McIlveen and Sora rise above storm-struck chaos as UFO World Cup Finals deliver drama, grit, and history in rain-ravaged SoCal showdown
The 2025 UFO World Cup Finals will be remembered for many things — the talent, the drama, the razor-tight battles — but above all, they will be remembered for the weather. Rain didn’t merely “arrive” in Southern California. It descended, uninvited and unapologetic, dictating the tempo of the weekend and forcing organizers, handlers, and dogs alike into a relentless strategic duel with the elements. Yet even as schedules were torn apart and backup plans hastily deployed, the competitors delivered a spectacle worthy of the World Cup’s finale. The storms shaped the event — but they never stopped it.Freestyle — one chance, no safety net, all or nothing
With Saturday washed away entirely, the Freestyle Championship was forced into a brutal one-round shootout. No second chances. No recalibration. Just five minutes to be perfect on sodden turf that grew softer and muddier by the hour. And still — new tricks hit the field for the first time ever. Teams pushed the envelope despite the risks, turning the single round into one of the most electric displays in memory. The podium:- 3rd – Kirby McIlveen with Flare
- 2nd – Shaun Hirai with Goldrush
- 2025 World Cup Freestyle Champions – Kirby McIlveen with Sora
Throw & Catch — mud, precision, and a shootout for the ages
Normally run over four rounds, this year’s T&C was cut to two — and even that felt like a triumph over the weather gods. The bonus zone became treacherous as the takeoff and landing areas churned into mud, yet teams were dialed in, chasing the points with boldness.Then came the showdown. A tie for second place between Kirby & Sora and Gabriella & Duchess meant only one thing: overtime. On-field. No paper tiebreakers. The shootout unfolded with stunning symmetry: Gabriella opened with a clean 35-meter catch. Kirby matched it with one of their own. Both remained tied. In round two, Kirby threw first — and Sora just missed, a rarity that drew gasps from the crowd. Gabriella, with last throw advantage thanks to her earlier coin-toss decision, went long again… right back to the 35-meter zone she trains for. Duchess delivered. Game over. The final podium:
- 3rd – Kirby McIlveen with Sora
- 2nd – Gabriella Lerma with Duchess Kitara
- 2025 World Cup Throw & Catch Champions – Jeff Hill with Bonbon
Combined — a season-long fight settled in one final muddy push
The World Cup Combined chase began a year ago on the very same soil in Southern California. It traveled through Asia, Europe, Mexico, and the U.S. before circling back for its finale — only to face the harshest conditions of the entire series. With just one round of Freestyle (quadrupled) and one round of T&C to decide the crown, the pressure was immense. The podium:- 3rd – Kirby McIlveen with Flare
- 2nd – Brittany Jordahl with Spice
- 2025 World Cup Combined Champions – Kirby McIlveen with Sora
A heroic effort by organizers
The Disc Dogs in Southern California club poured a year of preparation into the Finals, only to watch the storms threaten to wash it away. But their determination matched the athletes’ own. Backup plans deployed. Fields re-lined. Schedules rebuilt. Spirits held.Against every obstacle, they delivered a World Cup Final worthy of the name — and the UFO extends its deepest thanks to the organizers, volunteers, and every team that made the journey, especially with today’s challenges of traveling to the US.