Players battle for possession in an intense ultimate frisbee matchup during the Borneo Headhunters Hat tournament.
KOTA KINABALU: The Borneo Headhunters Hat, Malaysia’s biggest ultimate frisbee hat tournament, saw its largest turnout yet as over 300 players from 20 nationalities braved the rain, mud, and even a water cut to compete in an intense weekend of spirited play.
Now in its 13th year, the tournament welcomed 314 players — the most participation since its inception in 2010 — who were randomly placed into 16 teams based on skill, experience, and personality to foster teamwork and competitiveness.
“This year we had Bruneians, Canadians, a Cambodian, Chinese nationals, a Dane, French, Germans, players from Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Vietnam,” said Kinabalu Flying Disc Club president Ronnie Ting.
Despite the unpredictable weather and a temporary water disruption at the venue, players pushed through, displaying resilience and passion for the sport.
The competition featured athletes from diverse backgrounds and age groups, with the youngest participant at 14 and the oldest at 61 years old.
“The teams did well, and games were mostly very competitive this year, with over 30% of them ending with just a one-point lead,” said Ting.
At the end of two days of intense matchups, 30-year-old Aleksie Villis from Sydney, Australia, led his Royal Blue team to victory, remaining undefeated throughout seven games. His team comprised players from Singapore, the Philippines, India, Vietnam, Brunei, and Malaysia.
Villis, a second-time participant, said he returned to Kota Kinabalu not just for the tournament but also to explore more of Sabah.
“We had a really good time with the tournament last year, and we wanted to come back and see more. Everyone is so friendly, and the tournament is well-organised,” he said.
His girlfriend, Amy Lee, who participated for the third time and finished in third place, said she was looking forward to trying more of Sabah’s local fruits.
Second place went to Sky Blue, led by Malaysian Andrew Yew, who lost the final match 10-7. Third place was secured by Teal, captained by Danish player Nils Hoffmann.
The Most Spirited Team award — recognising sportsmanship and fair play — went to Light Green, led by Canadian Edward Tu and spirit team captain Nicholas Chin.
The Most Valuable Player awards were given to Malaysian Peter Ho Teck Yi and Singaporean Elaine Wan for their exceptional performances.
The Borneo Headhunters Hat, which began as a small local event in 2010, has grown into one of the most notable frisbee tournaments in the region.
Despite ultimate frisbee being relatively lesser known in Sabah compared to Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, the tournament continues to attract international attention.
“The tournament organisers would like to thank the state Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry and the Youth and Sports Ministry for their support, which made this event not just possible but as successful as it is,” said Ting.
“This is a passion project among a small group of friends who are trying to build a community through sport, and we are grateful for the support from the authorities, sponsors, and the players themselves.”
Sponsors included Gamuda Land, Tritonic isotonic sports drink, Trio sports apparel, Evergold metal roofing, Signel Poshtel, Signel Hostel, Toojou, MyDisc, Geek Gear Brunei, Excelon IT, Px5 functional gym, and several others.
With its ever-growing presence, organisers hope the Borneo Headhunters Hat will continue to expand and further establish Sabah as a key hub for ultimate frisbee in the region.
