VM-optakt: Nick & the Kiwis

Hvem har verdens bedste ultimatelandshold?

Det spørgsmål bliver snart besvaret, når VM spilles i Japan fra denne weekend til 14. juli. 23 lande er med, men ikke Danmark på grund af for få interesserede spillere. Men en god ven af dansk ultimate er med. Newzealandske Nick Pannu, der til daglig spiller i Ragnarok, er til VM med sit hjemlands openlandshold og her fortæller han om vejen til slutrunden.

Interview af Niels Pagel

First of all, you are playing the opening ceremony game against the Japanese hosts at the main stadium in front of a lot of people andwith even more people watching online at the World Championship ofyour favourite sport.

How does that feel?

Freakin exciting. It's safe to say this will be the biggest moment in my lifeso far and I'm going to enjoy it a lot. I hope. I also hope lots ofDanes will be watching online.

Whatis your role on the New Zealand national team?

Mostlyas an offensive handler. A little bit as a more experienced older guystrangely enough.
You are seeded 11th.

What is your ambition?

Tomake the quarter finals. We have a tough path with a make or breakpool game against Austria and then needing to pull of a couple ofupsets but we believe it is an achievable goal.
Howhas the season been for you and the NZ team so far and how much haveyou been able to practice with them?

I have only had a week with the team playing the Australian Nationals. That didn't go as well as we hoped, finishing 5th after giving up a 3 point lead in the quarter final to lose. It was good for me as I was able to fit in with the team very well. I'm feeling ready for Worldsand all the messages I have got from home say the same. New Zealand has a number of disadvantages going into these sorts of tournaments - to get good opposition we have to travel to Australia (4 hour flight)or further. It's also the middle of winter there now and many partsof the country have been getting snow. Which will make the 30+degrees in Japan seem that much hotter. But this also makes Worlds amuch bigger and more exciting tournament to attend.

Comparedto playing Europeans with the Danish national team last year how do you think it's going to be for you to play Worlds for your home country?

It will be different. In some ways I felt more a part of the Danish teamas I have been living here and could play with the team a lot beforethe tournament. But culturally I have more in common with my kiwi brethren, and have more history playing and living in New Zealand.Both teams are full of great athletic players and great entertainersoff the field which seems to be universal in Ultimate. Probably less chance of having to put up with naked room-mates with the Kiwi teamthough.

Canada won the open final four years ago against the US. Who do you think will take home the trophy this year?

I can't see anyone beating the US this year. I'm picking Japan to loseto them in the final.

Følg live streaming via http://www.ngnultimate.com/schedule.I skrivende stund ser åbningskampen ud til at blive vist modbetaling kl. 7.30 dansk tid på lørdag morgen. Mere om åbningskampen her https://www.facebook.com/events/407207479331316 og om resten af slutrunden via den officielle sidehttp://wugc2012.org/english/

Hvis du har ideer til indhold, reportager og web-tv på dfsu.dk eller selv vil være med til at producere og kommunikere så skriv til PR-udvalget pr [at] dfsu [dot] dk