Bench (Sydney) and Newcastle I-Beam on Saturday.
Sunday will consist of cross-over matches followed by finals.
A total of 33 teams are registered across the women's and men's divisions, and 539 players.
Based on Dubbo Regional Council's average domestic overnight visitor spend, the tournament is expected to inject more than $100,000 into the local economy.
SOME GAMES TO WATCH:
- Sydney Colony Mutiny (top men's seed) v Bench Ultimate (5) - Field 12, 11.30am Saturday
- Sydney Colony Uprising (2) v Townsvillians (6) - Field 3, 11.30am Saturday
- GWS Blaze (top women's seed) v Havoc (5) - Field 11, 2.20pm Saturday
- Manly Ultimate Club (2) v Factory Fire (6) - Field 16, 11.30am Saturday
- Women's final - 12.20pm Sunday, Field TBC
- Men's final - 13.50pm Sunday, Field TBC
Tournament director Lynton Auld said it would be the biggest Eastern Regionals tournament ever held.
"It's amazing getting such a strong field of ultimate teams travelling to Dubbo," he said.
"The quality of play we’ll get to see will be outstanding. We’ve got 33 teams … competing for a small number of places at the Division 1 National Championships in Townsville in April.
"Competition will be fierce, skill levels will be extraordinary and the high-quality fields of Lady Cutler and Hans Claven will make for great spectating.”
The local hopes
GYPSIES (WOMEN): Bridget Kaitler ©, Jen Hoar ©, Ash Mornement, Jay Yambao, Dannah Vincent-Cross, Sasha Brook, Hayley Brooks, Amy Sturrock, Karen James, Jess Mepstead (Dubbo), Lauren Turrell (Armidale), Ellie Hawkins (Parkes), Clare Stuart (Orange), Danielle Gibbs (Cowra) and Kristy Kimber (Lithgow).
NOMADS (MEN): James Hart, Jordan Smith, Greg Reid, Andrew Melville, Mitch Lincoln, Aidan Shields, Callum Auld, Paul Schroder, Jarod Dashwood (Dubbo), Jordan Smith (Parkes), Brendan Stuart (Orange), Michael Craigie (Canberra), Mathew Dunn (Narrabri), Jonathan Tatham (Newcastle) and Amir Eyal (Sydney).