Wildwood XXVI begins in about 6 hours when the 308 teams (and counting) square off in 19 pools of 16 teams each for the world’s largest 4-on-4 beach ultimate tournament. I’m at the registration party on Friday night where the libidinous teenagers and savvy college kids match up on the party grounds of New Jersey’s finest boardwalk enterainment.
The boardwalk scene at Wildwood is pure Americana, battered in lard, fattened on easy living, primed for a weekend of low-effort entertainment. Large amusement park rides, silly little carnival games and an endless barrage of fried foods await the the packs of traveling Americans, groups of familes and friends who descend upon this sanctioned party land like schools of fish investigating a sorority cruise.
Enter the Ultimate scene. Its an uninhibited bacchanalia of well-bred manners, a frolicking of the cultists attracted to ultimate, the sport. Mostly college kids, some teenagers, a handful of oldsters but its basically the introduction to “this is Ultimate! We party like we dont care!”
One of the Tournament Director’s, Mike Adlis, is more than happy to accomodate the fun times. Here at Wildwood, you can be young for a long, long time and it’s all good.
“Some teams are coming down on a six to eight hour drive, so we keep the party open late. That way you don’t miss anything!”
Indeed, its 1:45 am when the registration packs it in.
OK, well, its 2:40 now and they are kicking me at the bar. Back to the hotel, one of the few not overpriced….
The good times flow freely. At the registration party where some (usually most) members of a team must come to register their team and thus be qualified to play tomorrow, the craziness is in the air.
“How do they fucking throw a frisbee that good??” explaims the bartender, watching the TV screens filled with the highlights of last year’s games
The Americans travel in packs, whether with their families or their friends. The wander up an down the wooden slats.
