There were, alas, no dogs allowed on any of the 35 Frisbee-happy teams assembled for the Hawai'i Ultimate League Association's 22nd annual Kaimana Klassic Ultimate Tournament yesterday at Waimanalo Polo Fields, but the field of competitors was a diverse bunch, to be sure.

More than 600 players from Hawai'i, the Mainland, Canada, Japan and Australia are taking part in the three-day event, which wraps up today. Within the 20 open and 15 women's teams are teens and 50-somethings, professionals and blue-collar workers, drinkers and (a few, at least) teetotalers.

Each game involves two seven-person teams that square off on a playing field slightly smaller than a football field. Teams try to advance a Frisbee into the other's end zone. Players in possession of the Frisbee cannot run but are allowed to pivot and pass to any other player.

The sport originated in New Jersey some 40 years ago and now encompasses recreational leagues in 42 countries.

Tournament director Ben Bergen, a linguistics professor at the University of Hawai'i, said many of the participating teams are composed of players from different regular-season teams.

"This allows them to get to know each other in a different context," he said. "They take that camaraderie back with them when they go home."

Richard Druce, a 29-year-old IT worker, serves as team captain of Thong, one of two Australian entries into the tournament. The team, made up of players from Sydney and other Australian cities, donned official jerseys bearing a picture of a slipper, not — thankfully — the colloquial whale tail.

"The weather has been interesting," said Druce, as he scanned the overcast skies. "But it's been great fun."

Competitor "Smalls" Lawson, a 25-year-old geologist from Seattle, said the tournament is a good reflection of the unique sportsmanship and camaraderie that defines the sport.

"The level of play varies but the spirit is extremely high," she said. "You don't see that in every tournament. That's why we come. Well, that and the fact that this is Hawai'i."

Late in the afternoon, a pickup team called Aloha Spirit, organized by Danny Hayes, 41, of Palolo, faced off against Maui Mana. The Spirit took a 9-7 lead when 31-year-old Waipahu resident Thuy La sprinted to the end zone to reel in a loft pass from Londoner Justin Parkhurst.

Maui Mana rallied as Russell Knox tied the game with a couple of athletic scoring receptions. Aaron DeLair then found Rich Dunham in the end zone for the winning score.

But the aloha-shirt-adorned Aloha Spirit players weren't ready to concede the day. Living up to at least one part of their name, the Spirit players produced a bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label and another bottle of 14 Vodka, which they poured into a pair of Frisbees for a no-hands chugging challenge.

Joshua Calhoun, 26, of Kailua redeemed at least part of the glory for the Spirit by being the first to down his Frisbee shot.

Raymond "Mondo" Chun, 52, of 'Aina Haina, a 32-year veteran of the sport, looked on and laughed.

"The beauty of this tournament is that people play hard against each other in the day and party hard with each other at night."