SISTERS Sue and Fran Pioli have taken Great Britain to international glory in Ultimate, a new sport played with a frisbee, not a ball.

The two Thornbury sportswomen were key members of the GB team that won the recent Beach Ultimate World Championships in Brazil.

Ultimate is a fast moving seven-a-side non contact sport played on grass and beach, in which team members pass and intercept a frisbee while attempting to score points in a manner similar to American football touchdowns.

The GB team, captained by Sue Pioli, beat the United States, the defending champions, in the finals of the four yearly tournament, held this year in the Brazilian town of Maceio.

The team beat the host nation, Brazil, and Australia on the way to the finals.

After trailing in the first half the British women levelled the score after the break and then took a run of points to snatch the World Championship winning by eleven points to eight.

It was UK's first Ultimate World Championship and follows the team's success in the European Championship this summer when they took the silver medal.

Sue said: "Although Ultimate is all about playing in the spirit of the game, winning the World Championship is great and we are on top of the world.

"The final was played in front of a large crowd under the fierce midday sun with the temperature at more than 30C so it was pretty tough going."

Sue and Fran and other members of the team are now taking some well earned relaxation in Brazil before returning home to begin training for their next international tournament, the World Ultimate Championships - this time on grass, in Vancouver in August 2008. The sport and the team are self-funded.

Although fiercely competitive, sportsmanship is a fundamental principle of the game.

It is played without a referee and it is the responsibility of the players to adhere to the rules and agree how to continue after any fouls.

"Spirit of the Game" awards are prized almost as highly as winning.

More information on the sport is available at www.ukultimate.com or by contacting info@ukultimate.com.