Huntington Beach to host national ultimate frisbee competition

Huntington Beach is known for surfing and beach volleyball on the sand, but a different sport will make its way there this year.

USA Ultimate, the national governing body for ultimate frisbee, announced Thursday that this year’s USA Ultimate Beach Championships will take place May 13 and 14 in Huntington Beach.

This is the first time the tournament will be held on the West Coast. Since its inception in 2015, it has been held in Virginia Beach.

The USA Ultimate Beach Championships also return after being canceled in 2020 and ’21 due to the coronavirus pandemic. They will be hosted by California Ultimate in partnership with Visit Huntington Beach, and California Ultimate’s Grant Boyd will serve as the tournament director.

“California Ultimate is proud to bring Beach Nationals to the West Coast for the first time,” Boyd said in a statement. “While constantly innovating programs and events to bring awareness to the game we love, Beach Nationals is the perfect fit for California, which already plays host to several major tournaments and leagues. We look forward to providing a fantastic event for athletes from across the country as they compete on one of the best beaches in the world.”

It will be the first of two major beach ultimate frisbee tournaments in Huntington Beach this year. Surf City is also set to host the 2023 World Flying Disc Federation World Beach Ultimate Championships, which will run Oct. 28 through Nov. 4.

Teams interested in the USA Ultimate Beach Championships must submit the online application by Feb. 10. For a division to be held, at least six teams must register by the team registration deadline.

USA Ultimate will be adding two new age divisions this year: Great Grand Masters Women’s (women ages 47 and up) and Grand Masters Mixed (a minimum age limit of 40 for men and 37 for women).

Ultimate frisbee is popular in coastal Orange County, including Huntington Beach. Lei Out, a beach ultimate tournament with more of a party vibe, returns to Huntington State Beach next weekend, Jan. 14 and 15.

Boyd also serves as the tournament director for Lei Out.

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