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Get to Know the Five Candidates for the PDGA Europe Board of Directors

Get to Know the Five Candidates for the PDGA Europe Board of Directors

Three Positions are Open on the European Board

Wednesday, June 15, 2022 - 12:21

Five candidates with wide-ranging skillsets, both professionally and within the sport of disc golf, have filed for three open positions on the PDGA Europe Board of Directors.

They're all ready to help take European disc golf to the next level.

PDGA Europe is a nonprofit organization registered in Finland and a Board of Directors is mandated by the PDGA Europe bylaws.

Responsibilities of the PDGA Europe Board of Directors include attendance at:

  • Monthly PDGA Europe Board Of Directors teleconference
  • PDGA Europe Board Of Directors Summit (at least one per year)
  • PDGA Europe’s Annual General Meeting in order to both accomplish PDGA Europe’s Business Affairs and to deliver PDGA Europe’s Strategic Plan.

The main activities of the PDGA Europe Board of Directors include:

  • PDGA Europe Staff Management
  • PDGA Budget Management
  • PDGA Euro Tour Direction
  • PDGA Europe Disc Golf Development Grant Program Management
  • Developing and discharging PDGA Europe’s Policies and Procedures
  • Project Ownership
  • Issue Ownership

A PDGA Europe Board Member should anticipate dedicating approximately 15 hours per month.

Three at-large board member positions will be elected this year during a month-long election throughout the entire month of July. The three candidates that receive the most votes will serve three-year terms from 1-September 2022 to 31-August 2025. For additional information, please see the PDGA Elections page.

Here are the five candidates who have stepped up and are ready to help take the sport of disc golf to the next level, along with their background information and statements of intent:

2022 Europe Board Candidates

Antti Taronen, #72169

  • Location:  Riihimäki, Finland
  • Education:  Master of Social Sciences
  • Occupation:  Senior advisor

Biography/Candidate Statement:  I started playing disc golf roughly 10 years ago. I have been active in many ways and wish to continue to do so.

Juniors are the future of our sport. It is very important to make it possible for clubs to offer support juniors the training they need, also in the beginners level.

I think that the division to pro and amateur players is quite artificial and should be abandoned. At least that is the case in Europe.

Furthermore, women's possibilities to compere in their appropriate division should be made more available. In fact, the same divisions should be offered to both men and women.

I have been honered a spot in Finnish disc golf assotiation's masters guild. We discuss how to improve the possibilites of masters' aged players to play and compete.

I want to develop the sport as a whole. An issue that needs more attention is the maintenance and quality of cources. Also a good mix of cources to meet the needs of different skill levels in a particular area should be kept in mind.

Professional Experience:  As a senior adviser in a regional council my main responsibilyty is to fund EU-co-funded ERDF-projects within Southern Finland. This concist of assesment, negotiations, funding, overall help during the project as well as following implementation, reports and results. I work with wide variety of organisations from ministries to universities and business development organisations.

This gives me a variety of useful knowledge and competence for the work within the board of directors.

Disc Golf Experience:  I have played for about 10 years of which first couple of years less regularly. In 2014 I entered weeklies and was confident enough to buy a license in 2015. Thereafter, I have competed regularly every year. My rating has so far peaked at 900, but I believe further development is unavoidable as far as I'll be able to play for years to come. I must admit that the limits may have been in some extent reached as I'm not getting any younger.

Although competition gets harder and harder, me and my wife have been able to participate in national championship in mixed doubles for a couple of times in the over 50 division. That is a competitive highlight of the year.

Much more important than my competing career is my other commitment to the sport. For years I was secretary for my club, and now I have been responsible for competitions in my club for a couple of years. I have been a TD for numerous competitions, of which the most prestigious has been national junior championchips in 2019. I have also held tens and tens of weeklies during the last half of a decade.

I have been greatly involved in course development in my town. I have planned new tracks and negotiated with town and land owners as well as been active in actual building.

Me and my wife have actively spotted new cources for years. As I write this, I have played 316 different cources in several countries.

I hope that in years to come we get to compete in other countries and  possibly even in masters' worlds.

Bogi Bjarnason, #74392

  • Location: Reykjavík, Iceland
  • Education: B.A in English Literature and Marketing, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Disc Golf Instructor, Commercial Driver´s License, Spanish Diploma from University of Barcelona etc
  • Occupation:  Taxi driver, disc golf shop owner, disc golf journalist, instructor, team manager, athlete manager etc

Biography/Candidate Statement:  I was born in Iceland but bred in Sweden for most of my adolescent life. Board sports were my first love and in Malung, Sweden, I attended a hight school where snowboarding dominated the curriculum two days a week.

That passion took me around the world as a seasonal worker at ski hotels in Norway, Canada, Austria and the US, and for one season I did the FIS World Cup tour with very mixed results.

I then briefly dabbled in foosball and poker before the boardsports gave way to disc golf during my mid-thirties.

In disc golf I found a new love where I could optimise the potential of my skill set both for the growth of the game in general and to visit the more temperate climates of earth where snowboarding had failed to take me. As disc golf took me to ever more exotic locales, I developed an interest in promoting the game in South and Central America. While Nicaragua will continue to be the center of my attention on my own time. my goal as a candidate for this position will mainly be to work on the Europe Disc Golf Development Grant Program with a focus on growing the sport in the Iberian peninsula. Other ideas I intend to develop are ways to cross promote disc golf to the board sports audience through collaborations with different athletes and to create country specific best practice frameworks across the continent to facilitate putting courses in the ground in underserved communities and municipalities.

Website: https://www.bogibjarnason.com/about-1

Professional Experience:  As a journalist I have been a staff writer at Ultiworld Disc Golf since 2018 and a contributor at pdga.com and DiscGolfer Magazine as well as covering disc golf in international inflight magazines and local media. My writing is mainly travel based, but on occasion it also addresses more pressing issues such as the fate of Järva DGP and the challenges facing the growth of the sport in Central and South America. Additionally it has added a tiny touch of promotion to the fledging Spanish scene and the iconic Open de España.

My photos have been published in various international media, including the Innova calendar and product catalog.

As a former concert promoter and manager to a slew of Icelandic extreme metal acts, as well as the manager of touring pro Blær Örn Ásgeirsson and Team Innova Iceland, my experience in working across borders and cultures is wide and far reaching.

As a band manager I have inked international record deals in France and America, booked festivals across Europe and the US, and worked with agencies across the globe on tours in Europe and North America.

I have worked closely with Iceland Music Export on North American PR & Promo projects for individual albums, on tour funding initiatives and larger promotional efforts centered on UK heavy metal media, as well as the mind-boggling tedium of securing artist work visas for the US.

As manager to Blær Örn since aged 14, I believe the results speak for themselves.

Disc Golf Experience:  With 47 career events and 7 PDGA wins, I’m a fairly seasoned tournament player both at a local level as well as on the world stage, having competed in 10 countries on 3 continents, including the EDGC twice. I’m very experienced at running unsactioned local events and fundraisers, but as a PDGA tournament director, my only experience is as Assistant TD at Nicaragua’s first and only PDGA sanctioned event, the 1er Abierto Finca Foresta in 2020. My involvement with the Nicaraguan disc golf scene is an ongoing affair and most recently it has lead to the successful application and implementation of a Paul McBeth Foundation project that aims to build two nine and eighteen courses in Managua and Masaya.

Domestically my past and present projects include promoting clinics by Ricky Wysocki, Gregg Barsby, Nate Sexton, Nikko Locastro and Philo Brathwaite, hosting a fundraiser featuring Simon Lizotte, arranging CCDG coverage of the Iceland Solstice Showdown, hosting corporate disc golf outings for the top brass of Sony Playstation, EA Sports and Activision, teaching disc golf and running a mobile disc golf store.

Zoë Winfield, #108930

  • Location:  Nottingham, England
  • Education: Degree
  • Occupation:  Emergency Services

Biography/Candidate Statement:  As the Chair and Founder Member of both the UK Women’s Disc Golf Association and Nottinghamshire Disc Golf Club, I want to share my knowledge and gain knowledge of how to build the best future for Disc Golf. 

I’m a person who gets stuck in, gets involved and gets the results. With a proven track record in both Disc Golf and employment.

My mind rarely switch’s off from Disc Golf, bursting with new ideas, new visions and new aims. As part of the PDGA Europe Board this would allow me to further progress and share my aspirations for Disc Golf.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/discgolfgirluk/

Professional Experience:  Emergency Services - I work in a fast moving environment, with rapid decision making skills on a pro-active team. In challenging situations, dealing with people from all different backgrounds.

Education

  • Bachelor’s Degree-History 
  • Diploma of Higher Education- Humanities/Humanistic Studies
  • Certificate of Higher Education-Humanities/Humanistic Studies
  • Fluent in English.

Disc Golf Experience

When and how were you first introduced to Disc Golf?

I was 41 years old when I was first introduced to Disc Golf. My partner Will Woodward asked me if I wanted to participate in a tournament on Koh Samui, Thailand. 3 weeks later I entered my first tournament taking 138 shots to complete 18 holes! I had the most amazing time, meeting new friends who are now my Disc Golf family. I returned to that same course Laem Sor Beach Disc Golf 2 years later and shot a round of 72! So never give up and keep banging those chains!

How often do you play? 

I play Disc Golf whenever the mood takes me, which is one of the reasons I love it. It can fit in so well with busy schedules, taking 20 minutes out for putting in the garden or a few casual rounds at the local course, which for me is Sherwood Pines, Nottingham, in the heart of Sherwood Forest. I also enjoy organising and playing in tournaments which again come in all shapes and sizes allowing competitors to find one to suit their availability and budget.

As Chair of the UKWDGA and NDGC, I am experienced in sales, marketing, finance and event planning.

Who do you play Disc Golf with? 

I play Disc Golf with friends, family and anyone really who wants to play! I've taken out a group of 30 Civil Engineers to a local course introducing them to the sport. I'm the chair of both Nottinghamshire Disc Golf Club and the UK Women’s Disc Golf Association. So I really do play with a diverse range of people, in an effort to grow the sport.

What is your favorite thing about Disc Golf? 

My favourite thing about Disc Golf is my disc golf family ♡ I could visit almost any country in the world and have disc golf family to spend time with and play Disc Golf with. I've made life friends from all around the world: Finland, New Zealand, America, Croatia, Scotland, Sweden, Mauritius, Wales, Denmark, Iceland and Thailand. Friends who have stayed with me and friends who I have stayed with. I can't express how lucky and privileged I feel, these people make Disc Golf more than just a sport.

What is your favourite ever Disc Golf memory? 

I have several favourite Disc Golf memories the first would be being selected to represent Great Britain at The 2021 European Disc Golf Championships in the Czech Republic, meeting old and new friends from around the world. I know I’m not the best player, so I was just super proud to be able to take part!

Another favourite memory would be Jomez Pro featuring me in part of their Women Who Crush which was also a great experience. They picked up a video of me smashing my first ace which was a completely, surreal moment! I was absolutely ecstatic and in shock I think!  

Anything else you'd like to share with the Disc Golf community?

I think a really important piece for me is not just playing but shaping the growth of the sport. Nottinghamshire Disc Golf Club and the UK Women’s Disc Golf Association have given a voice to people who wanted to get involved but didn’t know how. The people in the Club and Association are like minded people with focus, tenacity and a thirst to make a difference. They don’t let being told, ‘it’s not the right time’ or to ‘find a different sport’, dampen their spirits. I want to bring my experiences to the PDGA, building on the foundations, creating a solid platform for growth and sustainability 

We are all connected together, just like the links of the Chains.

Remember . . Be Different . . Change the Status Quo..make the future happen.

Yusuf Beeharry, #129781

  • Education: Diploma in Business Management
  • Occupation:  President-Tamarin Eagles Sports Club

Biography/Candidate Statement:  I am Yusuf Beeharry, 39 yrs old, lives in Mauritius. I did my tertiary studies in the UK and have been involved in disc sports since 2004.

As a member of the PDGA Europe BOD, my objective is to promote disc golf in European countries, particularly in those countries where disc golf is not present. I would like to use my experience of introducing disc golf in Mauritius to do the same in European countries.

Professional Experience:  I am Yusuf Beeharry, 39 yrs old, lives in Mauritius. I did my tertiary studies in the UK and have been involved in disc sports since 2004.

As a member of the PDGA Europe BOD, my objective is to promote disc golf in European countries, particularly in those countries where disc golf is not present. I would like to use my experience of introducing disc golf in Mauritius to do the same in European countries.

Disc Golf Experience:  I started the first disc golf course in Mauritius in 2019 at Heritage Golf Club and in 2021, we opened our second disc golf course at Bagatelle Golf Park. This year, we are in the process of finalizing a third DG course, a wooded one, at Mont Choisy beach. We have hosted numerous DG tournaments over the years, among which was the 'Mauritius Open 2021', which was the first PDGA sanctioned event in Mauritius.

As a player, I am 818 rated and won the 'Mauritius Open 2021'. I am a predominantly forehand player but like to throw backhand too. My favourite discs are the buzz, destroyer and emperor.

Calixto García, #143262

  • Location:  Bizkaia. Spain
  • Education: Degree in Bussiness Administration and Management
  • Occupation: Audiovisual producer and sports consultant

Biography/Candidate Statement:  Hi!, I’m Calixto García, from Spain. I’m 46 years old, married and with 3 kids.  I have time availability and enthusiasm and I think can specially contribute in the areas of marketing , communication and technology.  I’d love to help replicating the growth of DG in Northern Europe also in Central and Southern Europe.

I'd also like to help developing tournaments broadcasting, both live and post-produced, sharing top players profiles so fans get more engaged and expanding Disc Golf coverage also to non players as a legit and spectacular sport.

My motto is “Think Globally, Act Locally. You have to do it yourself on a smaller scale and from the very base but keeping an eye on the “Big picture” of where do you want the sport to go.

Professional Experience:  I have a degree in Business Administration and Management with speciality in Marketing.

2 years ago I created Zonadiscgolf sports audiovisual and consulting company.

I worked for 10 years as Marketing Manager in two different companies.

I have been International Sales Manager and Account Manager in two cycling companies. That gave me an international perspective.

I speak Spanish, English, French, Catalan and have notions of Portuguese and Italian.

I created the Spanish Gravity Sports Federation from scratch.

I’m International Mountain Bicycling Assotiation Basque Country Coordinator.

Disc Golf Experience:  I was actually a Golf player. I started playing Disc Golf three years ago. I feel that helps me introducing a fresh, unbiased perspective into Disc Golf development.

I’ve don a lot of Disc Golf photography, video and social networking. I’ve had the chance to cooperate with PDGA Europe, MDG Media, EPT-NBDG.

I’m working on creating a strong Spanish speaking Disc Golf community in Latin America.

I play Spanish tournaments when I don’t have to film them…

I have been Basque Country Championships Tournament Director.