Results

Beach Invitational at Sandhill II (aka X-treme Monkeyball)
Kidle Beach -- Mears, MI
August 24, 2008

After a two-year hiatus, the 8-person Beach Invitational at Sandhill returned for its second running. Two years later we had some new faces and new throwing styles – Arvind Gowda took two matches to OT using a new strategy called “cupping the balls.” But in the end, the tournament came to the same conclusion: #18 Dan Kidle wins gold, and #20 Matt Young takes silver. Rookie Brad Chase had an impressive showing, taking the bronze after defeating girlfriend Safia Ziani and Worlds veteran Katie McFadden before falling to Young in the loser’s bracket final.

The story of the day was not Kidle’s undefeated run to the title, nor was it Young’s premature celebration while up 9-2 in the final match; rather, it was the WIND. Strong, persistent gusts required serious muscle when throwing to the north ladders and a delicate touch when throwing to the south. Perhaps having to deal with the wind at the 2008 Worlds benefited veterans Kidle, Young, and McFadden as they took three of the top four spots in the tourney.