The World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) Lagoda Disc Golf Club, are excited to present the WFDF 2021 European Team Disc Golf Championships (ETDGC) in Varaždin northern Croatia. This event will be WFDF’s inaugural event for European disc golf teams and we extend invitations to all European member National Federations and their Disc Golf Associations to register.
The ETDGC will be hosted over 4 days from Wednesday 18th of August to Saturday 21st August on a temporary 18-hole course located on the Drava river embankment. The course will be open for practice from Monday 16th August.
Teams should not make travel plans until AFTER the official bid list with teams is published AFTER 21st June 2021 as uncertainties around the covid pandemic remain.
ETDGC will be PDGA Pro/Am Team XC-Tier event.
LOCAL ORGANISING COMMITTEE (LOC)
Lagoda Disc Golf Club is dedicated to the growth and development of Disc Golf with a focus of organizing international events that are run professionally. Dinko Simenc and his organizing team are committed to creating an amazing experience for all participants. With the experience of hosting over 60 international Disc Golf tournaments the ETDGC in Varaždin is sure to provide an experience both on and off the course and will be centered around delivering an amazing experience and creating a fun atmosphere, with all the essential facilities. The ETDGC is proudly supported by the Croatian Flying Disc Federation, the City of Varaždin and the Varaždin City Tourist Board.
EVENT DATES
The length of the tournament will be dependent on the amount of teams and number of rounds needed to be played. The ETDGC will be hosted over 2-4 days.
Preliminary schedule (based on 4 day tournament):
● Monday 16th August - Course open for practice. Practice sessions should be booked in advance.
● Tuesday 17th August - Registration, Players Briefing and Opening Ceremony. (virtual)
● Wednesday 18th August – Saturday 21st August - Round play.
● Saturday 21st August - Semi Finals and Finals, Medal Ceremony and Closing Ceremony.
It is expected that all teams will attend the Players Briefing and Opening Ceremony virtually online. More details will be made available closer to the event. Please plan your time accordingly. Adjustments will be made to the schedule if weather causes delays so that all competition is complete by afternoon on Saturday 21st August. The schedule / days will be confirmed after the 21st June.
Further info is available at the event program page.
LOCATION & VENUE MAPS
The inaugural European Team Disc Golf Championships will be held in the northern part of Croatia in the city of Varaždin located on the southern bank of the River Drava. One of the most attractive destinations to visit with a city rich in history with lovely parks and gardens.
Varaždin is located 90 kilometers from Zagreb International airport so participants can choose to arrive by private or public transport with airport shuttles costing €20-€30 per person. Other airports further away such as Maribor, Graz, Ljubljana, Rijeka, Budapest and Vienna could also be used.
The event will take place on a temporary 18-hole world class disc golf course that is currently in design. The course will be finalised after team registration closes. Additional info is available at the course page.
The weather in Croatia in August is forecast as hot and dry with an average of 14.5 hours of sunshine per day.
ACCOMMODATION & TRANSPORT
Travel and hotel costs will be a major part of your expenses to participate at this event. The LOC has worked hard to get special group rates and packages at a variety of options in the area.
Accommodation bookings through the LOC are not mandatory, but it is recommended to use service of LOC and partner Tourist Agency DMK Vall 042.
Accommodation at hotels will average €35-€45 per person per night for Bed and Breakfast while hostel options will start around €20, or 15€ in private accommodation (apartment or houses) per person for those on a budget.
Teams are reminded that they should only book their accommodation (private or through the LOC) and flights after WFDF’s Covid-19 Working Group agrees the event can proceed. Any decisions will be emailed to teams prior to fee collection in June.
A detailed travel plan will be outlined when the amount of teams (not driving), and the amount staying at official accommodations is known.
We are expecting a lot of teams to drive with private cars especially for those who are coming from the European Disc Golf Championships (EDGC) in the Czech Republic the week prior. On request, a van shuttle or a group bus transport can be arranged by the LOC from Konopiste (EDGC venue) to Varaždin (ETDGC venue).
Additional transport option for those competing at EDGC in Konopiste is a summer holidays train connection from Prague to Croatian Adriatic coast.
Further info is available at accommodation page and transport page.
FOOD
Breakfast is included as part of the B&B rate if teams choose to book accommodation through the LOC.
Teams that book the Hostel or other private room bookings will need to arrange their own breakfast.
There is food available for sale during the day in the township at the many local cafes and take away restaurants.
FEE STRUCTURE
Team fee will be USD $125 per team. Players fees will be approximately $55 per player and will be confirmed once the amount of teams coming and the amount of days the tournament is known. (June 21st). If there are less teams, there will be an adjustment to the players fee.
All payments are to be made online and are in US $ currency (USD$). Bank and transaction fees are at the cost of the payer. The team and players fees are not refundable, however can be transferred to another team cost or other player. WFDF will invoice teams for all monies due and will provide to the LOC in monthly installments per the budget.
In the event that the event needs to be postponed or cancelled due to reasons continuing from effects of the pandemic or for any other reason, the TOC agrees to transfer all unspent funds as a credit for the 2022 World Team Disc Golf Championships, also to be held in Varaždin.
The LOC will make the event costs as low as possible to encourage as many European teams to attend as possible however there are fixed costs and that is why there are fees attached to the event.
KEY TIMELINES
● Team pre-registration - Friday 28th May, 2021.
All nations who are intending to send a team to ETDGC must fill out the online expression of Interest form (EOI) so that WFDF and the LOC know the amount of teams and the size of event to expect and plan for.
● Team registration and fees due - Friday 18th June, 2021.
Team and player fees will be due with a commitment as to the amount of players your team will send to ETDGC. You will be invoiced.
We have set the deadlines on payment dates so that you can commit to attending without having to pay before we can totally confirm that the event will take place. Once the event has been confirmed – which may be before June 21st - we may move the payment date forward. In these complex times we hope that this is a helpful strategy and will avoid unnecessary payments and refunds.
TEAM & DIVISIONS
All WFDF member National Federations from Europe are invited to participate in ETDGC, as are their national Disc Golf Associations. It is not a requirement that players hold a PDGA membership.
WFDF World Ranking Points will be awarded to every team that attends with bonus points available the higher up the event table a team finishes.
Each team will be allocated 3 World Ranking Points for participation.
Points shall also be awarded for finishing places at ETDGC - Each place shall be awarded 2 x the number of teams who attend the event. For example if there were 12 teams then first place would be awarded 12 x 2, second place 11 x 2 etc.
As of July 13th teams registered for the event are Austria, Croatia, Finland, France, Great Britain, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.
Further info is available at Teams and registrations page.
FORMAT
The format of the event will be decided once teams have registered. If there are 9 or less teams then the overall format will be a round robin competition between all countries. If there are 10 or more teams then a Group system will be devised with seedings based on current World Rankings.
Team structure will be modified from what is common at World Team Disc Golf Championships, as due to the restrictions being applied across Europe for C-19 and the differences in vaccination programmes for Juniors it was decided to change the team format to the following: 4 x MPO, 1 x FPO and 1 x MP40.
For all teams that wish to include a junior in their MPO selection that is at your own choice of course. They will be subject to the same conditions and regulations as all other players and should feel safe in travelling and competing in the event. If they require parental permission then that will be your responsibility to make sure that is given.
Should EDGC be cancelled or postponed further WFDF would exercise the right to reduce team numbers so that a maximum number of countries could still take part.
The competition format will follow previous WTDGC events with a combination of Doubles and Singles Matchplay rounds played against the equivalent seeds from competing teams - For example FPO and MPM from Germany versus FPO and MPM from France. Further detail will be given once teams have registered.
Further info is available at format and rules page.
DISPENSATION CLAUSE
WFDF recognises that some countries will want to enter the event but may not be able to put a full team together for many reasons. We want to encourage as many teams and players as possible from around Europe to attend the event and are committed to the principles of inclusion.
Each team can substitute an athlete in the MP40 or FPO divisions with any player who does not have a PDGA Rating above the 75th centile in the top quadrant of the division that they are replacing. Guidance on specific ratings for 2021 will be given as member countries apply for dispensation. Any players who do not hold a PDGA membership or have a PDGA rating will be able to substitute in.
BORDER ENTRIES
We encourage each and every team to make specific enquiries about obtaining a visa to enter Croatia and to inform yourselves about any Covid-19 related restrictions. You are responsible for obtaining the correct paperwork to visit Croatia to compete at ETDGC 2021. Any and all costs associated with travel, visas and border entries are the full responsibility of the player.
Current information on the conditions of entry into the Republic of Croatia can be found here.
Please note that we can not provide specific advice on the process, but we do strongly recommend that you get started as soon as possible.
HEALTH & MEDICAL
All event participants are recommended to obtain travel insurance prior to booking hotels or flights and health insurance before leaving your home country.
WFDF and the ETDGC LOC does not provide coverage for participants. There are always risks associated with playing Disc Golf and travelling abroad. Although ETDGC will have a medical plan to deal with first aid and any injuries that happen at ETDGC, there may be injuries or illness in which players need medical attention that requires emergency visits to local hospitals.
WFDF and the LOC kindly request that all players and event participants acknowledge these risks and understand that WFDF and the LOC cannot be held liable for any risk or cost associated with injury or bad health at ETDGC. All event participants should alleviate some personal financial liability by purchasing your own travel and health insurance to make sure you are covered for any medical issues or event cancellations that could arise.
PANDEMIC CONSIDERATIONS
Over the past 18 months the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have created uncertainty about hosting sports events and created travel restrictions globally. WFDF postponed the WFDF World Team Disc Golf Championships to 2022 and the WFDF Disc Golf Committee explored and agreed that utilizing inter-continental travel bubbles during this unprecedented time of travel created an opportunity to host regional events such as ETDGC.
WFDF’s Covid-19 Working Group (C19WG) will continue to monitor the situation within Europe and will work with the LOC to ensure that national and local governmental and health agency advice and criteria for hosting sports events are met in full. Only if and when the Working Group is satisfied that it is possible to host ETDGC while keeping all players safe, will the event go ahead.
It is likely that some of the restrictions placed upon Disc Golf athletes during the pandemic will continue as good practice in the coming year. Any updated guidelines published by WFDF and PDGA will be a part of the process needed to ensure that all athletes, staff and volunteers are kept as safe as possible at ETDGC. Social distancing, face mask use, virtual briefings and non-contact scoring will all form part of the covid hygiene plan.
INFORMATION
If you have urgent questions, please email the WFDF Director of Events and Operations Karina Woldt.
Looking forward to seeing all of you in Varaždin for the WFDF 2021 European Team Disc Golf Championships. Please do not hesitate to contact us at any time if you have any questions.
Primary contact for this event is the WFDF Events Team through Karina Woldt who will answer your questions or find out more information to share with you from Dinko and Charlie. As questions come in, we will prepare a FAQ to share with all of the teams. We are very much looking forward to seeing as many European Teams as possible in Varaždin later this year.
