The Trilogy Challenge – Wot up wid it?
Updated: Jun 24, 2020
For the second year in a row, Vortica hosted the Trilogy Challenge in Christchurch, and for the first time, a tournament at Queenspark, in Parklands. And a fun time was had by all.
I really like the idea of the Trilogy Challenge: Get 3 discs, a T-shirt, a mini disc and an event for just $75? That’s a great bargain, and a social day out, to boot! What’s not to like?
I certainly can’t say no – not so much because I need discs (I really don’t!) – but for the social aspect of meeting new people, and old friends, and promoting the sport and competition in general.
The weather
A lovely Saturday dawned in Christchurch, which shouldn’t surprise anyone who knows anything about Christchurch weather. A sunny day with cool temperatures and an Easterly developing in the afternoon ensured that it was warm in the sun, and cool, then cold, in the shade.
The Challenge
Is to start the day with three entirely new discs; putter, midrange, and driver – and to finish the day with a decent score, maybe a prize and with some pride intact.
Because unless you are an experienced disc golfer, it can be a tricky task to throw a disc a few times and understand what it will do for you in different conditions.
In any case, part of the attraction of the event is the 3 discs, the mini and a t-shirt all being included for $75, which is very good value, because this year, the midrange and driver were in premium plastic, and the putter and mini were both Burst plastic.
The rounds
Because these are not PDGA sanctioned events, they are far more relaxed, and the idea of them is to ease people into the idea of competition without being harsh or punitive, on what is supposed to be a fun day.
So – no penalties for playing holes incorrectly, or in the wrong order, or for bad addition, or many other infractions found in the more formal PDGA, or National Tour events.
Co-sponsor Dave Rose of Gecko Disc Sports and myself set out early in the morning to establish the 9 additional holes we wanted for the course, and after stashing two more in the links-area we set out 7 more in the open playing fields – where the wind would become a major factor later in the day.
The TC Discs
The discs are the Westside Maiden, the Dynamic Discs Patrol and the Latitude 64 Musket for 2018.
In my view......
The Maiden Putter
Is a low-profile, small-beaded, stable putter able to handle a surprising amount of power from the teepad, and face down quite a bit of a headwind with relative impunity for well-thrown shots. Compared to the understable Deputy last year, this is a great improvement, and I could see many players adding this to their bag, if not as a putting putter, then as a throwing putter.
The Patrol Midrange
A much more understable offering. With a flight and glide like a lightly-used Gold Line Fuse, but a fraction faster through the air due to its more shallow profile.
A great straight disc downwind, and a far reaching turnover, or anhyzer disc in calm air, it’s easy to see why the more skilled players at the Challenge were avoiding it, and using the putter mostly. But for newer players and those with low armspeed, the Patrol offers long gentle flights, with a gentle fade to finish.
The Musket Driver
Is an almost entirely generic speed-10, slightly understable driver with good glide. It is well-made, but has nothing to distinguish it from many other discs in the same space.
Without enough stability to face any kind of headwind at speed, it was being sent out on very steep hyzer lines by hopeful players out on the windy open section of the course – with some chaotic outcomes resulting.
However, for the many non-experts in the field, this disc was holding hyzer lines, and providing good penetration into the headwind – something the Patrol just couldn’t do, and the Maiden struggled a bit with.
Playing with the Discs
Not being competitive in 2018, and in the tail end of my tennis elbow recovery after 6 months, I threw the discs a combined total of once each before I joined Robyn Agnew to defend our Mixed Doubles Trilogy Challenge title from 2017. And we started out hot, taking three birds on the trot.
But then things settled down a bit, and Robyn saved our bacon a few times, by making long putts for us, and we walked out with a 9-under which was sufficient to keep the mixed crown for another year.
The singles was a different story with my only highlight being a layup that turned into an Ace on hole 17.
Congrats to all who made it along and especially to the winners. Many thanks also go out to our sponsors this year:
Subway
Gecko Disc Sports
BP Connect QEII
Here's looking forward to next year which will see a Trilogy Challenge again in Christchurch and another at Lismore Park in Wanaka.
Full results below:
Doubles
Mixed
3rd Chris and Jenna 'Team Not Last' 54
2nd Pavel & Sabina 'Team Made in Czech' 51
1st Chris & Robyn 'Team Vortica' 45
Novice
3rd Grant and Isaac 'Team Cozz-2' 53
2nd Kieran and Jasper 'Team Parklands Lads' 51
1st Bryn & Scottie 'Team Hyzer City' 49
Advanced
3rd Max and Steve 'Team Coldfront' 43
2nd Ales and Tomas 'Team Czech Mate' 41
1st Jimmy and Andy 'Team Queenspark Rangers' 41
(winners after the 3rd playoff hole).
Singles
U16
3rd Noah Rose Christchurch 75
2nd Isaac Cosslett Christchurch 72
1st Josh Mason Christchurch 64
Women's Novice
2nd Michelle Nicholls Timaru 75
1st Jenna Guest Christchurch 65
Men's Novice
3rd Jason Ormandy Chch 59
2nd Jasper Van Der Meer Chch 58
1st Bryn Hill Chch 56
Women's Advanced
3rd Sabina Krieglerova Czech Republic 67
2nd Jess Blagen Chch 65
1st Robyn Agnew Wanaka 63
Men's Advanced
3rd Pete McKay Queenstown 49
2nd Tomas Dolezel Czech Republic 48
1st Andy Davy Wellington 47
