United Flyball League International (U-FLI) has announced the host sites of six qualifiers and of the championship in its 2009 championship series:

The championship series is a process for selecting at six qualifiers the best teams from each of seven pre-determined divisions and bringing them together for a championship that contains the most competitive racing in flyball today. Racing sanctioned by U-FLI has generated the fastest time in the sport worldwide, with the current record standing at 15.023 and belonging to Touch N Go. A fiercely competitive race environment resulted in the record being broken three times in as many months, and teams will, no doubt, continue to get faster.

Flyball is a relay race between two 4-dog teams running side-by-side. The dogs jump a series of four hurdles, trigger a spring loaded box to release a ball and carry the ball back over the hurdles. The distance each dog travels during its leg of the race is 102 feet. The first team to finish four dogs cleanly wins the heat.

The sport is open to dogs of all breeds and sizes. Like other athletes, every dog has its style. Some talk trash in the lane, some love to come-from-behind, some stare over their shoulders waiting for the competition to overtake them and others run flat out, not noticing what anyone else is doing. What they are united on is their love for the game, and most of them express this enthusiastically and loudly. Flyball is probably the loudest dog event you will encounter under a single roof. In spite of the noise and the frenzied pace, competitors and spectators continue to spend an increasing number of their weekends attending tournaments, maybe hoping to see a new world record but more likely just to have fun with friends.

Details regarding the 2009 Championship program will be posted as they are available.