Tame the Wind and Become a Disc Dog God
An excerpt from Disc Dogs! The Complete Guide by Peter Bloeme and Jeff Perry, Co-founders of Hyperflite, Inc.
As you begin to participate in disc sports with your canine, you will undoubtedly experience conditions in which the wind appears to change direction and velocity with rabidity and in seemingly unpredictable ways. Whether you are practicing, performing or competing, it is helpful to think of the wind in micro-meteorological terms. Wind doesn’t just blow. It blows over, around and through things — accelerating, rising, and falling, in ways that are more predictable than you might think. If you have ever seen currents in a river make small eddies and ripples, then you can imagine that air behaves in a similar way when it moves around or over objects.
Turbulence may result from the passage of the wind over nearby structures or trees. Occasionally those structures may provide an exploitable break from the wind just as a boulder in a river might make a calm eddy. Or, these same structures may create down drafts and dead areas that will make you want to cry out for your mother. Be aware of your surroundings. Use your knowledge of the micro-meteorological effects that trees, buildings and terrain create to your advantage. It is pretty well established that top competitors endeavor to wind-proof their routines. But regardless of your experience level, you can stack the odds in your favor by carefully observing the impact of the wind on the competitors who take the field first. These “wind dummies” (a name that is affectionately given to hang glider pilots who are the first to fly on a particularly rowdy day) can show you the path to follow when it’s your turn to take the field. But you have to be observant and apply what you have learned.
Avoid following the pack, especially if “the pack” is being trounced by the wind gods. Instead, make your own way. You may be able to concentrate your activities in an area of the competition field that is shielded from the wind by nearby structures. Or perhaps an open section of the field will prove to be better because it might not be as affected by the turbulence associated with the movement of wind over trees or objects. Since we can’t see the wind, we have to visualize its movement by observing the effect it has on the discs we throw. Prior to competing, get out on the field and throw from each part of the field in various directions. This should help you establish the best location in which to perform as well as tell you what adjustments to make to ensure maximum success.
At one of the windiest World Finals ever, during the mini-distance round, only one competitor chose to throw into the wind. The wind was so strong that he was practically scraping the outside edge of his discs on the ground because of the copious amount of bank angle (also called hyzer) required to keep the discs from turning over in the gale. Not coincidentally, that same competitor earned the highest score in the round for his efforts. If you can’t make good throws into the wind with lots of hyzer, that doesn’t mean that you should choose not to throw into the wind. It means you should learn to throw with more hyzer! You might also elect to use a heavier disc like a K-10 Jawz disc or K-10 X-Comp disc. You would never want to throw a heavier disc, like a Jawz disc, downwind. But throwing into the wind means that even heavier discs will float longer, and your dog will not have to run as fast to catch up to your throws.
If the wind is a crosswind, be sure to adjust your delivery so that your throws do not carry off of the field of play. It shouldn’t take more than one bad throw to convince you of the need to make adjustments. Your goal should be consistent, predictable results in any conditions that may occur.
It goes without saying that practice makes perfect. But make sure that you practice in all wind and weather conditions. Deliberately choose those awful windy and rainy days and do your best to make the best out of the conditions present. Competitions can be won by the best prepared teams as easily as they can be won by the most talented teams.
Finally, know when to leave a difficult trick out of your routine. If the wind is gusting to thirty miles per hour and the discs are wet with rain, you may want to skip your “spinning-triple wifferdill with the half-monty delivery.” Make the wind your friend and you will have the confidence it takes to excel when others falter.
About the Authors
Peter Bloeme is co-founder of Hyperflite and Skyhoundz. He won the 1976 World Frisbee Championship and Accuracy title, national championship titles in 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1981, and the 1984 World Canine Disc Championship with his dog Wizard. He was inducted into the Ashley Whippet Hall of Fame in 1988 and served 13 years as director of the Ashley Whippet Invitational.
Jeff Perry is co-founder of Hyperflite and Skyhoundz. He won the 1989 World Canine Disc Championship with Gilbert, a Pointer mix he adopted from a Georgia shelter, was inducted into the Ashley Whippet Hall of Fame in 1990 and served as Chief Judge for 15 years. A pilot for decades, Jeff put his aeronautics into the design of Hyperflite discs.
Peter and Jeff are co-authors of Disc Dogs: The Complete Guide and the free Disc Dogs Rock! training guide, and have travelled the world promoting the sport through performances, clinics, seminars and judging.
