UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 09 JULY
Over a thousand participants from more than 20 countries will take part in the 2024 World Junior Ultimate Championships (WJUC) at Birmingham City University (BCU) this month.
Forty teams will compete in Women’s, Open and Mixed divisions over seven days of competition from Sunday 21 July at BCU’s sports headquarters in Perry Barr.
“Hosting the WJUC is a great chance to see elite sport at our excellent facilities,” said Mark Jeffreys, Director of Sport and Physical Activity at BCU.
“BCU has invested greatly into sport recently, in particular at the Alexander Stadium and the soon-to-be-built Beach Volleyball Centre at our facilities in Moor Lane.
“We want to provide opportunities not just for students but for the community in Birmingham – and events like the World Junior Ultimate Championships can hopefully inspire young people across the region to take up a new sportand see the benefits it can bring.”
Ultimate, originally known as ultimate frisbee, is a non-contact sport made up of two teams of seven competing on a playing field about the same length as a football pitch but narrower.
At each end of the playing field there is an end zone. Each team defends one end zone and attempts to score a goal by catching the disc in the opposite end zone.
Great Britain Under-20 Open Team captain Innes Rose-Price, who plays for national champions Chevron Action Flash in Birmingham, is excited to be competing in front of a home crowd.
“Over the last few years, I have represented Great Britain abroad but not in the UK,” said the 18-year-old from Exeter. “I could not be more thrilled for WJUC in Birmingham.
“Having friends and family being able to spectate, and being able to represent the home country, makes me proud and excited to play at an international championship.”
Mollie Williams, just 16 from Derby, is captain of the Great Britain’s Women’s team playing at WJUC.
“We’re all so excited to play at the 2024 WJUC,” she said. “A tournament on home turf makes it extra special because we know people closer to home can support us in person.”
BCU has been an important partner of UK Ultimate for the past 20 years.
Si Hill, CEO of UK Ultimate, said: “We are delighted to be with working with BCU to bring some of the best young players in the world to Birmingham.
“The university has been a valued and longstanding partner of UK Ultimate events and we’re preparing to deliver a world-class event that can inspire athletes, volunteers and spectators.”
Tickets for the Under-20 event at The Pavilion in Moor Lane cost as little as £5, but spectators can secure entry for all seven days of action for just £45.
There is also free parking. To find out more, visit https://www.wjuc.sport/
Photo credit: Carl Mardell