2014 Pro Flight Finale Moved to Washington's Emerald City Classic

June 27, 2014 (Boulder, Colo.) – Due to the severe drought conditions being experienced throughout California, the 2014 Pro Flight Finale has been relocated from the Santa Cruz Labor Day Championships to the Seattle area’s Emerald City Classic, USA Ultimate announced today. The drought conditions caused the fields that were intended for use at the University of California-Santa Cruz and those in the surrounding area to become unsafe for play.

"We are extremely saddened that the city of Santa Cruz is experiencing one of the worst droughts in its history," said Labor Day co-tournament director Danny Karlinsky. "Thus, the University of California, Santa Cruz has made the decision to not irrigate the fields in order to conserve the precious water the city has, and the fields will be unsafe to play on at the time of the Labor Day Championships. We appreciate everyone's support and look forward putting in a bid to host next year and overcoming the first cancellation in LD history."

After it was announced on May 30 that the Labor Day Championships may be cancelled, extensive investigation into possible alternative field sites in California began. When it was determined there were no suitable options in the area, input was gathered from the Club Working Group and team council representatives, and the Emerald City Classic was determined to be the best available alternative to host this year’s Pro Flight Finale. The tournament will still take place over Labor Day Weekend, August 30-31, and will be held at Skagit River Park in Burlington.

USA Ultimate greatly appreciates the hard work of the organizing committee in Santa Cruz and their tireless efforts in trying to find an alternate site over the last month and looks forward to working with Seattle Riot and DiscNW as organizers of the Emerald City Classic.

"We are excited to bring this premier event to the Puget Sound and expand upon the long-standing tradition of competitive play at the Emerald City Classic," said Seattle Riot captain Gwen Ambler. "Being a part of the Triple Crown Tour offers incredible opportunities to share the top club talent in the nation with the largest youth scene in the nation here in Seattle. Both the top-notch fields and supportive local community are eager to receive players and fans at this year's Pro Flight Finale."

USA Ultimate is communicating with competing teams about the changes and working to make the transition as smooth as possible. As it becomes available, additional information will be posted on the USA Ultimate website at usaultimate.org or on the Emerald City Classic event page.

Have any questions or comments? We welcome community feedback and discussion made in a respectful manner. Please refrain from profanity or personal attacks, as such public comments negatively reflect on our sport and community.