USA Ultimate Nationals Returns to Sarasota after a four-year hiatus this Fall
Sarasota, Fla. (Feb. 6, 2017)—USA Ultimate, the National Governing Body for the sport of ultimate in the United States, announced on February 1, 2017 that the 2017 National Championships will be in Sarasota, Florida. The 2017 National Championships will be held Oct. 19-22 at the Premier Sports Campus at Lakewood Ranch and co-hosted by the Sarasota County Sports Commission and Tampa Bay Ultimate.
USA Ultimate defines ultimate as “Player defined and controlled non-contact team sport played with a flying disc on a playing surface with end zones in which all actions are governed by the ‘Spirit of the Game™”
“We are thrilled that USA Ultimate has chosen to bring the National Championships back to Sarasota,” said Rob Wells, Director of Sports, Sarasota County Sports Commission. “We look forward to once again welcoming all the players and fans.”
This fall marks the return of the National Championships to Sarasota after a four-year hiatus. The event was held in Sarasota for 13 consecutive years (2000-2012) before moving to Frisco, Texas (2013-15).
“Knowing the popularity and history of Sarasota with our club division athletes and teams, USA Ultimate is excited to be returning this fall,” commented USA Ultimate Chief Executive Officer Tom Crawford. “We’re looking forward to co-hosting the event at an entirely new, world-class venue with an excellent infrastructure and working alongside a new partner in Tampa Bay Ultimate. We’re also honored to again have the support of longtime friends at the Sarasota County Sports Commission, who worked tirelessly to bring back the National Championships.”
The USA Ultimate National Championships represent the pinnacle of elite ultimate in North America and crowns champions in three divisions: men’s, mixed and women’s. Last year, Boston swept all three titles: Boston Ironside (men), Boston Slow White (mixed) and Boston Brute Squad (women) enter the 2017 season as defending champions. The National Championships also serve as the third and final leg of USA Ultimate’s Triple Crown Tour, following the U.S. Open and Pro Flight Finale.
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Located on Southwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, Sarasota County offers a vibrant arts and cultural scene, a diverse array of culinary experiences and a variety of opportunities to take advantage of the clear waters and the great outdoors. Sarasota County provides the quintessential, laid-back beach getaway with numerous sprawling, white-sand beaches, including Siesta Key Beach, named the top beach in America by TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice™ in 2015. For more information on visiting Sarasota County, visit www.visitsarasota.org or call (800) 522-9799.
