Paganello is a beach Ultimate and Freestyle tournament held every year at Easter in Rimini, Italy. This year there were 1200 disc players at the tournament, 80 Ultimate teams, from 18 different countries. These countries include: Slovakia, Hungary, Germany, France, England, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Italy, USA, Switzerland, Canada....Anyway you got the picture, it is an enormous tournament, and it is as fun as it is big!

While at Paganello I asked the freestylers to give me a few words about the tournament.

The first person I asked was Reto Zimmermann. As he gazed out onto the open sea and the clear blue sky, I knew it would be good!

"Paganello is the first jam after the Winter hibernation."
-Reto Zimmermann Switzerland

As I continued to have fun at the tournament I ran into a pair of Hungarians. It was late when I met them and got their quotes so maybe they aren't done hibernating quite yet.

"It's a great opportunity to show ultimate players what Freestyle is. The Italian organizers are very good. They are making Freestyle bigger and bigger each year. I started as an Ultimate player and picked up freestyle last year."
-Ferenc Orosz Hungary

"There aren't enough freestylers!"
-Balazs Bessenyei Hungary

Next:

"Hi there behind the ocean! Here's Juro and Andrej Turan from Slovakia. Next year you have to come. There is no tournament like Paganello! It's amazingly wonderful! (see you on the beach)"
-Andrej and Juro Turan Slovakia

Before getting Sune's words we had a discussion about remembering Fernando. He told me how Fernando always loved a party and that he was always smiling. Think of Fernando next time you jam!!

"I just love it! See ya next year! La Sam!"
-Sune Norway

These next ones should be good because they thought a long while about their quotes.

"The Paganello tournament is an enormous fantastic frisbee party!"
-Nina Ekman Sweden

"Meeting new people-exchanging experiences; building friendships; meeting old friends; maintaining, developing friendships."
-Jan Ekman Sweden

"Fun"
-Steve Scannell USA

"It's hein!"
-Nicki USA

"THIS DOESN'T SUCK!!!! Already the party of the year!!!"
-Paul Kenny USA

"We'll be back."
-Cheryl Kenny USA

"It's the best tournament I've ever been to, most enthusiastic crowd, most fun, and best conditions."
Dan Yarnell USA

"All the support and enthusiasm from the spectators inspired me to play in my zone of personal best. I had a great time! ....... I thank Dan from the bottom of my heart for sharing the stage with me."
-Anne Graves USA

"I'll come out of retirement anytime to play at Paganello! Questa si che Ž vita!"
-Gina Sample USA

"Probably the most fun, best jamming conditions and most hospitable and appreciative audience at a tournament I've ever attended! There must be 10 or more local Italian players that are on fire. Italy jammers get the "
most improved " award. FIVE STARS!!"
-Tommy Leitner USA

"All the love you can eat - with some `carico`(spin) thrown in for free! (carico: to charge like a battery)"
-Bob Boulware USA

"There is not a better disc experience on the planet!"
-Dan Magallanes USA

"Paganello, the rage of the year!!"
-Cindy Kruger USA

"It doesn't get any better than Paganello! Come and be part of all of it!"
-Jeff Kruger USA

Sadly I left Rimini on a sunny day after having jammed for 5 whole days. The parties were awesome. Clay, Lui, and Ale were great organizers and spiced up the Acrobatic Paganello 2000, Clay particularly was firing everyone up at every moment. Lui took care of all the problems (though there were few) and was always ready to give to make everyone happy.

The National TV was there. Famous personages from MTV Italia were filming the disc players all day Saturday. Clay and I were featured on the news at 1pm Easter Sunday. The maid at my Hotel exclaimed as I was going out of my room: "I saw you on TV!"

Each night the party got better. My mom, my sister and I had our first night out at an Italian disco. Imagine dancing among 700 or more disc players! Every direction you turned you heard people speaking a different language! Every one was laughing. They each laughed in their own language!

The Semi's were held at the disco. When the four teams did their routines not one eye was away from the disc: every Ultimate player was watching intently. Many had never seen disc action like what was pulled off. The song "Freestylers" chosen by Larry, Sune and, Paul carried attention to Olympic heights. There was no background chatter during the competition. The cheering was louder than the disco music especially when Reto delayed the disc on his teeth.

At the beach the crowd was great, and enthusiastic, there were plenty of diverse dance and musical presentations going on between, before, and after the Freestyle competition. All n' all it was the best tournament I've ever been to!

-Rohre Titcomb USA

www.freestyle-frisbee.com