2004 Junior World Championships

Riccione, Italy

Below are the news updates from Italy as they happened.
Reporter was Mr Neil Breen, NZ editor Mr Matthew Breen.

The team is home, landing at Auckland airport on Thursday morning - those from Tauranga and south last seen heading for the domestic terminal at Auckland 9'ish this morning lead by Gray Patterson.

This journey is just about done.
My thanks to all the people at the airport who commented on the reporting - it's good to know it found an audience.

Pictures 7

Well, we're very comfortably ensconced back in Singapore airport after a busy 24 hours.

Afraid circumstances conspired to cause our plane to be held up at Rome for an hour.
The last of we circumstances rushed on board at about 12.59.
(we were a wee bit late getting away from the hotel, I shall not mention who was last on the bus, (but if you were to work your way thru the alphabet his name would start in no time at all :)

Then we are wending our way thru assorted streets - as usual with not a clue where we are until someone sees asign - Ostia to the left, Fimucino to the right. Ostia apparently has well preserved ruins a bit like Pompeii, Fimucino to the right is the airport. We went left.
A series of facts rushed thru my mind.
This driver was not the same as yesterday(Luca), but I was sure he said he would see us today..
He said 8.45 - but this guy arrived at 8.30.
No - if we had boarded the wrong bus there would have been another bunch of tourists. "There was", says Sue, in one of the lounges at the hotel.

Quick panic as this all congeals in my mind into "We're going to the wrong place, and our plane leaves in 2.5 hours, and it takes a while to get ANYWHERE!..

Easy solution - brave the language barrier and ask the busdriver.
Gray is up front, and a minute later he reports back - "It's OK, there's been an accident on the motorway, he's taking an alternate to the airport."
PHEW!
Might be a little late, the traffic's still bad - but when Sue and I flew out of European airports a week before, there was very little delay.
BUT that wasn't Italy.
As we left the hotel Sue did the usual "Got passport, got tickets..." - all affirmative.
As we hit the checkin lanes - a certain Christopher looks a little pale "Umm I can't find my tickets..."
(good job he's in Sue's region - he's still got all his appendages :)
Which Christopher you might ask, I shall not mention his name. What the heck, yes I will - fortunately it turns out it's no big deal to get tickets replaced - 10 minutes later Chris B is breathing again - not just because sue has removed her hands from round his neck!)
/ Checking in was slooowwww. They gave us a special lane, but it seemed to go much slower than the other lanes. They didn't do the obvious and start splitting us aross other lanes until nearly 12 (our flight leaves at 12) and we had about 10 people to go - at 4 to 6 minutes each.
Last one is thru, and we're off to security at 12.15 - BIG queues :(
Get through security without any bigger drama than the scanner machine eating John M's small bag.
After some frantic peering into the machine and scowls from the guards, it turns up already out hooked on one of the other folks bags.
Time to get to the plane - round the corner - OH NO - massive customs/emigration queues..
So eventually we made it - 1 pm, the plane made good time to Singapore, caught up 1/2 an hour.
Most people are very tired. Not much in the way of shennanigans.

We have a tour arranged in Singapore - what with delay, and showers etc in the transit area before we go out thru customs, the poor tour guide and driver have been waiting about 2 hours.
We request a truncated city highlights tour - so some more shopping can be undertaken (and less walking is required !).
Unfortunately, asked this guide to suggest a place to go - one of the names was mentioned on the Singapore "places to go" video on the plane (Mustafa's) - turns out to be more like a KMart than a mall. Didn't really have the atmosphere :(
Time seems to be tight - so we are off out to Santosa Island - via cablecar across the harbour (which is impressive) - look at a few sights (they have a "MerLion" statue which is their equivalent of the Statue of Liberty - Huge, take a lift to th etop of the head and look out across the port and city.)
Then lunch, and several people literally go to sleep - not quite in their soup - but heads on the table.
It is decided to cut things short - go back to the airport with plenty of time to spare (no repeats of Rome embarkation !) - there are lots of duty-free shops, free internet , showers, airconditioning (the HUMIDITY here - like taking a shower with your clothes on!).

We are an hour away from boarding now - it is actually quite a pleasant place to spend time, plenty of cafes - even a mini-supermarket, all within the checked-in area.

Then 10 more hours, and home to one's own little bed, maybe go out with the family for a decent STEAK dinner (mm mm mm). (and I'm going to be on a quest now forever trying to find that perfect croissant in Auckland...)

tata for now
neilb

From Andrew Niven

Tuesday, July 11, 2004

It is the day after the tournament and we are now on the bus to have a small break in Perusia before we return to New Zealand. My thoughts on the tournament are thoughts of being impressed with the standard of the countries there and the level of the techniques.

As a coach I enjoyed the tournament as it provided a lot of ideas on where to go for the future, but also let us see that the work we have been doing is starting to show the signs of success we would like it to have, however there is a long way to go.

Monday, July 12, 2004 (sorry, fell asleep writing)

One of the highlights of this trip was seeing a group of younger adults bond and become a great team. There was a real atmosphere of camaraderie and support for all members of the team no matter what age or region. I knew that this was going to be a special team, but they had some surprises even for me.

I would like to congratulate them all for their efforts and their belief in what we are doing. I hope that they continue to grow and improve the way that they can, and the way that they should.

For those who don’t know much about these team members I will tell you a brief history. They gathered about 10 months ago, all hoping to be on the team and all looking nervously at selections. Each member of the team had to prove to 4 selectors that they had what it takes to be on this team. At the time they thought that there was only 1 per division instead of the 3 that we were allowed. The team then started a more focused training regime that included concentrating on their events and also the seminar with Willy van de Mortel.

Over the time that I have had them as my athletes I have seen all of them grow and full some very big shoes. I am so proud to say that they did the absolute best they could at that time, and I am sure that they will go on to do even better.

To the athletes, the wind is at your backs now, don’t slow down, don’t stop and never give up. If you should find yourself on the top of the podium looking down remember how you got there.

On to Dortmund, Germany 2005…

(oops, forgot to remove the "in progress ...")

Monday 12th. From Neil B

This morning we left Perugio, and the Hote Ilgo (BEST hotel in ITALY !! )

Woke to the delicious smell of baking.
Bit harder again to wake everyone - adrenaline has well worn off, weariness setting in.

Buffet breakfast - usual stuff, cereals, fruit, cheese, salami, croissants.....
Ohmigod! - The croissants!
Different people have their own best memories of the things OUTSIDE the tournament itself, the most spectacular things they have seen.
There have been magnificent cathedrals, massive Roman constructions, stunning artworks.
But my personal "to-die-for" were the croissants at Hotel Ilgo in Perugio.
Fresh, sweet and buttery.... (you may glean I have a thing about the condition of baked items - ask Sue :).
If I was to return to Italy - I would try to get Perugio on the itinerary just for them...

Ahem - I digress, enough of my oddities.
One of our star waiters had visited NZ before, for the America's Cup. "Take me with you", he pleaded, "put me in your suitcase".
There was a possible side trip on today's itinerary, but it was in the opposite direction and would have added a couple of hours to the trip to Rome.
A discussion was held.
"Shopping" cried the team. "No more walking" cried several of the adults.
We have seen a lot of fantastic historic architecture and art, wouldn't have missed it - but Italy also has no small amount of fame for it's current-day offerings...
Our very co-operative bus driver Luca found us a shopping mall on the way out of Perugio - "Centro Commerciale". It even had a McDonalds!
A good percentage of the mob, both team and adults, made their way there for a taste of home. One advantage of McD's somewhat bland sameness, you think it tastes like home no matter where you are.
It turned out to be a smallish mall - only about a dozen shops (I thought, hmmm, this will only keep them occupied for 1/2 an hour... Nope - shopping is a drug! Retail therapy - apparently more than some were in need :)
They had a monster electronics store - like a Noel Leemings but about 6 times the size of the Newmarket one. LOTs of stuff - but interestingly mostly dearer than we can buy it in NZ.
(I'm told it is because we are on the fringe of the Asian market, if that means anything to you :)

I don't think anyone went mad - except for the items related to Italy, we should be able to find plenty of interesting "ordinary stuff" in Singapore - during our 8 hour tour. By now I think we won't have much compunction in instructing the guide - "Show us the highlights - cut the chat by a couple of hours - drop us at the super-store".
(there are rumours of an electronics store several stories high !)

We have the team back on the bus shortly after our goal time of 11.30. Then we wait another 10 minutes or so while a certain 5th dan and some of the other adults finish their pizza brunch. Back on the road about 12.

Next stop, an hour down the road - Orvetia.
Get there at 1, allow Another town on a hilltop, this one we get up to via a funicular railway - then a short busride through the town itself to the centre. (buying tickets - there are several variations hinted on the signs - it's such a relief when you look at the clerk and say "English" with a fervent little prayer, and she replies "yes I do" :) (Can be misleading of course, they sometimes run out of vocab two sentences later - but this one was fluent. Phew!)
Another cathedral - this one strikingly ornate, with an interesting zebra stripe pattern in the blockwork. There is some restoration going on, with the added touch of gold joints on the scaffolding - just to fit in :)
Everyone scatters through the little town , 4 or 5 story stone buildings, round many cobbled streets which a car will fit through just about touching the sides. (and a few do, at breakneck speeds, given the crowds wandering, it's a wonder nothing dramatic happens..)
Most of the shops in these towns are similar - but you get a few local artisans who lend interesting variations to what is available. (we saw one place selling pasta that was coloured in stripes, lots of colours, reminded me of like licorice allsorts!)

After a certain 4th Dan and his little group of seven merry men (and girls) got stuck in a pizza restaurant (what is it about stripes and pizza :) running on xxx Italian time I think. We all get back down the funicular and on the road again by 3.45.

"Two hours to Rome" says Luca.
Several of the adults are snoozing in the bus now (with the fewer numbers, most can have a full seat to themselves - the kids seem perfectly happy to stick to "their end" of the bus, from midway to the back. A couple of the kids look a bit sleepy - but mostly they are chatting, listening to walkmans - staying happy :)

A bit over one hour later - we are into a big city, and the only one on the map is Rome. Then we realise - 5pm - we've got to get thru the traffic into Rome central.
Luca has us at the Hotel Portmaggiore by about 5.30.
Into rooms, then we have an hour before dinner.
The team variously veg out in the TV room, or their rooms, or take strolls round the block - to the local shop, etc, signing out and back in with Sue (they've been really reliable doing that - pretty much anytime Sue can say "a, b and c are in, x and y have gone to the shop, or the..." ).
Several adults retire to that cafe by the corner for coffees and cokes and world-watching.
We meet a Texan woman who is a 2nd Dan from a few years back (in one of the TKD offshoots which seem to abound in the states). She tells us she has been with a US team of young folk at a singing competition of some sort here in Italy, that a Kiwi team have won.
Anyone find something on that??

I also realise that this is our last night in Italy - I try to absorb atmosphere - we sit at a table, on the footpath, outside a cafe looking just over the road at 2000 year old ruins of a Roman city wall - in the balmy (tho definitely cooler than last week) Rome evening - with the traffic zooming past, and the chaos through the intersection that always seems to work (cornflakes!). (!! That was a 20 cm RAT that just scooted down the roadside and popped down a drain - I guess he has learned to dodge the traffic too :)
8.30 tomorrow we enbus and leave Rome for the airport.
Midday liftoff.
11'ish hours to Singapore.
May be able to put a brief note in from there...

ciao
neilb

Sunday 11th July.

The bus was due at 10am this morning.
So "sleep-in" day - didn't have to get up til 7am :)
Light brekkie at 8, final pack-up, downstairs to check out - everyone comfortably processed by about 9.35.
The Skinner clan, the Bells and David Mills depart in their "mini-bus" for points north, and the last trace of the ITFNZ team departs from the hotel Concord when Andrew scoots back in to retrieve the big trophy from reception.

The streets are narrow in Riccione. The one in front of the hotel is a squeeze for a car - past all the parked vehicles.
Thus the bus will stop on the larger street a block down.
At 10 to 10, we convoy down the sidewalk with all the baggage. Fortunately there is a wide empty space by the corner where we can pile it all up.
By 10 past, Sue is getting nervous. We have the number for the tour company in Rome, but I'm thinking - the Italians are pretty relaxed about time - let's give them a bit longer. (Wonder if Andrew has any Italian ancestry ... :)
The team and supporters seem happy enough chatting away. Three of the Argentinian girls pass on the way to the beach - greetings are exchanged :)
After a couple of false alarms (other tour buses passing), our bus arrives at 10.30.

All aboard and off to San Marino. ("My name is Luca" - says the bus-driver).
About 40 minutes from Riccione, San Marino is an independent "country" within Italy. Basically a hill with a town on it, castles at the top. It's a very broad hilltop - quite impressive from a distance, with the castle towers showing on the skyline.
We have 3 hours to stroll/climb around (steep/narrow little streets).
It has hundreds of little shops, most of which seem to sell the same mix of cheap watches, swords, replica muskets/pistols, suits of armour (full and model), glassware, and assorted "kitsch" (bric-a-brac, stuff, junk). Some stuff at what seems quite good prices - but as far as I could see, serious stuff wasn't cheaper than you could get in NZ - like decent cameras.

Quite a few of the party returned with assorted bits and pieces... We converged on a Gelato shop as an informal base - Gray P gave an impromptu demo with some numchucks. Got a bit of attention that - fortunately the armed policeman on the pedestrian crossing down the road did not take a professional interest :) John M mentioned visiting a "museum of torture". Very imaginitive, he said. (look out Meadowbank students, might be more than pressups in future if you're late to class :)

"On the road again" - heading for Perugia where we will stay the night - half way to Rome. Arrive about 6 - another town on a hilltop. Staying at the Hotel Ilgo.

Dinner at 7.30. We are somewhat taken aback with the service.
Within 5 minutes of sitting down the first course arrives. We're not used to this! Where's the catch?
Well - it is pasta again - no avoiding that it seems. Some of the folk are a bit reluctant. (Cyril T is beside me, and goes, "Oh - ok".)
But hold the bus - this is TASTY! Three plates later, Cyril stops cos the next course is coming. Ah - this looks suspiciously like fish/chicken/turkey. But it has an interesting looking gravy...
The waiter confirms it IS veal - but it also is really good. - It also comes with creamed potato - closer to something true-kiwi-familiar than anything we've had for a week.
(John M made eyes at the waiter, and got double helpings of potato - he was in seventh heaven :)
But wait - there's more. A dessert table has been spotted in the distance. Looks interesting.
But no queuing tonight - round comes our super-service team, dishing out pineapple cake.

At the end of dessert, there was an enthusiastic round of applause for the Maitre-d and his sidekicks.
Various people are asking if we can extend our one night stay to a week..
Some team members say why couldn't we have stayed here, it would have been worth the extra walk to the tourney venue (um - like 150 km!).
The English-speaking waiter is, mm, puzzled. "There's nothing special about the food here," he says. Hmmm.

It's heading for 9pm - still quite light - The kids head off down to a nearby soccer field.
The adults (and Natasha :) ) settle down round the outdoor tables. It is most pleasant. It is cooler here, no humidity, no insects, the 14 adults are getting on really well - that sort of comfortable, laid back, joke, tell stories, have a wine, or beer (or coke - that's Sue and Natasha and me :) ).
Sue checks on the guys as it darkens down. They're all sitting in a circle on the grass - discussing tournaments, life and everything..
When we arrived, the desk guy looked at the mob, and slightly worriedly mentioned other guests and noise etc.
Sue assured him our lot was a troupe of angels - don't make noise. I noticed she also pointed out our room number and said "but if any problem, call me".
I certainly haven't heard them bedding down - and Sue has arrived in saying they're all locked away :)

There is an amazing night view from our 4th floor window. This is quite hilly country - and unlike NZ there are a lot of small towns ON the hills. So there are lights in the distance in most directions. And to top it off, there is some form of lightning playing over one town - very spectacular.
When we get back to chilly NZ I know we are going to look back fondly on balmy Italian nights - but this will have been the most pleasant. The last couple of nights have been exciting, the razz-a-ma-tazz of the opening, then the party after the closing - but it was very humid in Riccione - best enjoyed from in the pool.
And of course we are slowly unwinding from the pressures of competition days.

Carolyn B is looking forward to the little cafe beside the intersection near our Rome hotel. Just sitting back with one's favourite drink - letting the traffic entertain you :)

We are there tomorrow night - then Tuesday we leave Italy. Home to Auckland at 7.40am on Thursday, flight SQ281.

ciao
neilb

Pic: Team with Medals and Team trophy
Pic: Team collapsing under weight of Medals (and something stealing "my precious")
Pic: Horse Trading

Saturday evening.
Bex Walthall took Silver after her final with Croatia.
The Guys team took silver from the sparring final with Poland.

Final results

Best Country

1st Placed Overall Country - Poland

2nd Placed Overall Country - Canada

Best Female Team
NEW ZEALAND

3rd Placed Overall Country
NEW ZEALAND

3pm today, the finals started.
During the prelims, they had squeezed four rings in by putting two small rings at one end.
For the finals, there were three full 9 meter rings. Female sparring to the irght, patterns in the middle, male sparring to the left.

Bex, as female micro, was first up, vs Croatia.
The Croatian girl was very confident - lots of sidekicks, very good at following those up, jumping-in punching. Bex didn't quite manage to get into attack mode. So, Silver medal for our micro-ette.

(I will give more detail on the various events of the finals later - pertinent details for now.)

Male team sparring - vs Poland.
After Robbie's head-hit yesterday - advice was that it would not be ideal for him to compete.
But Robbie had come a long way for this (both in the last 12 months, and in the last 3 days!) - and was very vocal for participation. A (calculated) compromise was reached, Robbie would go up with the team - but be left to the end of the lineup - a final decision would only be needed if it went to 5 rounds.
Remember the earlier quote, "How do they get so tall"? It's the AVERAGE height of the Polish team that is incredible. (And of course, on top of that, they're very good at sparring! :) )

Poland won the toss, NZ to nominate the first contestant.
Campbell G is put forward. He and his taller opponent waltz round for several seconds, eyeing each other - Cam starts the ball rolling, leaping in with flying punches. Responding to the invitation, so to speak, the Pole attacks back hard. Eventually the ref deducts him for contact. Cam keeps up his flying punch campaign - but the win goes to Poland. 2-0 Poland.

Poland's turn to choose their competitor - Mr VdM puts Regan D in. Again some circling around, exploratory sidekicks from the Pole. When Regan tries the Flying Punch formula, he starts running into those kicks. Didn't manage to get the rhythm to get around them, has a couple of falls.
Win to Poland. 4-0 Poland.
Sam's turn.
Sam gets the first kick in, and tries the Flying Punches - but the Pole is too quick to respond with the sidekick, and again is very good at following through with punches - driving Sam back.
Win to Poland. 6-0 Poland.
Match to Poland - Silver for NZ.

The medals presentation started shortly after the last event.
Three times, the NZ anthem is played - two of them right after one another, for the Girls' two destruction Golds. (Both accompanied by Aus for the Silver - more O-C-a.ni.a's)
Various Masters presented medals - Master McCallum, President Tran... Master Daher appropriately was on duty when the Girls' destruction medals came up.

After the last medals - Best Female Team.
Master Bos hams it up - "Can you guess who it is people? - it is .... it is... NEW ZEALAND!" (Uncharacteristically he doesn't command a Haka - time constraints probably.)

Then it is country placings time. We had deliberately refrained from working this out (there was a fair idea about the girls' team, but we'd been trying not to hint at that to the girls :) ). So it was out of the box when Master Bos calls - "Third place - NEW ZEALAND!"
Lots of very happy Kiwis (and semi-adopted Kiwi).

It was terrific to see the Kiwi and Aus teams getting together - congratulating, mingling in for combined photos - happy kids in the best way.
(It was also most interesting (and heartening) when Master Bos called for assistance at the end to lift the mats - 90% of the bodies helping were the Aus and NZ teams!)

Lots of swapping goes on now - NZ caps very popular - doboks going back & forth.....

Back to the Hotel - team meeting.

Thanks are made by Mr Niven to the people who made this happen.

"Grand Poobah" Mr Gray Patterson - an acknowledged expert on power technique in particular.
Mr Willy van de Mortel - originally an "investment" - simply no-one doubts the contribution he has made - before the tournament, and during the tournament - above and beyond the call! He has invested himself right back. He went to say his bit about the team, and just choked up. Honorary Kiwi!.
Mr Greg Skinner - a major factor in the existence of this large team - in Italy - doing so well.
A long term view - from years ago, driving and shaping a successful system.
(plus the bags, caps, uniforms, tracksuits - but they are incidental!)
Mrs Sue Breen - "Camp Mother" - doing those things for the kids required of "in loco parentis" - as well as battling the hotel management, as well as being there with cold drinks when the guys needed them, and so on...
Mrs Karen Skinner - another management mum - part of team Skinner.
Rose TeHau and Sam Skinner - Team Captains - handled the stress of being competitors as well as leaders at the same time - giving good example - keeping track of their respective teams - in "On" time, and "Off" time.
Mr John Matsuoka - a ball of energy who would just go out and find things necessary for a normal life. A significant contribution to smooth running.
Mr Doug Northey, (Jo's dad), whose chauffering was a godsend - getting team bags and invalids back and forth.
All the supporters who pitched in when called upon.

A special mention must be made of Rose Cherrington. (A supposed "invalid" - who started the tour in a wheelchair, which I can't remember what it looks like, and her special boot is due for re-soling!)
Rose was on duty 99% of the time during competition, under high stress, keeping track of the draws and competitors, with her little squawk radio keeping the coaches directed and informed.
I've done that sort of thing fomr the other side (tournament admin) and I sure wouldn't have liked the job in the conditions!
But she stuck with it like a trooper - and did it well!!

Then the Team Captains got up - and presented T-shirts signed by all the team to Andrew, Gray, Willie, Karen, Sue, and Neil (hey, that's me :) ).
They're a great bunch of kids - and that will be a long-term memento of this trip :)

Quote from Mr Niven:
"I'm blown away - next year, some of you will be competing in Dortmund" - (Germany - the next Senior World Champs).

For the messages regarding the news reporting - they are much appreciated - to know that one's public is mostly satisfied becomes important when there are not enough hours in the day+night to make as thorough a coverage as I would like.
There are certainly gaps in the coverage, where I simply haven't been able to see all the NZ bouts running at once (3 rings with NZ a couple of times!).
I know it will be disappointing for some to miss out on details, and I feel bad for that.
If the stars ever align to give me another opportunity like this, I will ensure I have no other duties to distract me from my little notebook and pencil...

Over the next couple of days, in the bus, I will try to add detail, fill in gaps. (It may be Tues night when we get to Rome the next time I see an Icafe.)
I will also try to get the return itinerary up on the page.

ciao from Riccione...
neilb

Highlights from the team of the Junior World Champs

Members of the team winning their various medals
Bex says ‘being in the finals’
Winning golds
The haka
Opening Ceremony
Bex says ‘making the German girl throw up’
Chris B making the quarter finals in patterns
Pompeii
Beating Romania 3-0

	This has been a great experience, I have had so much fun on and off the ring. Competing was the highlight of the trip, but watching the others in the team was also awesome. Performing the Haka on the opening ceremony was a great feeling and it was the best Haka yet, Riccione is a cool place for shopping, there are plenty of clothes shops, enough to satisfy even the girls. This trip has been great. Shannon Ryan.
	Winning my first fight of the tournament The opening ceremony Becoming great mates with the Irish team Watching Bex get thru to the finals. Seeing Robbie get back up after having his head smashed on the ground and go on to put NZ into the finals for team sparring. Watching Nick E win gold at power breaking Watching Nikki win NZ the gold in team speciality Seeing Rose win NZ the gold in team destruction. Jamie Smith
	My personal highlights were beating Romania in the semi finals 3.0 and watching Robert taking a bit hit on the back of his head on the ground and then getting up and winning the fight. Also meeting all the other teams and getting to know my team mates better and forming great friendships. I’m so proud of being part of this team as everone has competed and supported the team with pride. I miss the food back home. I’ve really enjoyed the trip and don’t want it to end. FISH.
	Hello guys and girls, yesterday we did the haka on the raised ring in front of everyone, that was great. I am gutted about my sparring results but everyong else is doing great. Gary
	Kia Ora everyone, this tournament has been an awesome experience for me and other people on the team. Doing the haka was awesome yesterday at the opening and at the tournament. Meeting new people from different countries was great. Also with Bex and boys' team in the finals. Giggles.
	The highlight of this tournament for me personally apart from the playoffs between NZ and Aussie in both team female special and power and beating them both times of course, would have to be the atmosphere and team spirit as Oceania cheered for male team sparring. They progressed thru to the finals with a huge support team screaming after them. Nikki
	The highlight of the tournament for me was screaming my lungs out for everyone in our team as they competed. The atmosphere of the tournament is amazing and everyone is really nice. So making new friends is also a huge highlight. Alicia
	The highlight of the tournament for me was when the team won the first gold medal then the 2nd and then the 3rd. That was awesome. Screaming my lungs and chanting was also fun. Renee
	My highlights have been my fight. Even though I lost it was really shirty. The opening ceremony was really cool especially when Tomaz Barada got us to do the haka centre stage. It was fun talking to the other countries cause they were all really friendly. Its been awesome. David
	The highlight for me was when Tomaz Barada asked us to perform the haka at the opening ceremony. He got the music turned off and we went on the big stage with all the teams around us supporting. It was so cool and made me really proud. It was great how everyone from all over the world loved it. Estee
	Kia ora, tournament was massive. There was a real hight level of competition. I am stoked with our team sparring results so far. Master Bos asked us to do the haka at the opening ceremony. We did. It was hugh. We Pukeanad all night long. Some of the teams had some hot ladies especially the English. Funny accent though, overall stoked with how well the whole team is performing. Campbell
	(ed's note to resolve any confusion: Tomaz Barada requested the haka, but Master Bos being the, well, boss, was the authority to call for the performance during the ceremony)
	Hello, well the highlights I thought was visiting all the different places around Italy. The tournament was awesome. NZ breaking new records, the male team getting to the final in team sparring, female team winning golds and little Bex making it to the finals. The Italian people are really awesome. Robbie
	Hi everyone. I really enjoyed doing the haka and I got to meet some awesome people. I was really gutted about losing my fight but I still had to keep cheering on the others because we are doing really well. Carlos
	The highlight for me has been seeing everyone step up and perform to their best. Also seeing everyone in our team come together to cheer and support each other, the team spirit was awesome. It was also cool doing the haka on centre stage in the opening ceremony and making heaps of new friends and meeting new people from different countries. What is it “chilly” in hurr?” Rose
	My highlights were competing, food, and the ladies. Nick
	The whole tournament was wicked. Everyone in the team was really supportive which was awesome. Sparring and patterns was challenging. A lot of great talent at a high standard. I loved it! NZ performed really well, medals coming through every session which really lifted the teams spirits. My highlight was the gelato and meeting the different teams around the world. Chantie
	(eds note: Oh yes the Gelato - and the "normal" ice-cream, I have never tasted anything as creamy!!)
	The tournament took off really well, we kept on hauling in medals every session. The spirit and closeness of the team really pulled us through tough times and we came out on top. Being part of the women’s team was just amazing (two golds) thanks to Nix and Rose and the boys were awesome at the haka and soon we were famous for it. But meeting Tomaz Barada was one of my highlights and his Slovenian team were... HOT!! Lipi

Highlights from our supporters

Heaps of emotional highs and lows. Lots of tears when we win, lots of tears when we lose. All of our competitors are putting in fantastic performances. Great to see the NZ and Aussie supporters team members support as a whole. Go for Gold
- David W.
Amazing spirit from the team. They are giving it all they’ve got, and never giving up.
- Vicki D.
We are very proud of the team. They all have done so well, an inspiration for all of us parents and supporters.
- Mike.
I love the way the team all look after one another. Everyong has worked very hard and there have been some amazing sparring. The haka is very moving.
- Linda.
The team's attitude is pretty fantastic and we are so proud of you all and we feel very honoured to be here with you. Both team, management and supporters.
- Jim and Linda Bell.
What a great team – I’m proud to be a kiwi.
- Carolyn.
Hi, some of the highlights for me are to be a member of this group. To be a close group with team members, staff and supporters is great. I was proud when the NZ team did the haka for me. I got cold from it. With all the good results in the different items the team spirit is there till the end. After the good team sparrings from yesterday we will see what happens today on this last day. My compliments to all.
- Willy van de Mortel.
Aloha – your roving photographer, laundry, water boy. The kids are awesome. Heaps of photos. At the opening ceremony all the countries wanted their photos taken with the “kiwis”. It was quite a sight to behold. Voice is gone, very exciting matches. A few of our fights come down to flags - signing off.
- Ciao Da Mad Hawaiian (John Matsuoka).
Obviously the entire tournament has been one big highlight, the team spirit and attitude has been tremendous thoughout. I would have to say though, that Chanthie and Lipi’s patterns medals stick out for me (the start of the medal tally – relief), and Nikki’s and Rose’s performances in the team specialty and team power, tie-breakers- both girls showed fantastic determination and focus despite their personal disappointment with their individual results.
- Gray.
Hi, main highlight is the awesome team performances in the competition, both guys and girls. Being able to come from disappointments, the whole NZ team getting behind them and winning medals is excellent stuff and more to come today!!
- Royston.
The highlight for me of the trip has been meeting and interacting with such wonderful young people each and everyone of them is extremely special in their own right and I feel privileged to have spent this time with them.
- Karen.
The highlight for me is obviously the team’s success but I cannot dismiss the pleasure derived from the team spirit which was evident in these teenagers. They come from all over NZ and give the impression they have been friends for years. The entire experience has been heartwarming.
- David Mills.
Hi all! This is a joint message from Dad and me...

Dad says that “the team achieved a record success because they focused individually, but more importantly they supported each other as team mates. It's great to see the balance between hard work and great fun and celebration.”

And as for me, I think it was fantastic to watch and actually be a part of the tournament and the whole experiment. I still can't express how amazing it is that not only did the team have Andrew as a coach, but also the Grand World Champ Gray Patterson and the #1 International coach sought after by so many countries, Mr van de Mortel. Everyone was really fortunate to be taught by such people and have clearly used all that they have learnt over the past few days. 3rd in the world!! Next step World Champions for everyone.
- Jo & Doug Northey.

Photos from the Competition

The leprechaun (or my preferred caption - The journalist at work :) )

OK - had my arm twisted to put this one up - Carolyn B threatened me with a fate too horrible to describe if I didn't.. (well, it was an IMPLIED threat.. OK ok - she just insisted firmly... :) )

Mutterings about rainbows and pots of gold and leprechauns - I haven't quite twigged to the connection yet - I mean - I'm not THAT ugly. (although Sue does spend a lot of time running away to look after some kids round here somewhere... :) )

Good new folks - all those photos I have been promising - I have (cross all fingers and toes) finally got all the required technology together. The right compression program to put lots of photos into one file (not enough online time to send them individually) - an internet cafe where the PCs have floppy drives at all, and ones with a floppy drive that someone hasn't thought that they can save their emails onto anything "floppy" - like chewing gum - well chewed !!
(before anyone asks - no - none of the PCs I have seen here have accessible USB ports - ecafes get a tad upset if you start poking round the back of the machine under the desk...

Of course it always pays to bring the data. I have a standing rule with floppies - take a second copy - one is sure to fail. This time, one did.
Appendix to rule: make sure you bring the RIGHT second floppy.

Quick jog back to the hotel (hey, I must be hitting my second wind - (a week after arriving in Italy), I literally jogged back - Woohoo! Go Me. Of course, it was downhill - I did not jog back :)

Make THREE copies, this time - no problemo!.
Now up to my trust sidekick Matt to extract them and put them on the Pics page for your viewing pleasure :) (He's pretty good as a proof-reader, in my woozy state in the wee hours this morning I listed Rose's Bronze as Special - Matt followed the progress reports thru and corrected it to Power... All the fancy graphical bits, and extra topical piccies he sorts out at the NZ end.

Today is a very pleasant day.
No competition til 3pm - everyone relaxing this morning.
As mentioned earlier, the beach is 100 meters away to the East. West of the hotel is the main street. Many of the kids headed for the beach - Many of us older set went Cappucinoing - lots of little cafes all round the hotel.
Fortunately the good ol' visa card works fine in the money machines. I went to cash a traveller's cheque this morning - the hotel doesn't (which is a bit odd), and I had completely forgotten it is the weekend - no exchange shops open.
Vicki D and Carolyn B put me on the right track - any "Bankomat" will do the trick. Phew, cash in sight.

In both "On time" and "Off time", this trip is working out amazingly well.
Thirteen medals - that's a real kick :)
Then in timeout - off to the beach - all SORTS of attractions there, (and I mean the good clean fun !!!) - or the hotel pool, or round the little shops, or just people watching...
Many of the kids don't want to leave...

Another party tonight (that opening ceremony turned into a mini rage),
then on to the Bus 10 am tomorrow, after our last breakfast at the Hotel Concord.

San Marino, night in Perugia, drop into Assissi (of St Francis fame), then Rome for a night.

Then 10 glorious hours of SLEEP on the plane. I love jumbos - no phones, internet, just boring movies to lull you off...

Next update after the finals, hopefully you will have it with your Monday brekkie.

Tomaz Barada (Slovenian coach, and of course multiple world champ) has vowed to throw his weight in with Willie VdM behind the Kiwis tonight. They were taken out by Poland, and are, mmm, keen to see the Kiwis do well :)

Isn't that just something for our budding TKD champions - all this high powered attention, it's a good job they're a level-headed bunch!!
(Oh by the way, I haven't said it for a while - you just don't think of such things when it's all going so well - but these kids are an awesome TEAM - ZERO interpersonal problems - NOTHING beyond the occasional teenage tardiness - for us shepherders - they're a DREAM!
Congratulations to a lot of Kiwi parents who have done it right !!!

ciao
neilb

Friday 9th July.

Somehow we missed one of the Bronze medals on the webpage - There are EIGHT. - Roseanne TeHau's Individual Power Test. (Australia first, Ireland second).

We all want to make a special note of thanks to the Aussies for their help with Rose. Samantha Johnson, the Aussie coach, is a doctor, and spent quite a bit of time on Rose's foot, injured in the specials.
There was the odd little bit of inter-team tension with the kids right at the start - but after a few events where the teams got behind each other (Aussie Aussie Aussie oy oy oy - and O-C-a.ni.a) things have been back to all smiles.

We managed to reciprocate a few times - after the breakfast fiasco, (teams leaving at 7.40, dining room not open til 8+) Sue and the Aussie manager approached the desk manager but weren't getting anywhere.
Next morning the Aussie team left without breakfast.
Sue organised a raid on the hotel dining room rolls and fruit, (when it finally opened at 8.05 again) - and got that up to the Aussie team (courtesy of our man-on-the-spot-from-Paris-with-a-range-rover Doug Northey.)
Later Sue made an appointment with the hotel owner, and browbeat her into co-operation. Dining room open at 7.30, (even Sue couldn't budge it earlier than that) - plus enough take-away packs for the day's early competitors.
(and they did make very nice sandwiches - all neatly paper wrapped - in spiffy red carry bags.)

Doug also brought back to the hotel the Aussie lad who had taken a knock on the head, all wrapped up in Team NZ jackets. (that 30 minute walk in the heat is a killer, even if you are fit & well!)
Sue had been getting ice-blocks from the supermarket handy to the venue for the team - I managed to snag 6 green ones for the Aussie girls team as they came off with their silver win in power.
(Could have been green OR gold, but in that case the gold ones were for our girls :)

Actually ice was a real problem - Sue and Royston scoured the supermarket for the cheapest bags of frozen veges - we went through 3 or 4 buying missions a day.
John M had a brainwave - small towels, wet, in the fridge overnight, and into the thermal bags. Reeeee-eal refreshing!

John and Richard B, Mike Y kept the team supplied with water - lots of supermarket trips.

The original breakfast plan was 7am in the hotel. Karen S had a go at the hotel management when we arrived, and they wouldn't go for earlier than 7.30 - which was then thought to have been understood. When that started looking dicey, (never assume a non-english speaker who is nodding and smiling actually is agreeing to the same version of the facts as you are) I suggested Plan C - a contigency plan of making a supermarket run each night and getting enough for our guys, just in case. They could have it for morning tea if the hotel actually came through. It took a bit of pushing to overcome people's faith in the establishment, but it was a good plan as it turned out. It was two more days before we could rely on the doors being open on time.
(Plan A would have been breakfast at 7, Plan B was raid the dining room at 7.30 and take it away. Good job we had Plan C!)

Thanks to all the supporters who pitched in. The Walthall team (David, Linda and Natarsha), Vicki Diggelmann, Carolyn Baigent and Bill and Belinda Bell (Rose's granps) for sandwich making and supermarketing.

Random quotes: A Polish supporter to a kiwi supporter: "How do the NZ guys get so muscley?"
Response: "You tell me how the Polish guys get so tall?".

From another team official to one of our folk: "You Noo Zeelanders have by far the best power technique procedure at the tournament - from start to finish."

Competition:

The NZ Male Team were listed as first up this morning, but that ring was being used to finish overflow bouts from yesterday.

So the girls' turn came round first.

Female Team Sparring vs Canada:

Willie VdM is coach on the spot - after the coin toss, Canada get to put the first player up.
Willie chooses Elly to get the red ribbon. Out she came, on the attack.
A lot of hands, and Elly did most of the driving - but the Canadian must have slipped through enough techniques to take it. A few people were somewhat puzzled - even the good Mr VdM. (ring 1 was our "bad luck with judges" ring, several puzzling decisions)
One down.

Nikki is sent out next. A long stretch of waltzing, testing the waters from both sides, then Nikki attacks with those long leg sidekicks. Before long the Canadian switched into "dodge and draw" mode - scooting out of the way for the last 1/2 minute. To no avail - win to Nikki - one all.

Lipi's turn - other girl a bit bigger, but fairly evenly matched, loss, one down again.

Time to bring out Rose - not showing much sign of the injured foot, Rose pulled us back again to even with a win.

Alicia's turn to be thrown to the lions (or polar bears, or whatever thay have in Canada :).
This was critical, score even, last competitor, this would take it one way or the other - which is tough on the last one in the line-up. No pressure Leece!
Alicia did us proud and fought her way to a draw.

Now Willie could choose any member for the tie-breaker.

Rose is on the spot - against the bigest Canadian girl.
They were slugging it out fairly evenly, but Rose's injury was obviously starting to take its toll. Loss, and Canada took the match.

The team (and the rest of NZ) can be proud of the fact that but for a purely bad luck injury from an overhead kick in the specials, it is very probable our girls would have taken it.

Male Team Sparring - vs Australia:

Campbell - the Aussie was somewhat shorter. Actually the Aus team had very few over middleweight. Cam was a bit over-enthusiastic, and got deducted for contact. Win - one up.

Regan - drew the one tall guy - who was tough enough to hold it to a draw.
Sam vs another short lad. Sam put in lots of multiple techs. Win, two up.

Robbie also fought a short one, a severe height difference. This couple of bouts were kept fairly gentlemanly. Win, three up - match to NZ.

I was impressed by the spirit of these smaller guys - I guess the very definition of "little Aussie Battlers". They kept on coming, scoring some good points against their much taller opponents - they had good heart.

Male Team Sparring - vs Germany:

Campbell up first. Draw.

Regan next - loss. One down.

Robbie - taller than the German, looked quite relaxed, watching and waiting. The German would charge in with a barrage of punches and occasional kick - Robbie would either impale him on his sidekick - or up in the air and flying punch down - lots of those. Win to NZ, even score.

Sam was up next - but then Willy VdM looked thoughtfule, pulled him back and put up Chris B. Those who've done this before pointed out that he would be looking to draw with Chris, then put Sam in to take the last bout. (Ever thought of TKD as being a bit like chess? That's the way the top guys play it - every move part of the strategy :) )
Well Chris just didn't do what he was told! He up and beat the guy!! Again the obvious difference between the two were the Kiwi flying punches.
One up - last bout.

Being one up - we needed a draw or a win to end the five bouts on top.

NOW Sam gets his chance.
I can visualise a young Sam Skinner a few years back - he, mm, how shall we say - had a lot to learn. Well he studied hard - cos I now see a fighter, who moves well, can zap a kick into a brief defence gap, and you can see has his head around the action - focused and thinking. Although this German was not a push-over, again what was becoming a magic formula - lots of flying punches - made us pretty confident. Win to Sam, Win to NZ - on to the next round.

Male Team Sparring - vs Romania:

Regan up first. The Romanian came out all flashy, tornado kicks (those multiple spinning vertical kick thingies). Regan just waited for the spots where he was committed - and popped him. Then bring on the JPs - we think that a significant aspect of those is that the judges can't miss jumping punches, coming down on someone's head from above!
Win - one up.

Chris B next up. At this stage we're up against a team that has also beaten two others - so there's not a lot of room for luck in each bout, they're good. Chris showed he's got what it takes again - win - two up.

Robbie Buddle's turn.
Both came out on the attack - about 15 seconds and the other guy was waving his glove - timeout. Didn't seem to be doing much glove tying - but when he came back in his eye was starting to puff up. Shortly after, backing away from a flurry of punches, Robbie fell backwards. As the Romanian guy came over him, his foot clipped Robbie under the jaw, and flipped his head down to the floor - off the mat. We all heard the CLONK through the stadium noise.

After some few minutes with the first aid guys - he got up and came back to the seat. Everyone was rather concerned - but the tourny doctor came over and said OK.
(as Andrew told the team later - if ANYONE was going to rise up from the floor from a hit like that, and fight on - it would be Robbie B)
He did - he cleaned up the Romanian - win to NZ, match to NZ.
Through to the finals on Saturday.

Cosmetic changes: Robbie B was confused when looking into a mirror tonight - it didn't look quite right? His nose is BENT (presumably after "the incident"). Says he had no idea - has been quite proudly displaying it ever since. (It will be checked out.)

Talking about displaying - apparently the lads were on the beach playing touch rugby, when a rather well endowed topless american wandered into their field of view.
After a suitable delay (purely out of courtesy of course) - from Mr Buddle very politely - "Ma'am do you mind, you're distracting us from our game".

Back to the boring stuff - like Medals :)

Individual Power Test:

Roseanne TeHau - with 10 points, was 2= with Ireland. After the tiebreaker (knifehand) Rose had the Bronze. One of the knifehands was disallowed for striking with the forearm.

Robbie Buddle - punch disallowed because of an arcane rule - when showing them the height - Robbie had his fist clenched. So when he did his actual measure they said the clenched fist had already been a measure, "two measures, disallowed!". Grrr - ridiculously pedantic rules! Bronze.

Nick Eley - "Do I have time for power before my sparring" - "I'll just do it quick and get it over with".
Bang bang bang bang bang.
Near perfect score, 3 out of four on the knifehand. Gold medal. "Out of the way..." :)

Female Team Power Test:

Perfect first round - Alicia's knifehand, Rose sidekick, Nikki turning kick. 10 pts, along with several other teams.
First round of tie-breaker - Rose 2 board knifehand - cuts it down to NZ, Aus, USA and Poland.
Next round - 3 board turning kick.
Aus does not break all 3.
Rose goes right through - 6 points. USA and Poland to go.
USA doesn't make it - the tension rises as Poland lines up.
Three cracked boards - NZ has the Gold!

Aus and USA play off again, giving Aus the Silver.

Male Team Power Test:

After the first round, our lads had 14 pts.
Ahead were Romania 20, Hungary 18 and Croatia 16.
So with 14 we were out of the competition.
Or so we thought!
(It's weird - someone asked if we had to come back again for power, and I remember having the thought "Not unless something drastic happens - like someone being retrospectively disqualified.")
Everyone was leaving - most events complete. As always, the last rounds of destructions were crashing away in the corner, but that wasn't of any further interest to us.

NZ has been often first to the venue, and last away - as today having a sit in the shade of a tree, while Andrew reminded everyone that they were part of a World Champions team :)
(His smile has been growing wider daily :) )

Then Roseanne called out from the steps - "They're calling NZ back to power!"
The boys frantically grab for their doboks - and stumble back into the venue, changing on the run.
Italy, Croatia, NZ and Poland are being called.
It turns out that the official score recorded for Croatia was 14, not 16 - thus a playoff.
Everyone else had obviously also assumed Croatia had 16 - by pure luck we were still close enough to the venue to hear the call.
Italy has gone - they miss out.

Four board turning kick - Nick Eley is the man for the job.
A mighty whack - and they all bend.
The officials pull them out one by one - and the last one falls apart - 5 points.

The big Polish guy steps up - I'm thinking "He's going to go straight thru - it's all over".
But no - he cracks 2.

The Croats come up and bang - all 4 bend.
Pretty much heart in mouth stuff as they pull the boards out slowly one-by-one, they all stay bent - 4 pts.

A surprise Bronze for NZ! Talk about last minute!

Random quotes: An English kid walking down a Riccione street, to a group of team guys: "Do you speak English? ... Oh, New Zealand - All Blacks - they suck at Rugby..."
After the guys picked themselves up and stopped laughing enough to explain a few home truths, he took off with tail between legs.

During the morning there was a call for NZ and Aus coaches to the head table.
We all look at each other - Is this a protest? - or something else horrible?
Andrew and Gray head up to see the officials.
And come back with a corrected attendance certificate for Lipi !! Anti climax!

The Opening Ceremony (the day before it ends !? :) )

I'm about to flake - so this now gets brief:
Great atmosphere even before we get into the venue.

The German team mingled in with ours for photos.
Into the venue, march past of teams, lots of colourful uniforms.
One of the Refs sings the Italian anthem solo, I guess he was a classical tenor (no music, no mic, no trouble, powerful voice - very good!).
The Presidents (ITF Pres Master Tran, and the Pres of ITF Italy) keep their speeches mercifully short.
Couple of demos, one of some pre-arranged sparring, and Moon-Moo.
Then a demonstration of fitness from a 69 year old Master. He was extremely fit.
The big-wigs then made themselves available for the competitors to meet and greet.

Then the kids had the floor to themselves for 1/2 an hour. Mingling, dancing to the Argentinian Team's choice of music - Guess which half of this ceremony they enjoyed the most? :)

Then Master Bos got on the Mic - "Quiet please - New Zealand - demonstration please!"
(He never seems to tire of it :) )

The crowd gathered round, and got more enthustiastic when the lads took their shirts off.
It was a good one - they knew they were on show this time!

Tomorrow (well actually it's been tomorrow already for a couple of hours for me - yawn :( )...
... it's Finals Time.

They will be running in the wee hours for you folks in NZ - so hopefully I will be able to get the results of Bex Walthall's sparring and the Male Team sparring up for your Sunday Brunch.

ciao
neilb

A few more Pix
Destruction
Haka
Sparring

The current list of results to date is available on the Polish Taekwon-Do Association site. The site's in Polish, and the 'English Version' doesn't actually have the results, but fortunately the results are in English.

Click on the blue button marked 'newsy' (Polish for 'News'! :) ) to get a list of results.

The format can take a little getting used to - we think numbers in parentheses indicate a competitor's total points towards the overall competition. We think.

For example, in the Individual Female Sparring to 48kg division:

3. Shukla Lipi 07.09.87 NZL Points: 1 (2)

3.	3rd place in the division.
Shukla Lipi	Competitor's name
07.09.87	Date of Birth
NZL	Country
Points: 1	A Bronze medal earns 1 point towards Best Female Competitor.
(2)	Lipi also has a Bronze in Patterns, for a total of 2 points.

A "1/2" placing indicates a Final yet to be competed.

There seem to be a few divisions missing - Female I, II, III dan patterns, Male II and III dan patterns... so it's hard to be sure exactly who's in contention for individual overall medals. We don't Nick and Rebecca with (potentially) one gold each are in the running, though.

In Female Team Event, we have two golds... and the German Team are in the other two finals. If the Germans lose to Poland in Sparring or to Argentina in Patterns, we think New Zealand take Best Female Team. If they win both, then Germany and New Zealand both have two golds and no other medals... we're not sure how ties are broken, so cross your fingers!

All indications point towards Poland taking out the Best Country spot, but we're looking to be strong contenders for a top 3 placing. With the missing Patterns divisions on the results list and finals still to come, though, we don't make any guarantees...

Stop the presses!

It turns out the last report wasn't quite accurate.

We'd counted 16 points for Croatia in Team Power Test.

The official scoresheet, however, disagreed.

Just as the Team were preparing to leave the venue, someone heard the announcement - "Italy, Poland, Croatia, New Zealand; Male Team Power Test."

All four teams were on 14 points... behind Romania and Hungary. The Bronze was still up for grabs.

The Italian Team, apparently, had already left!

The playoff break was a four board turning kick.

The Polish picked man, apparently, was huge... everyone was convinced he'd plough through.

But he only cracked two boards - two points.

The Croat cracked all four boards - four points.

Nick Eley, World Champion, was put up for New Zealand. He only cracked three boards, for three points.

... but when you add those to the two points he got for breaking the fourth board... well, that's enough for the Bronze medal!

A little more information has just arrived; competition for day 3 is over. The Teams have a free afternoon; the New Zealand's Sparring finals will take place after lunch tomorrow.

That's right, Finals, plural - we've got two of 'em.

Team Power Test
With 14 points, the boys are, unfortunately, not in the medals. These may not be the final three medallists, but with Romania on 20 points, Hungary on 18, and Croatia on 16, we know enough to know that we're not in it.

The breakdown of that 14:
Campbell Gold: Punch, 4 points
Robbie Buddle: Knifehand, 4 points
Chris Broughton: Side Kick, 0 points
Nick Eley, World Champion: Turning Kick, 6 points
Regan Diggelmann: Reverse Turning Kick, 0 points

Team Sparring
The boys took on Romania in the Semi.

First bout: Regan, win; 2-0 New Zealand.
Second bout: Chris Broughton, win; 4-0 New Zealand.
Third bout: Robbie, win; 6-0 New Zealand. Match New Zealand.

Which puts the guys through to the final... against Poland.

Well, nobody ever said a gold comes easy... :)

Tomorrow will also bring Rebecca Walthall's final against Croatia.

Some initial results from the third day of competition have come through... details will follow, as usual, when the reporters get access to an internet connection.

But here is the raw data...

Team Sparring
The girls drew Canada in the first round.

Elly lost the first bout: 2-0 Canada
Nikki won the second bout: 2-2
Lipi lost the third bout: 4-2 Canada
Roseanne won the fourth bout: 4-4
Alicia drew the fifth bout: 5-5

In a draw after 5 rounds, a 6th bout is sparred, where Teams can recycle a sparrer who has already fought if they wish.

Roseanne went up for New Zealand, and lost; bout to Canada; match to Canada.

The boys had Australia first up.

Campbell won the first bout: 2-0 New Zealand
Regan drew the second bout, against the tallest sparrer on the Australian team: 3-1 New Zealand
Sam won the third bout: 5-1 New Zealand
Robbie won the fourth bout; 7-1 New Zealand; Match to New Zealand

In the second round, they went up against Germany.

Campbell drew the first bout: 1-1
Regan lost the second bout: 3-1 Germany
Robbie won the third bout: 3-3
Chris Broughton won the fourth bout: 5-3 New Zealand
Sam won the fifth bout: 7-3 New Zealand; Match to New Zealand

This puts the guys through to the Semis. We'll let you know how they do!

Team Power Test
Male Team Power Test is still to take place.

In Female Team Power, most of the 13 teams got through the first round.

Roseanne ended up having to break off in two playoff rounds.

In the third round, she was the only competitor to cleanly break the three-board turning kick.

We understand USA have the Bronze and Australia have the Silver, but that break was all that was needed for New Zealand to peg another Gold on the board.

As a trivia note, that completes a set for Lipi Shukla - medals in all four disciplines at this Championships.

We're still in play for three medals - Male Team Sparring (medal guaranteed), Rebecca's Sparring Final (Silver or Gold guaranteed), and Male Team Power Test (no guarantees... but don't forget, we've got two of the three Individual Power Test medallists on the Team).

Thursday 8th July - Second day of competition.

Individual sparring and power today.

(There are notes here added to those bouts that I was able to watch or extract comments from others on. Apologies to the others that are left a bit basic. Not quite up to the standard of those other prolific journo's, Matt Breen Argentina '99, and Jake Pearson Poland '03 (With bits of Gray Patterson thrown in here and there :) )

Afternoon off tomorrow (we hope - if teams get done).

Sparring:

Nick Eley was first up against Puerto Rico.They were fairly even - and it was a draw.
After the break, the PR guy came out really hard. Nick kept his cool, eventually PR was deducted for contact (doesn't happen a lot at W Champs!). Technique won the day, Nick gave our first win.

Next up Rebecca Walthall vs Germany. Bex put on a great display, middle kicks by the dozen, popping one across the top in between. It wasn't obviously heavy, we think the German girl jumped into a turning kick and caught a knee in the stomach. She had a timeout and about a minute later her breakfast was available for examination. That stopped the ring for 5 minutes or so, then award to Bex. Win #2

Lipi Shukla next against Slovenia - Mr Van der M wanted to second this one - his old student Thomas Barada was the Slovenian coach. The master coach is still the master coach, and Lipi had learnt her lessons well. Win #3

Poland and Argentina as always are the tough nuts. Elly Sekikawa fought the good fight, but lost to Poland.

Cori-Jean drew Argentina, and couldn't quite edge them out.

Rebecca W back for round 2, against Slovenia. Had us a leetle worried, the Slovenian girl had a killer sidekick. Not enough to get one up on our Bex though - Win#4 - and entry to the finals on Saturday (Would you like Gold or Silver with that order, ma'am? :)

Renee vs Germany. Some fights you can pick within the first ten seconds or so.
Lots of good kicks getting through is a fair indication. The Germans are no slouches (eh Antje :) but Renee took it clearly. Win #5

Este lost to Honduras.

Alicia lost to Romania. They were very similar, size, appearance and style. Quite a few punch barrages both ways.

Nick back in for his second bout - vs USA. The American was pretty solid, but Nick was quick. It came to a draw. Nick took the third round, Win#6

Lipi won vs USA, taking her into the semis.

Robbie Vs Chile. I saw Willy Van der Mortel giving Robbie a lo-5, then again: "harder" he says, "Harder!". Maybe that's one of his magic tricks. Robbie went out and made the Chilean disappear :) (it wasn't easy though, the other guy was good - it went to a draw first).
Robbie made good use of the ring space, moving well and countering well. Footwork and timing won the match.

Chantie won vs Honduras - a bigger girl, as many of our opponents were.

Lipi lost to Argentina, gets a Bronze.

Nikki lost to Poland. Seemed to have a bit of trouble getting going, and taking the attack to the Polish girl.

Renee loss to Canada. Got fairly physical, this fight.

Campbell Gold vs USA. It was a tough fight and Cam looked very very good. Happily he also won the bout. He came out confident, and kept up a thinking attack, moving well.

Nick's third bout, loss to Argentina.

Robbie's second bout, loss to Canada. Robbie did the right things, but the Canadian looked to have a bigger arsenal of techniques.

Chantie vs Germany. She took a few knocks, had a blood nose, but came back fighting. They had the medic take a look at one point - he was shaking his head, but looked like Cha did some fast talking, and in she went again. However she couldn't catch up - loss to Germany.

Campbell loss to Argentina. He gave his all, the Argentinian looked like he was fairly experienced.

Regan win vs Spain.

Rose loss vs Germany. Rose was hampered by her injured foot, but even so it was pretty hard to pick.

Sam Skinner loss vs Ireland. Sam moved well and fast - several chases of the Irish guy across the ring. The ref had to backpedal out of the way smartly a few times. Sam was responding to gaps in his opponent's defence very quickly. It may be that the kicks weren't penetrating as well as they might.
It went to a draw - then again to a sudden-death (out came the red/blue flags).
The ref calls when he thinks he sees a point, then three judges must confirm.
After a couple of calls on Sam's techniques that weren't given by the judges, the point went to Ireland.

Kane (jumping bean) Baigent, win vs Ireland.
I don't know how he had that much energy, but Kane was all over his taller opponent (pretty much literally).
Gray thinks there seemed to be a consistent reaction by the Irish team (younger ones at least) to turn right away from punches - so Kane capitalised on this by keeping going at him from any angle, even if it meant leaping on his back and hooking round to the front of the head if he turned away.

Chris Clencie loss vs Croatia. Another that went to sudden death. This stretched on and on, several point calls by the ref on Chris's techniques, some of which two of the judges gave to Chris but a particular two didn't budge for any of them (3 required). Eventually a Croatian technique was called and got 3 flags. Not saying there was bias - I guess they may have all been on the far side from them.

Gary Sawyer loss vs Italy. Gary was a bit too open to attack - some more experience should improve that.

Carlos vs Romania - win by default.

Jamie win vs Ireland. The Irish lad was bigger, and at the end of the first round my thought was "Jamie's going well, but maybe not quite enough". After the break, he came out firing on all cylinders. (For this one I had noted the Irish boy was turning the back a lot even before talking to Gray. I guess the right advice was given :) )

Chris Broughton win vs England

Regan loss vs Germany.

David Burr loss vs Italy. Another one that went to sudden-death, and, after a punch combo that knocked the Italian over, called by the ref, ignored by the judges, the next call for Italy got the flags. It was a good clean side-kick - but there were some frowns and exclamations of "Gosh" after the first one...

I must say that David's attitude is EXCELLENT. He really went for it from start to finish, and he came out with a smile, "That was fun".

Carlos loss vs Ireland.

Chris B loss to Ukraine. This chap had loong legs, and came out sidekicking.

Jamie loss to Germany. Much taller opponent, he had an experienced look about him.

Kane loss to Canada. Again a taller opponent, although Kane had him on the run a few times.
Kane and David showed a similar "fire in the belly" that should take them far!

Power Test
Scores:
Nikki: Turning Kick: 2
Rose: Turning Kick: 4

Robbie: Knifehand: 4; Side Kick: 6; Turning Kick: 4; Reverse Turning Kick: 4.
Total 18 - Bronze
Nick: Punch: 4; Knifehand: 3; Side Kick: 6; Turning Kick: 6; Reverse Turning Kick: 4.
Total 23 - Gold

OK - it's nearly 11.30, the internet cafe closes at midnight and it's a wee way to walk, so rushed ending here, leaving it to my trusty sidekick (son :) to tidy up...

More photos will be forthcoming when I can get them zipped.

ciao
neilb

Lunchtime update (Italy time):

Confirmed GOLD AND BRONZE in male individual power.
(to add to Lipi's BRONZE in Female sparring earlier this morning).

Robbie Buddle ran into one of those subtle little traps that get points disallowed - I believe to do with foot position during the measure up, he comes away with the Bronze.

Along came dark horse Nick Eley and powered his way through to GOLD.

This confirms medals in all four codes for the Team - Patterns, Sparring, Special Technique, and Power Test.

Further sparring results:

Roseanne TeHau: Win vs Australia

Nick Eley: Loss to Argentina
Campbell Gold: Loss to Argentina
Chantie Thach: Loss to Germany

We've got some preliminary results from the Sparring bouts fought so far today...

More details and more results when the reporters get to an internet connection at the conclusion of the day's competition.

Sparring: Finished with Competition

Elly Sekikawa: Loss to Poland
Cori-Jean Topia: Loss to Argentina
Estelle Speirs: Loss to Honduras
Alicia Yates: Loss to Romania
Nikki Galpin: Loss to Poland

Renee Richardson: Win vs Germany
Renee Richardson: Loss to Canada

Lipi Shukla: Win vs Slovenia
Lipi Shukla: Win vs Canada; through to Semis.
Lipi Shukla: Loss to Argentina; Bronze Medal.

Sparring: Still in Contention

Rebecca Walthall: Win vs Germany
Rebecca Walthall: Win vs Slovenia; through to the Final later in the week.

Chantie Thach: Win vs Honduras

Robbie Buddle: Draw vs Chile; Win in Round 3

Nick Eley: Draw vs Puerto Rico; Win in Round 3
Nick Eley: Draw vs USA; Win in Round 3

Campbell Gold: Win vs USA

And some still to fight their first bout.

Power Test

At the time of last communication, Robbie Buddle is sitting in 3rd place, and Nick Eley is leading the pack. But the contest isn't over, with competitors still to break, so anything can happen...

A trivia note, for those who are interested in such things...

The New Zealand Team to Italy in 2001 received 109 emails of support from New Zealand and around the world.

The Guestbook for the Juniors in Puerto Rico in 2002 had 269 entries.

The Guestbook for the New Zealand Team in Poland last year had 218 entries.

This year, the Guestbook has already broken the 350 mark... and there are still three days of competition to go...

I've just had a phone call from Mr Breen, and he asked me to pass on the Team's thanks to everyone who's been sending messages in via the Guestbook. Every chance they get, they're reading the latest messages out to the Team, and the thoughts and well-wishes from home and elsewhere are definitely appreciated.

Apparently the last print run filled thirty pages, at thirty cents a page... "But money well-spent," I'm told.

Keep 'em coming!

Wednesday 7th July

GOLD for NZ, in female team special technique.
and a fourth Bronze - male team special technique.

In the male team specials, Sam Skinner's reverse turning kick gave the team two points.
This was good enough to put them in a playoff with England (coached by a certain Mr Hong Looi :) for the silver/bronze.
Sam missed out with a repeat of the reverse turning kick as a tie-breaker, NZ has its 4th Bronze.

The first run through the female team specials left 6 teams with 4 points: Australia, Canada, Hungary, Poland, Romania, NZ.
Elly's front kick and Nikki's overhead provided our 4 pts.
Nikki Galpin was appointed the tie-breaker - her turning kick took NZ into the company of Aus, Canada and Romania.
Next round, overhead kick, (this one seemed to be the most consistently missed) - leaving Aus & NZ.

Carlie Dann (Aus - for her height, man can that girl jump!) and Nikki then slogged it out up to 6 tie-breaking rounds!!
Sue saw the connection and between rounds (while the officials conflabbed about the NEXT tie-breaker) got the kiwis going on a chant of O-C-a.ni.a - rapidly taken up as a duet by the Aussies.

Finally, Carlie missed the turning kick - Nikki brought it home..... (after each round - there was the usual enthusiastic group hugs between the girls - after the last one, Alicia nearly took Nikkis head off with a flying tackle/hug :)
So that's the first six team members who will have Gold round their necks when we hit Auckland Airport.

This all was the last activity of the day - it was nearly 7pm when we cleared the stadium.
Andrew's voice was still husky at the 9.15pm team meeting which he attributed to the excitement on that Gold!

(Rose should be back in action tomorrow - ice and arnica being applied in copious quantities!).

Both NZ teams came up against Argentina in the first round of team patterns.
Our guyrls gave good performances - the Argentinians showed sign of an awful lot of time training together, enough to perfect quite a variety of complex razzle dazzle bits - (mexican wave type stuff, etc).

Argentina won both those male and female bouts.

Some NZ team records were broken today - most medals taken in one day, and most medals taken in one session (a 1/2 day), and the first female patterns medal.

The Haka was performed several times today. One was between Lipi & Chantie's Semi qualifiers - then again 5 minutes later - I thought, hmm, that one's a bit close to the last. Apparently Master Bos had announced "New Zealand, do Haka please" - so the lads jumped to comply ! (got to get used to jumping when Masters call, will be happening back home before long :) )

Today was just full on, Andrew, Gray and Mr Van der Mortel were flat out keeping track of the bodies down on the competition floor. The kingpin of our communication system was Rose Cherrington. She received the draw at about 8.15 - out of order, a, mmm, very compact layout on the sheets which took a bit of getting used to - but Rose got her head around it, and fed the required competitors and timings to the coaches all day long via the little walkie talkies (which have been invaluable!).

The heat in the venue is incredible. Fortunately for the competitors, the aircon seems to keep the competition floor a bit cooler. Finding a spot near the big doors also helps.
We seem to be getting used to it..

Tomorrow is sparring and power.

Today's update hasn't caught up to the target standard after a combination of hassles with TXTing, the heat, the long walk back from the venue (in the heat), the shortage of bicycles (beginning to think maybe I shouldn't have mentioned discovering those) and the unpredictable availability of internet access.

(I know, excuses, excuses, excuses - will try to do better next time).

ciao
neilb

I found this on the Australian site:

"SILVER FOR AUSTRALIA! Amazing final for female team specialty techniques. In the end it was Aussie V NZ. They had several play offs before they found a winner. All ecstatic. More later."

The strong implication is that if, in the Australia/NZ playoff, Australia took a silver...

... well, I'll let you figure the rest out.

Patterns Competition is complete, apart from the Finals to be run later in the week. No Kiwis in the Finals, unfortunately, but we didn't come away empty-handed...

Special Technique Competition is also over.

Patterns

Sam Skinner: Loss to Ireland

Chris Broughton: Win vs Poland
Chris Broughton: Win vs Honduras
Chris Broughton: Loss to Canada

Lipi Shukla: Win vs Poland
Lipi Shukla: Win vs Ireland
Lipi Shukla: Draw vs Italy; Win vs Italy on the third pattern, into the Semi-Finals
Lipi Shukla: Loss to Hungary. Bronze Medal.

Chantie Thach: Win vs Argentina
Chantie Thach: Win vs Germany or Romania?
Chantie Thach: Win vs Poland, into the Semi-Finals
Chantie Thach: Loss to Canada. Bronze Medal.

Special Technique

A later competitor managed to better Shannon's 4 points - we think he finished in 4th place, just out of the medals.
Chris Clencie and Nick Eley scored 2 points each.

In the female competition, Nikki Galpin also scored 4 points... along with two Poles and a Canadian.

They had a playoff round, eliminating one of the Polish girls; in the second playoff round, Nikki's turning kick was disqualified based on angle of the foot, elminating her from the playoff and earning her our third Bronze Medal. There'll be more on this one later - apparently the decision is a matter of some heated debate among people who watched the kick...

Some unfortunate news - Roseanne injured her ankle during Special Technique competition. It's not certain if she'll be able to compete in Team Event this afternoon. The tournament is currently broken for a three hour lunch (and siesta, presumably - apparently the heat is appalling!), but after conclusion of competition for the day, our reporters should be able to send full update...

We're also told that Chantie and Lipi successfully weighed in for their divisions.

Preliminary Competition is underway in Patterns and Special Technique. We have a few first round results - more to come. It's still early in the day in Italy!

Patterns

Chris Broughton: Win vs Poland
Chantie Thach: Win vs Argentina
Robbie Buddle: Loss to England
Regan Diggelmann: Loss to Chile
Chris Clencie: Loss to USA
Megan Matsuoka: Loss to Canada
Nikki Galpin: Loss to Australia

Special Technique

Shannon Ryan has 4 points - it's believed he is currently sitting in the third place spot at this stage of the competition.

In other news, Rebecca Walthall has weighed in without need to resort to extreme measures.

Chantie and Lipi are still to weigh in, after the conclusion of the Pattern prelims.

More Pre-Tournament Photos from Italy.

Tuesday 6th July

Today is the day that reality is really setting in.
With the arrival of the draws, the guys and girls finally have names (well, teams at least) to put to those first bouts coming up Real Soon Now.

We have 3 overweights, Rebecca W, Chantie T, and Lipi S. They will be going through "the treatment" tomorrow morning. It may not be so hard - Andrew believes he dropped a weight division just sitting through the Coaches meeting this afternoon - the venue could be used as a broiler that would handle several herds of chickens :).
Apparently the competition floor is cooler than the seating area - (bleachers that get close to the curved roof).

This morning the team headed up to an alternate hall for training, a block away from the main venue.
Due to a slight lack of signage, several teams, ours included, scaled a head-high locked gate to get in. The eventual arrival of Rose C implied there was actually an entrance (given her confinement to a wheelchair after breaking her foot at the nationals some weeks ago).

There were about a dozen teams training. At one point, Sue looked round and noted that every single coach was watching Mr Van der Mortel working with our sparrers.
We are among probably the 3 largest teams. Our mass of black makes quite an imposing sight.
Most of the supporters have got with the program, either by chance having something black - or hitting the local haberdashers.
(including yours truly now that I have finally synchronised laundry cycles with the team, and bought another black T-shirt - 1/2 a day is about what a shirt lasts here - it's HOT.

I made a wonderful discovery this morning. after Setting off on another 30 minute trek to an internet cafe, I suddenly thought "must be able to rent a bicycle". Backtracked - asked the hotel staff where one might get one. "Why right here" they said - "the hotel has some free bicycles for guests".
Halelujah. 30 minute foot killing walk cut down to 7 minutes coasting along (very little hilliness here).
This has lead to several benefits. I hope I can get a pic of John M cycling off to the laundrette, balancing two large bags of doboks. (Tireless is our John :)
(the hotel doesn't seem to have one of those handy little lists of available facilities... wish we had found the bikes days ago).

The team got in to view the venue with mats in place after their morning training. There aren't many seats for 300 competitors plus supporters... We hope to get several of our supporters down there early with the team's bags to stake out a territory. (turns out Doug Northey drove from Paris with Jo - so he has his car here - volunteered to handle our baggage cartage. Given the narrow streets and traffic, he suspects the walkers may beat him there, but not having to carry anything heavy becomes very important to one here :)

Our coaches/manager tootled off to the coaches meeting at 4pm. Last year it went til 2am!
Master Bos had ensured this one would finish at a reasonable hour. They were back by 6pm.
Up to 49 competitors in some divisions!
Apparently Master Bos announced one of the first draws - "New Zealand vs Argentina - Oho (this will be a good one)".
Argentina is among the top-rated countries. This was taken by our management team as a high compliment to NZ.

The first few bouts up tomorrow will thoroughly test our Girls.
There are some consistent winners there.
We will do our best to get results to NZ and up on the page promptly.
First results should come in somewhere within an hour or so after 6.30pm NZ time.
These will be prelims. Finals are all held over til Saturday.

We have had - shall we say not 100% cooperation from the hotel regarding breakfasts - needing to leave by say 20 to 8 to get to the venue just after 8 on competition days, means ideally brekkie at 7.

"Breakfast will be 7.30 - no sooner" they say. (unfortunately this morning they didn't even open the doors till 8.05).

Kiwi mums to the rescue - Sue B, Karen S, Linda L, David W (and Natasha) and of course John M (honorary mums those two :) raided the local supermarket at 9.30 pm and put together packs for the team to munch on the hoof on their morning constitutional to the venue.

Oddly party ice is simply unknown here - we need it in case of bruises - and here we need cold drinking water during the competition day.
We are manufacturing our own with water bottles in room fridge freezers. Plus insulated bags from the supermarket (no chilli-bins obvious anywhere...).

The first days program has its competitors noted below.
We will rearrange subsequent days to be more readable...

ciao
neilb


Official Competitors Sports Programme 

Wednesday July 7th - competition 

8.30 - 12.30   weigh in - sport centre
           

8.30 - 12.30       PATTERNS
               Ring 1 -  Female 1st degree
               Ring 2 -  Female 2nd degree
                         Male 2nd degree

               Ring 3 -  Male 1st degree
               Ring 4 -  Individual Special Technique Competition

13.00 - 14.00      lunch in hotel

16.00 - 19.00      TEAM PATTERNS
               Ring 1 -  Male team pattern group 1
               Ring 2 -  Female team pattern
               Ring 3 -  Male team pattern group 2
               Ring 4 -  Team special technique competition

19.30 - 21.00      dinner in hotel




          FEMALE INDIVIDUAL PATTERNS DRAW

1st Dan     Megan v Canada   
            Chanthie v Argentina 
            Lipi v Poland

2nd Dan     Nikki v Australia


          MALE INDIVIDUAL PATTERNS DRAW

1st Dan     Regan v USA/Chile   
            Chris B v Poland/Ireland
            Chris C V USA

2nd Dan     Sam v Puerto Rico/Ireland
            Robbie v England


          FEMALE INDIVIDUAL SPECIALS
	    Rose, Nikki, Elly

          MALE INDIVIDUAL SPECIALS
            Shannon, Chris C, Nick


          FEMALE TEAMS

Team Pattern  - NZ v Argentina

Team Sparring - NZ v Canada


          MALE TEAMS

Team patterns NZ v Argentina    

Team sparring NZ V Australia 

(see the main team page for the team events team members)




            FEMALE INDIVIDUAL SPARRING DRAW

Micro       Rebecca v Germany

Light       Lipi v Ireland

Middle      Chanthie v Australia   
            Estelle v Argentina   
            Cori v Romania /Croatia

Heavy       Elly v Poland  
            Renee v Germany   
            Alicia v Romania

Hyper       Nikki v Poland 
            Rose v Australia





            MALE INDIVIDUAL SPARRING DRAW

Micro   Gary v Italy
        Carlos v Romania
        David v Italy

Light   Kane v Ireland
        Jamie v Ireland

Middle  Chris B v England

Heavy   Regan v Spain
        Sam v Ireland
        Chris C v Croatia

Hyper   Campbell v Croatia
        Nick v Puerto Rico
        Robbie v Chile


---------------------------

Thursday July 8th

7.30 - 8.00         breakfast in hotel

8.30 - 12.30        Ring 1 -              Female sparring -60kg
                    Ring 2 -              Male sparring +70kg
                    Ring 3 -              Female sparring -48kg
                                          Female sparring +60kg
                    Ring 4 -              Female sparring -42kg
                                          Female sparring -53kg
                    Ring 5 -              Individual power breaking

13.00 - 14.00       lunch in hotel

16.00 - 19.00       Ring 1 -              Male sparring -70kg
                    Ring 2 -              Male sparring -63kg
                    Ring 3 -              Male sparring -52kg
                    Ring 4 -              Male sparring -58kg
                    Ring 5 -              Individual power breaking
19.30 - 21.00       dinner in hotel


Friday July 9th

7.30 - 8.00         breakfast in hotel
8.30 - 12.30        Ring 1 -              Male team sparring group 1
                    Ring 2 -              Female team sparring
                    Ring 3 -              Male team sparring group 2
                    Ring 4 -              Team power competition M/F
13.00 - 14.00       lunch in hotel
14.00 - 19.00       afternoon free
19.30 - 21.00       dinner in hotel
21.30 - 22.30       Opening Ceremony

Saturday July 10th

7.30 - 8.00         breakfast in hotel
10.00 - 12.30       Finals - Team Pattern & Sparring M/F
                    Awarding Ceremony
13.00 - 14.00       lunch in hotel
16.00 - 18.00       Finals - Team Pattern & Sparring M/F
                    Awarding and Closing Ceremony

19.30 - 21.00       dinner in hotel and PARTY

Pre-Tournament Photos from Italy.
(Be warned - they're not small!)

Monday 5th July 10pm.

A short one today folks - but there be PICTURES. (at least as soon as the home team link them in).

Half of every day is skewed by 2 or 3 hours here - many things just shut down completely between 1 and 4. Dinner runs between 8'ish and 9'ish - then team meeting, chats - it's after 10pm before you know it.
The hotel is very centrally placed - at ten at night, the streets around are bustling, full of life, with various street entertainers - saw a couple of musicians in full South American Indian dress last night, flute and a hollow-stick-like percussion instrument (plus canned background - but it was very pleasant listening).

This morning the team walked to the tournament venue to do the morning training in the surrounding park. It is a 25-30 minute stroll from the hotel, a nice gentle pre-warmup.
It is a pleasant grassy area, plenty of shady trees.
Mr Skinner and I reconnoitered the venue - and ran into Master Bos. Mentioned we had brought the team to train in the park, he immediately said "Let's go meet them".

The team performed the Haka, then Master Bos shook the hand of every team member, and had a few encouraging words for each of them, and then the team.

Still monitoring the weights daily - I believe it is a case of "No significant worries at this time". First formal weigh-ins are on Wednesday - I will get an "official" comment for tomorrow's page.

After lunch, free time til 3pm, then "training" on the beach, then some more serious training til 5.
In the meantime, the Coach/Manager twins strolled off to the venue to put in the entries - apparently there had been some problem reading the file emailed a while ago, so photos had to be re-submitted.
The task of working through the 24 entries, copying and sticking pictures etc was sped up with the help of the Aussie management team.

Our guys are not used to the idea of a siesta after lunch, but with the heat it is a seriously good idea - this was added to the schedule at tonight's team meeting.

Today's quote, from Estelle - "What time did you say the fiesta was Mr Niven?" :)

More ramblings from the team members below - and we have lots more pics, just got to sift through and get them processed and uploaded....

Mañana

Ciao
Neilb

From the Team

	Hey errvry 1! We trained today at the venue. The venue is pretty small up in thurr. We did the Haka 4 Master Boss. Everyone is pretty anxious about the tournament. The beach hurr is cool as! Hot sun and warm water. The shops are bad 2! Food S-s! Peace-out, A-town down Roseanne
	Hi everybody, Well today we had to go and train in this hot weather, but it was all good. We had a look at the venue as well. We went to play touch, and went 2 da beach. The water was beautiful!!!:) We also went shopping, it was fun!!:) C U Cori
	Howdy! Man - so much for the hot guys? Not happening!! Hahaha - it's day 2 here and nearly everyone has minor burn lines, nothing too bad, but it's such nice weather, but the worst thing, 100m from the beach, which has zero surf! Having an absolutely awesome time, gutted I can't find an E-cafe to email everyone! Pumped for the tournament, will be wicked as! Nikki
	Hey everyone! The weather is absolutely gorgeous! I love Riccione, the shopping, beach and the whole atmosphere! The tourney venue was quite small, not much different from home, just the huge banner saying "Junior World Champs" was a reminder that it's happening now... We are all set 2 go!! Cyas! Lipi.
	Hey people. Riccione is so cool! I love the hotel, it's sooo much better than our last one. We're surrounded by shops and the beach is a 2 minute walk away - it's great! We had a light training today which got us back into things, and are all more focused on the tournament now. I'm so excited for the tournament! We're gonna kick butt! Elly
	Hey people, this is so rad. We had such a cool training with Mr Van der Mortel. He is so cool, and hilarious. The weather is awesome, the haka was so great, makes me proud to be a kiwi. Boisterous young souls performed the Haka with sheer passion. Enough to even put the All Blacks off their game. The training with Mr Van der Mortel was light but needed. Man he's a laugh. Girls are still hot as, but seeing as I can't speak Italian, I have to give them body signals. But it's not working. Laters Campbell (ed: if the "body signal" that slipped out during the team meeting is anything to go by then Cam needs to change his strategy! :)
	Hey!! Saw the venue today for the first time - very exciting! Also did some training in the park nearby too, which was awesome (bring on the sunblock). So much for Italy & hot guys and girls - they're all old, saggy and sunburnt (and sometimes naked).... joy. Go New Zealand! (ed: must have a word with Renee - she must have been looking in ALL the wrong places!) Oh yeah, the food is nothing to get excited about - it's always pasta then some sort of fish-chicken-turkey and potato - 5 nights in a row! Renee
	Hi family - the Haka was cool, doing it for Mr Willy Van der Mortel and Master Bos. Chris C.
	Hi dudes, It's been mean as. The Haka was so 'phat and psyched up for the tournament. Loving the weather but hate the water, yuck. Fish (ed: well I guess with a nick like that you'be real choosy about your water ?? :)
	What's up. I had a cool day today. Had a training with Mr Van der Mortel, looked at the tournament venue, went to the beach, and looked around the shops. Carlos
	Hi. Today was great. We did the Haka for Master Bos today and Mr Van der Mortel yesterday. We had a training today with Mr Van der Mortel and that was awesome. Gary
	Yo! I am loving Italy. It's so GOOD!! The weather is cooler here in Riccione and we have been to the beach heaps!! We are also in the centre of all the rad shops. YAY!! Team Patterns and everyone is looking really awesome! Tournament venue is OK! Hey Thu! I'm 1/2 a kg over, eekk.. Chantie
	We did the Haka and it sturred us up, especially when everyone churred for us. We are always lurred to the beach.. Nick

Pictures

Rome, Team at the fountain-before-Trevi (possibly "Neptune")

It will be this evening NZ time before the latest update can be uploaded.
(The provinces are rather behind Rome in reliable Internet access)
There will be pictures. :) A day to go yet before competition starts...
ciao
neilb

Sunday 4th July

With the trip to Riccione, and some settling down hassles getting to the internet - this is a wee bit late... Hopefully tomorrow will be back on schedule (with PICTURES - cross fingers :)

ZZZzzz... Monday 7.45 am - would you believe it, got down to the hotel lobby at 2.30 am after 3 hrs typing! - and their internet PC would not connect - "Come back in the morning".
So much later than I had hoped - and needs some tidying up - but anyway - read on...

Our last day in Rome, last day of feet up by the pool, sipping G&Ts, with hot and cold running waitresses.. No - hang on, that was a dream I had last night. Actually it's the last day of slogging round cobbled streets in the mediterranean sun, hauling heavy water bottles, watching for errant juniors....
I jest - we have seen some awesome sights - the scale of the roman architecture - the "mod cons" we have learnt that they had 2000 years ago - and one of the quotes below from the team that really appeals to me - "you can smell the history". A once in a, well, very-long-time experience, especially with the company we are keeping.

And I jest about the "errant Juniors".
I had some misgivings about the plan to help ride herd on *24* youthful, curious, hormone generating teenagers. These misgivings have NOT been borne out.
They really have been a great bunch to work with, being co-operative to a degree that any parent of teenagers would be pretty happy to see - no nightmare "so&so has been missing for the last 2 hours" or "you know the fridge in so&so's room with the mini-bar - um..."

In all seriousness folks - you can already be proud of this team - the old saw, "Team bonding" has really happened.
The 5 hour trip to Riccione showed a group of young folk getting along famously, without the so possible cliques of region, gender or age ("Hey Mr Burr - your son rocks!!").
Those few days of complete distraction from the upcoming pressures have allowed them to get it together as a team at a deeper level - which all contributes to that team spirit which may help drive the competition up a crucial notch.
(Hey don't worry - they ARE still teenagers tho - Andrew ticks off one or two every so often for tardiness to a meeting - or leaving something behind - but pretty normal stuff :) On the walking tours, they were pretty good, not a lot of cracking of whips required at all.
(Hmmm, maybe that's something we could buy Andrew as a remembrance of Italy - genuine Italian leather and all that :)

Soppy stuff over - now back to the news!

Sunday morning - sleep in day Yay! (somehow we were still up about 6.45 - bright hot Italy mornings!)
We don't leave til 9.30am for today's tour - but we do have to take all our stuff - checking out.
It's been fun at the PortaMaggiore. Little Italian Ice cream shop and an Internet Cafe right next door. What more in life could you ask for? :)
(Did I mention yesterday the combination Laundrette/Internet Cafe we found last night - now THAT's a brilliant idea! Unfortunately it was too far from the hotel for us to use this morning)
We actually appeared to get everyone and their luggage on the bus without anything being left behind. Good omen.
The goal today is the fountain that you throw coins in for luck (and extended visas, and Italian spice)

A fifteen minute bus trip, and lots of historical information (and lots (and lots.....)) later (we had our Vatican guide again), through a remarkably quiet Rome (it's Sunday - except for the central tourist traps, Rome shuts down), then an illegal bus stop - "everybody off - quick - quick" (but then again, legality and cars/buses doesn't really seem to go together in Rome - white lines in the middle of the road before an island, with a foot of space - they park there, two or three in a row, I kid you not!) and we're on our way to the Parthenon. (hmm, that might have been one of my longer sentences).

On the way we pass an excavated fragment of an ancient Roman street - it is seven metres below current street level - solely due to the fact that over the last few thousand years they always rebuilt on top of the rubble of older buildings. (and just raised the streets to match).
The Parthenon is another one of those buildings that is just - massive. You go inside, and look up, and up, and up - how on earth did they get the roof on'
(there's a song - something about the Partheneon Milkbar. Honorable mention to the first to name it in the guest book :)

It had been noted that the Italian meals are not heavy on veges, so some fruit for the bus trip would be a good idea. Karen S and Sue B ventured into a grocery near the Parthenon to do some fruit buying. The Italians have a number of - mmm - different systems in their shops. With the number of tourists it's odd they don't have more English signage. They emerged quite some time later, having finally figured out the self-help system.

Onwards to The Trevi Fountain. (I think the Brucey fountain was just round the corner).
Here everyone throws a coin over their left shoulder for luck.
(1 coin for luck, 2 to return soon to Italy, 3 to marry an Italian. (see... an Italian spouse, plural spice. No?)
I don't THINK I saw any 3 coin lots going in from our guys...

Back on the bus, pick up Mr Willy Van Der Mortel, and then its Arivaderci Roma.
We are on the way at midday. It's going to be a 5+ hour drive to Riccione.

One of the games is "Spot the Ferrari". Gray P quoting models as they zoom past.

Stop for lunch at an "AutoCafe". You know those funny Italian shop systems I mentioned - this was another one. Queue up at the sandwich bar, get to the front - "no no - you need to buy a ticket over there" - ??
OK - go queue there - one sandwich please - get a ticket, back to the queue at the sandwich bar.....
I guess it makes perfect sense to them - but some english signs would have been nice.

On the road again - through countryside that could well have been one of the low hilly parts of NZ - mix of green and brown, haybales in the fields - you know how it is, a Castle on top of every second hill, or a Monastery, or a giant Crucifix - standard stuff :)

Got into a discussion about the Vatican, and the building where the "Conclave of Cardinals" elect a new pope - and the burning of the voting papers each day to give black smoke if no majority has been reached, or white when there is a new pope.
Quote of the day from the team member whose name rhymes with Hobbit:
"Do they count the votes before they burn them'".

There was suddenly a major outburst of "Ooohs", "Aahs" and "Wows" from one end of the bus to the other.
What was this ?? A major country Cathedral?
An awe-inspiring Roman Viaduct?
Nope - a restaurant carpark (beside the highway in the middle of nowhere!) with about THIRTY Red Ferraris.
It WAS a most impressive sight. The bus driver didn't seem to hear all the anguished pleas to turn round and go past again :)

5.30 pm and Riccione is in sight.
It is a much newer town than Rome (well duh!) - we have high hopes for the hotel.
We drive along close to the seashore (VERY blue - the Adriatic) - past hotel swimming pools, tennis courts (John M goes all creamy over "Clay Courts"??) and lots of the beautiful people.

Arrive at the Hotel Concord.
Checking in goes fairly smoothly - show your passport, or else just tell them your birthdate. (and that's everyone, not just the young'uns - never run into that before')

Up to the rooms - AH Yes - Fantastico - real bathroom - with room to swing a cat (or at least shower without breathing in before turning around). Marble floors, electric curtains (well, sort of roller shutter thingies..), a swimming pool - this will do very nicely thank you :)
Poor Nick and Kane draw a short straw (a short key') and get a small room - "Broom Cupboard" they cry. Hopefully the hotel bookings may allow a change before long.
(And the Concord's fridges don't have mini-bars :) ( or :( depending what side of 20 you are!)

Some of the rooms look out onto a wide (very wide) balcony area).
The team perform the Haka for Mr VDM.
The balcony overlooks a busy pedestrian street.
As always - people anywhere in sight (and sound) stop and look up.
It went off well. I can see it having the usual effect in the stadium :)

The team gets taken off to the beach for a swim before dinner.
John M and I go looking for a Laundrette ("Lavenderie" - John worked on that real hard last night to remember it. By tonight he'd forgotten :) (but he can still crack a mean deal!).
We don't really want to be paying hotel laundry rates for a heap of doboks each day - at about $20 NZ a pop! (and any exertion at all (like breathing) in the heat here means it's laundry time by the end of the day - let alone competition!)
We find what might be a laundrette, or might be a commercial laundry - we ran out of Italian after "Lavenderie" - and being Sunday it was all shuttered up - no other clues. We'll check it tomorrow, along with searching for string bags or similar.

Back to the Concord for dinner. Guess what - just to be different, we'll start with - A Pasta Course. Then at least there is very identifiable chicken (instead of "Fish-chicken-turkey" :), with the slight wrinkle of a serving of potato crisps (?).
We certainly won't be able to say we haven't had a wide variety of experiences (and none of them have been really BAD per se - just - unusual)
The dessert of fresh fruit salad and Italian Ice Cream (yummm) atones for a lot of sins :)

Chris and Regan decided to re-enact their favourite movie "Lady and the Tramp" with a piece of spaghetti (you know - sucking both ends into the middle.)
The waiter appeared a little startled.
Regan offered to let him try.
I gather the waiter turned a fetching shade of pink and muttered something along the lines of "I think you are very beautiful but.. but.." and nearly went backwards over the next table.

At a team meeting after dinner, Andrew stressed that punctuality and consideration were required. Tomorrow there will be training at 9, and for good boys and girls swimming after lunch.
Mr VDM and Gray P will go find the stadium, so they can guide the team later. It is supposed to be a twenty minute stroll.
Two days until competition starts.

Well, it's about 2am Monday morning here. Now it's time to see if I can transfer this from Andrews's laptop to the Hotel's internet PC.

ciao
neilb

We got the team to spend a little time on the bus writing something about Rome
Thanks to Richard B for typing these up on the bus - means I might get to bed before 2.30am.

Thoughts from Rome and other ramblings from the Team.

	Rome is amazing. I never thought one place could be so beautiful. I'm loving it here - Alicia
	The infrastructures were mind blowing - they're so big and so detailed. They are irreplaceable. The street vendors are con artists. The Italian girls are so tanned. Wicked ah.. - Campbell
	I'm having fun so far. This is the best trip I've ever been on. Rome is an amazing place - Chris C.
	The building are super complicated - nothing is in squares! All weird circles! The place is definitely out of it aye! But the countryside is the same type of hills (as NZ) - less green though! - Nikki
	I wish I was deaf to the vendors - Kane
	The fountain (Trevi) was really amazing. We all flicked money into the fountain and made a wish - Regan
	This place is so awesome - everything is way better than I thought it would be. It's so good and we get along so well. This is the best thing I've ever done - Estelle
	Rome is so cool - the buildings are so old you can smell the history - Shannon
	Rome is interesting and very historical. The vendors are annoying and persistent - they won't stop bugging you even if you say no - Gary
	Rome was awesome - the architecture was absolutely amazing and Pompeii was too cool for words. On the way to Riccione - can't wait to WIN - Lipi
	(Ed:RB - as I'm transcribing this we just passed a herd/gaggle/flock??? of Ferrari's - about 30 of them - all red except 1 bright yellow one. Gray is wondering if we would look out of place joining them in a bus??)
	Thu - I wish you were here! Rome is amazing. It is so cool to wake up in hot weather and awesome buildings. I don't like pasta any more! (we've had it every lunch & dinner so far!) I love it here! - Chanthie
	Hey Mum and Christine. You are missing out with a lot of hot weather. It's a shame you aren't here. Rome was sooooo amazing with all the old buildings and fountains. We are on our way to Riccione. Missing you heaps - G FORCE (Cori)
	Hey Mum, Dad, Jess & Chris. Man it's sooo cool hurr! The weather is awesome although a lil hot - it's about 30+ degrees. All the buildings are amazing. Old school as - like 3000 yurrs old n stuff!! I'm having heaps of fun but I'm focusing on the tournament now as we head to Riccione. Love & miss yous!! - Roseanne
	Rome is so different to New Zealand - everywhere you look you see a 2000 year old building or statue. Unreal! - Renee
	All the statues and fountains around Rome are so detailed. And actually Pompeii was really cool ' Bex
	Hi Mum, Bevan and Flea. Italy is sooooo cool! Rome has the most amazing old buildings and statues. And the food is fantastico! I hope everyone is still training hard at the Waiuku Club cuz when I get back I'm going to sort you all out. Thanks for the emails Clair & John - Chris B.
	Hey New Zealand. Italy is awesome. Everything is really beautiful. I'm starting to get nervous cause competition is getting close now but it's going to be really cool - David
	Rome really brought me back to my roots. What a great city and thank God for air conditioning - Nick
	The style of buildings is amazing and Italians seem to make everything out of marble - it's such a picturesque country and so hot! - Jamie
	Hey NZ - Rome is amazing!!! I love it!! The architecture is so beautiful and awe inspiring. The gelato rocks! It's super hot too! So far it's a pretty awesome trip! - Megan
	Rome is the most unique and beautiful city I have been to. Everywhere you go you see amazing buildings, statues, fountains. It's crazy! We're on our way to Riccione now, can't wait for the beach, shopping and tournament. Not nervous at the moment, just excited. Damn it's hot! - Elly
	Italy is hot, sticky and fun - the people friendly and vendors annoying, but I've had enough of pasta and the fish-chicken-turkey thing. Can't wait until the tournament - Rob

Saturday 3rd July

The visit to Monte Cassino was one of severe significance both personal and for the team. I personally was overwhelmed by the graves and the sense of futility that you get from it. Here lie a lot of people who died defending our way of life, if it was not for them what would our life be? We can only hope that we have lived the life in a freedom that they foresaw for us all. I will never forget the thoughts of how many sons, brothers, uncles, cousins and fathers were killed. I will never forget the thoughts of how many families' happiness ended in a couple of months in 1944, so close to the end of the war, but so far.

For the team it was amazing to see how it affected them all. They were walking around and looking at the ages of all the graves. Some of them put on brave faces and talked the talk, some of the braver ones admitted that they were affected by it. When they found the grave of the 18 year old New Zealander the talk suddenly got serious. Most of them were thinking what it would be like to be heading off to war now and shared thoughts about not coming home.

We made a quick visit to the abbey as most wanted to see what it was about. During the climb up the hill a lot asked questions and looking out the windows saw how hard it would have been to defeat the occupiers of the abbey.

The trip to Pompeii was great, I found it extremely interesting. Campbell and the rest of the team had read the messages, especially the one from Alicia's Grandparents talking about a certain room that they had seen on their visit. The answer is yes, we did see it, but some things should just stay on tour.

It is really hot, 30+ degrees and some of the athletes are feeling it. Nikki fell asleep sitting in her chair at dinner tonight, but I think one more night's sleep and we will be in place for the tournament.

The weigh-in has been shifted to being on the first day of competition. (The Patterns and Special Technique Day) I think this is a sign of things for seniors, meaning that we have had to be strict on the weights. We have compulsory weigh-ins every morning to check that the athletes have stabilised. It could be a close one for some of them, so wish us luck.

The teams swung back into action today with the preparations for the first day of competition. There is one more half day of sightseeing, and then to Riccione. We will be training tomorrow afternoon after arrival.

Last night Master Bos visited, but he left due to the fact that both Gray and I passed out during his talk. Oh well, it had been a long trip. There were some interesting things that he said and insights as to how good this tournament will be. He is extremely sharp and onto it, an amazing figure for ITF to have in its leadership.

Write more soon.

Andrew N

Monte Cassino.
What a beautiful place, however it's such a pity it has to have such a melancholy past. In spite of this however, it is amazing to see the amount of New Zealanders that sacrificed their lives to protect and represent our country in the war effort. Such young men not much older then us, putting their lives on the line in a war that is half a world away. To think we also carry the pride of representing our country...

	I felt real stink for all the dudes that were young and had died for our country. All the graves showed me how vicious war is. It was good to see, but real symbolic. - Regan Diggelmann (Fish)
	Monte Cassino was really well maintained but I was surprised at the number of unknown soldiers who had been damaged so badly that they did not know who they were, and it made me think of what a waste of human life war is. - Rebecca Walthall (BEX)
	It was peaceful and it was interesting to see how many people died. - Gary Sawyer
	It was a really beautiful place yet so terrible. - Renee Richardson
	It's one thing to know that a relative died in Italy but it's completely different to see the grave - Jamie Smith
	Monte Casino was a truly life changing experience, it was a tragic moment in history. - Chris Broughton
	Extremely spiritually overwhelming, it's such a pretty place for such an awful event. - Nikki Galpin
	This was a very moving place; I am really grateful that the New Zealand soldiers have given their lives for our country. - David Burr
	I was really amazed to see so many graves, I am really grateful for their dedication and courage, it makes me feel proud to be a New Zealander. - Chanthie Thach
	Monte Cassino made me realise how much New Zealand blood has been spilt on foreign soil. - Shannon Ryan
	When I stepped up the stairs I was completely overwhelmed at the rows and rows of graves and it was very emotional to see the huge loss of life. At the same time the place was so beautiful and really honored the numerous soldiers for their utmost dedication to New Zealand. - Lipi Shukla
	I'll fight harder. - Nicolas Eley
	I thought it was amazing being there, and amazing what they did for the country. - Chris Clencie
	It makes me want to fight harder for my country. - Kane Baigent
	It was inspirational, it made me proud to be a New Zealander. - Estelle Speirs
	It was an amazing place. - Carlos MacDiarmid
	It made me feel sad realizing how many people died for our country, it made me proud to be a kiwi. - Alicia Yates
	Made me proud, it's a shame they had to go through all that. - Robert Buddle
	Peaceful. - Megan Matsuoka
	It made me proud to be a New Zealander. - Campbell Gold
	Monte Cassino was inspiring and I will remember this as one of the most memorable so far. - Elly Sekikawa
	It really surprised me with how many New Zealanders there were. - Cori-Jean Topia

Saturday, July 03, 2004 10.00 PM

Was hoping for rain today - maybe snow .....
Nope, beautiful (hot) cloudless (hot) summer's (hot) day :)
I must admit, it's good conditioning. The team is going to be less affected by the heat by the time they get to the Tournament Stadium, and can sit anytime they want. (It's one of life's little pleasures, you know, sitting...)

Off we went this morning on the tour bus, heading south from Rome for Monte Cassino and Pompeii.
Good clear speaking guide today, lots of comparison of the Italian countryside with NZ - and interesting details about cheeses and pastas.
(Did you know the ONLY way to really enjoy genuine Mozarella is to eat it on the same day it is made? You should be able to squeeze it and see milk run out!
Hmmm, can't see the local foodtown back home coming up with the real McCoy somehow :) )

Slight hiccup - "Monte Cassino is not on this tour" says the guide...
Much pointing at itineraries and a phone call to the tour company later, we're OK. Except it will add 2 hours to our trip - due back at 6.30, with dinner reservations at 7.30.
"Impossible" says the guide - won't be back til 8.30.
Oh dear - what about our dinner, won't they cancel us?
"Nonono - Not a problem - that's not the Italian way - an hour late for dinner - no problem, they wouldn't do that to you."

It was a couple of hours' drive to Cassino. Assorted entertainments were resorted to.
John M prompted much hilarity amongst the team members with hand twisting puzzles, and something about Pheasant Pluckers.... :)
After some caterwauling from the lads - there was a plea for Cori-Jean to come to the back and teach them how to sing.

We spent half an hour in the cemetery at the foot of the Monte.
Several thousand gravestones.
We found the New Zealand section - I think it hit home to some of our guys, when they saw that many were very close to their own age.
A powerful place - gradually affected most of us.

A quick trip to the top, most of the group did not enter the Monastery (shorts etc not permitted).
Wonderful views of the surrounding region, another beautiful church within the Monastery...

Back on the road, two more hours, past Naples, past Vesuvius, to Pompeii.
Nice lunch at a restaurant there - fairly standard template - pasta course, meat course (often Veal), then dessert (ice cream, up to the usual standard :)

In to Pompeii itself - amazing to see the echoes of the past. The guide kept our teens well entertained with her very factual descriptions of life 2000 years ago - matching the paintings and floor mosaics we could see.
There was a sports club, where males could train for the Olympics and such. She pointed out that great pride was taken in physique, so they competed naked. Interestingly used the example of fighters - naked except for their boxing gloves. This of course brought forth many suggestions for the next week!
We walked through an amphitheatre used for putting on plays etc. Campbell The Curious shocked us all by coming out with a question: "Did they have play competitions"?
"Indeed they did," said the guide - impressed with our lad's knowledge. They would run several plays, and the patrican sponsors would choose the best.
Pink Floyd played a gig in the ampitheatre a few years ago! (blank looks from most of the team members).

Some green slime was spotted in one of the roadways. It was suggested this must have been the birthplace of the TMNT - but no, Elly The Biologist patiently explained all about Blue Green Algae....

The trip back was relatively uneventful - except for the dear old couple who pulled out in front of the bus... good reactions from our driver prevented something major...
Apart from that we made really good time and got back by 7!

(oops - 11pm - they are going to close up here - speed type...)

Strolled downtown and back for dinner,
(On the subject again of traffic - Gray observed "it's not Merge like a zip, it's Merge like a bowl of cornflakes". Very apt!!)

Tomorrow morning some more sightseeing (including THE fountain - 3 coins etc) before we head for Rimini - probably a 4 - 5 hour trip.

ciao
neilb

Friday, July 02, 2004 08.30 PM

Well, the end of a looonngg hot day.
The team arrived at 10am.
All the guys and girls trooped up to their assigned rooms (7 or 8 per room) for showers. (No - not super economy bunkrooms - the "advance guard" who came in last night had 5 rooms, which the team could use as soon as they arrived - they couldn't check-in to their own twin rooms til after lunch).
It's quite hot and humid - I'd guess it's topping 30. Before every trip, the guys get instructions to pack a water bottle. (and if you find one sitting somewhere - you call "Carlos...")

At 11 we enbussed and headed off for some cultural experience. The party is 45 strong - 24 competitors, 5 management/coaching team and 16 parents, supporters (and journalists :). We got very used to that number - lots of count-offs keeping track of the herd.

Primarily aiming at the Vatican - we toured round a number of the impressive churchy bits of Rome.
Apparently the Ancient Romans were very fond of collecting Egyptian Obelisks - they're all over the place.
We were heading into the Via Del Tritone, chiq centre of Rome supposedly, when we came to a short stop. Ah - says the guide - sounding a little embarassed - we've had a little accident. None of us felt anything, and it couldn't have been anything much, cos the driver got back in shortly after and away we went.
(side note - some of the guys are counting ambulances - up to 21 (not surprising given some of the driving).
We passed the "Plaza Marguerita" on the way. "What does that remind you of" asks the tourguide.
She looked downright puzzled when there was a chorus of "A drink". (I'm FAIRLY sure that was all from the adults... (and it WAS really hot) ).
"no no" she says - it's a famous pizza!".
Our turn for puzzled looks.

Eventually we got to the Vatican (the smallest sovereign state in the world - 44 acres. Apparently there is more Vatican "soil" outside the Vatican than in - it owns all the big churches round Rome - there are lots!)
Everyone brought trousers and T-shirts cos shorts and singlet tops aren't allowed in the churches (but they are much more pleasant most of the time in the heat).
Inevitable little mis-communications occur with the language - our tour guide had reasonable english - but it was quite "sing-songy". Pleasant to listen to - not always perfect for understanding.
When queuing, and ask the tour guide "tops and trousers yet?" - "no no not yet" - next minute security guys are sending people back. Bit hard to please - they then got a little agitated when folk starting hauling on extra gear in the queue line (I guess they did clog the way a bit...).
Full metal scans in the way into the Vatican, empty the pockets and all that.

All very impressive stuff. LOTs of impressive statues (in more ways than one - could be interesting to check some of the girls photo albums .....)
It might have been a palmerstonette who I heard exclaim "oh it's broken off, I didn't notice until I took the photo". Some speed photography going on I think..)
Greg had to step in and curtail the guides enthusiasm for explaining the subtlety of the colouring in the murals - after she'd been expounding away out in the full sunshine for an eternity...
As we approached the Sistine Chapel, we had a little drama with Renee. She wasn't feeling too hot after the excess of sunshine. (actually I guess she was feeling too hot - hmm, english.) Anyway, Andrew and the team captain found her an air conditioner to stand in front of which helped.
The rest of the tour had moved on to the Sistine Chapel - and after a while a couple of us went back to check on the invalid group. One of the guards was not going to let ANYONE go against the flow back up the staircase. (And he suddenly developed a "lack of english"). Greg had to get a little stern with him, but we got thru that a sick junior was involved. They caught up a few minutes after that.
Interestingly, NO photography is allowed in the Sistine Chapel. Nothing religious - Nippon Television, of all people, have bought total rights to photography there.

Then into St Peter's. Wow - that was impressive. It is MASSIVE. 200 feet high to the dome. And utterly chocka with super arty stuff. Interestingly, the "paintings" on the walls there are actually really fine mosaics of coloured glass - so they have no trouble with Flash photos (most museums here forbid flash, it apparently fades paintings..)

Lunch at a cafe over the road from St Peter's, (some of us went for hot-dogs from a stand on the roadside) - then back to the hotel so the guyrls can check in.

Thank the lord (appropriate given where we are) it was decided to forego the afternoon "walking tour" - and just bus to the Coliseum.
Interesting place - with an 80 euro ($160) entry price.
Needless to say, we just walked round the outside, and looked in. (no sidekick shots this time, dodging the photo-police, like the 2001 champs :( However, Campbell did get to armwrestle one of the hustlers outside. Beat him too, twice.
(I've got that on video :)
Back to the hotel at about 6pm, time for a refresh before dinner.

The hotel is called the "Porta Maggiore".
Over the road is the Roman Wall.
I believe it is one of the fortifications that surrounded Rome as it was a couple of thousand years ago.
There is a big gate in the wall that was added hundreds of years later - the Maggiore Gate - thus the "Porta Maggiore". (and by Big, I mean several lanes of traffic wide - and it was built a looong time ago). The sheer scale of a lot of this stuff is so much more impressive when you think how much machinery they DIDN'T have!

Dinner in the hotel tonight.
Dinner started with - wait for it - Spaghetti. You could tell it was, mmm, different - the real McCoy (or whatever is Italian for "McCoy").
Tomato sauce of course, slightly cheese flavoured - good stuff.
Chicken steaks (well, it TASTED like chicken, must have been a real big chicken tho) with mixed veg, then fruit salad for dessert.
The hotel is "no frills" - but it's clean (of course I'm a male, I should get a second opinion.
Yup - he says its fine too.), and I suspect a very good price for it's central location.
There's a cafe next door that has Deeelicious ice-cream, and we found a little dairy down a side street that has bottled water at a fraction of the price of the tourist-traps.

I'm told Master Bos has arrived and is having drinks up in the Beer Garden.
(and Cori-Jean and Rose asleep with door locked and TV way up - I think they're going to get the power boys on to the door...).
Actually they're probably asleep as well - almost everyone is, at 9.30'ish - maybe the hard day touristing was a cunning plan.

So - up Pompeii tomorrow, (Saturday here) - more news and views for your Sunday morning.

ciao
neilb

Friday, July 02, 2004 08.30

Quick note before breakfast.
It's Friday morning in Rome - beautiful day (wonder if it's ever anything else :)
we're waiting on the team to arrive from the airport.
LOTs of internet cafes in Rome - so hopefully no communications probs when we get to Riccione.

09.30
Had the breakfast - European hotels do put on yummy breafasts.
Got hold of Greg (roaming cellphones - very handy..) .
Team has had a wee delay - they got off the plane OK at Rome airport - then someone noticed Richard B taking photos with an air-camera :)
One hour later (after they had managed to get his real camera back off the plane) they are on the bus and heading into the eternal city...

Earlier quote "Oh, and regan and chris have found some girls on the plane, and are excited".
Think we better whip down to the local zoo and borrow a tranquilizer rifle before the boys hit downtown Rome :)

Traffic - well, it's real interesting to watch. Quite funny to see a traffic cop waving people away from a street - then someone arguing with the cop - most of them eventually do what they're told, but some (especially scooters - lots of scooters in Europe) just carry on anyway. He just carries on waving...
ciao
neilb

Thursday, July 01, 2004 16:53

Well we made it through the customs control, Greg had to go back and get his ticket and boarding pass which he had left with his wife, but hey at least we were all there. It was good to see such a good crowd at the airport to send us off and I hope that someone sends in a picture of the team for the website.

We are in the air at the moment and they have just reset the movie system, 5 minutes before the end of my movie. This wouldn’t be bad, except for the fact that they reset the system because Greg Skinner, Mike Yates and Rose Cherrington’s video systems are not working.

The system is coming back up now and has just told us that we are about 7 hours from destination (Singapore). Oh well, back to the movie…

Oh… Funniest thing so far (Dave Sawyer will love this), Gary is the only person in known history to manage to hit his head on the movie screen!

TTFN
A

Hello all its Renée! This is my first time on an international flight … never before have I had movies, games, or even food! So it’s a pretty fantastic experience so far.
Am looking forward to touching down in Rome ….only another 20 hours to go! Joy. Bring on the pasta!!
Not really sure what else to say… my plane buddies g dog and elly aren’t being a big help.

Big Cheesy Grin!
Arrr

Hey its bex here.
Sorry to hear about the few of you who were gonna come see us but a certain Mrs Cottam stopped… oh well. We on the plane and cant get the games to work!!! But this is a really long flight… Italy will be the furtherest I’ve been away from home. Carlos says hi! And that the food on the plane is microwaved but edible and hi to mum and dad at home…
Oh, and regan and chris have found some girls on the plane… and are excited… :-S

And that was it from the plane. We are now in Singapore Airport. The team has a 4 hour wait until the next plane leaves. We are all tired but it is important that we wait until we are on the next plane before we start trying to sleep. This will mean that we wake up in the morning in Italy for the day tour of Rome.

There were no tears on the other side of the gate this time, just excited and happy people (and the rest of us will get excited when we get off the plane in Italy). It was so good to see so many people at the airport and I hope that one of them can send a copy of the photo to Matt to put up on the website.

There were 60 on demand movies on the plane (SINGAPORE AIRLINES ROCKS!) You could stop them, restart, pause Fast Forward, it was like having your own DVD Player right there. The team also found the interactive games, but really came alive when they figured out how to use the seat phones to call the other seats. I was next to Megan who had a 40 odd minute talk to Elly who was only one row back. Technology is great isn't it!

Miss you all heaps, we are looking forward to catching up to everyone in Rome. Thanks for the messages so far, I have them on the laptop now and will show them to the team when we get on the next plane.

- Jo, it was good that Bex made you write the message. See you in ITALY!!!

Wednesday 30th July.

Well folks, you can look forward to a pleasant trip with Singapore Airlines.
The food is pretty good, two meals per flight - they came round with fruit and chips in between, and roamed round with water lots.
The little TVs have a bunch of movies, including classics ("Citizen Kane" would you believe) - but a reasonable number of recent ones like Starsky & Hutch, and 50 first dates. Looked like it also had video games.
Once the plane hits the ground in Singapore, it took about 20 minutes to find a park, then a looong walk down the terminal (yay for travellators - except most people keep walking anyway...)

Our second leg was all night - can get a reasonable snooze (if yoú're short :)
Then we didn't really have zombie problems on the first day after - so fight the urge to party all the way across and get some sleep!!
Temperatures in France and Germany have been pleasantly in the 20's - probably going to be hotter in Italy tho.

Tomorrow we head south for Rome - to meet up with the others in the "Advance Guard" - I guess we'll be having a pleasant roman dinner about the time the team are squishing back into their seats in Singapore.

Hopefully I'll be able to post a report on the Rome weather about then - who knows, it MIGHT be cold and grey !!
It has been a real bear getting at the internet so far.
The french really don't seem to have got the bug. No internet cafes, believe it or not the first connection we found was half way up the Eiffel Tower. Gave up on that after the weird french keyboard nearly drove me round the bend, and my high school french couldn't decipher the error messages that came up trying to send emails.
The Germans seem more realistic - this one's from Munich.
High hopes for the Italians...

ciao
neilb

26th June.

Not many days to go before the team depart for Italy.
The last official training is to be Sunday - then relaxation (ha!) for three whole days before flying out from Auckland mid Thursday.
Close to 11 hours to Singapore, then 12 hours to Rome, arriving early morning Friday local time.
A day and a half soaking up some ancient culture (no - NOT mouldy yoghurt!) - and then a half day bus trip to Riccione.