This is what winning feels like
Nichols and Rubes go for it in the final
Sometimes the stress is too much
The team. We got a silver and a bronze, and other England fencers took medals too.
Showing posts with label Challenge Wratislavia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Challenge Wratislavia. Show all posts
Monday, 28 March 2011
Touché
Final selection of England team photographs from Challenge Wratislavia. More here, or click on these for embiggening.
En garde!
Some more pictures from Challenge Wratislavia (epee only - although I'm a foilist, I took only epeeists). Rest here, click on those below for bigger versions.
Unlike foil, epee allows double hits - which makes it a lot easier.
Elation!
Not great fencing in this shot, but I liked the angle
Great shot from Josh Wrigley
Appalling - but Ned Tidmarsh still makes the hit.
We had way too many England-England fights - very tense.
I like this one for the symmetrical blade bends
Harrison Nichols came 2nd overall: his mum enjoys a good shot in the semi-final.
Back. With a vengeance
Hello all. I know you've missed me, but you'll have to bear with me. In the next two days I have to teach two new texts, prepare seminars for other people to deliver, and mark a load of essays, as well as catch up with everything while I've been away and deliver lectures as normal. All while coping with severe exhaustion.
I've also been uploading several hundred of all-action England junior fencer photographs: I was the team manager for Challenge Wratislavia in beautiful Wroclaw, Poland. I've been before, but not as team manager, and it's a very different experience - even though the kids were lovely, there's no chance to relax, whether you're consoling somebody after losing a fight, trying to help winners keep their motivation, fixing kit, patrolling hotel corridors, wondering where the bus is, counting people who won't stand still, checking passports, explaining to the hotel why we need 30+ meals right now, using a Polish phrase book to explain to the organisers that a referee should be pushed down some stairs for being useless and on and on.
However, I did have time to take several hundred pictures, mostly of fencing action. So if you like fast-moving shots of children hitting each other, you'll love this set. Here are a few samples.
I've also been uploading several hundred of all-action England junior fencer photographs: I was the team manager for Challenge Wratislavia in beautiful Wroclaw, Poland. I've been before, but not as team manager, and it's a very different experience - even though the kids were lovely, there's no chance to relax, whether you're consoling somebody after losing a fight, trying to help winners keep their motivation, fixing kit, patrolling hotel corridors, wondering where the bus is, counting people who won't stand still, checking passports, explaining to the hotel why we need 30+ meals right now, using a Polish phrase book to explain to the organisers that a referee should be pushed down some stairs for being useless and on and on.
However, I did have time to take several hundred pictures, mostly of fencing action. So if you like fast-moving shots of children hitting each other, you'll love this set. Here are a few samples.
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
In pictures
The Guardian's magazine has a weekly feature, inviting readers to send in images on a particular theme. Next week, it's 'play'. I've missed the deadline by a couple of hours because I'm working hard, so I thought I'd post what I would have submitted.
This was taken in Poland, where I was team manager for the England 'Tomorrow's Achievers' U17 team. We'd taken the boys outside to cool off a bit - they'd spent the day assisting their female comrades who fenced that day. Very few were left in the competition, so the lads were getting a little bored. The poor victim thought I was taking a standard portrait shot, but I'd seen his friend sneaking up behind…
This was taken in Poland, where I was team manager for the England 'Tomorrow's Achievers' U17 team. We'd taken the boys outside to cool off a bit - they'd spent the day assisting their female comrades who fenced that day. Very few were left in the competition, so the lads were getting a little bored. The poor victim thought I was taking a standard portrait shot, but I'd seen his friend sneaking up behind…
Tuesday, 30 March 2010
Sweet relief - back at my desk
Good morning all. I'm back in the office, having largely recovered from my Polish exertions.
It's a weird experience, being in a team. On the first day, I knew two of the fencers a little. By the end, we'd worn the same clothes, eaten the same food, undergone similar highs and lows. I'd learned their names, their fencing styles, a little of their psychologies, what kind of support they wanted (and didn't want), how they coped with victory as well as defeat, how to engage their attention and when to leave them alone - and then it's all over in the time it takes to collect bags from the conveyor. A quick goodbye, hand them over to their parents and those intense days become the past, relationships stored away for a year to be reactivated once more at the next event.
I'll miss the cosmopolitan air of Wroclaw though - the Poles were very friendly and curious about our band of England-jacketed kids. Great cheeses and sausages too!
I've added some more photographs: a few more by me, some by parents and some by fencers. It's interesting how different they can be. The fencers' shots are all of people rather than places/things, and they're much more personal: the subjects are more intimate and idiosyncratic because the picture is being taken by an equal and a friend rather than an official.
Coming back holds its own joys too - seeing friends, sleeping in one's own bed, settling back into my own office chair ready for hard work (which is lucky, because I've got to write a whole conference paper by Friday).
It's a weird experience, being in a team. On the first day, I knew two of the fencers a little. By the end, we'd worn the same clothes, eaten the same food, undergone similar highs and lows. I'd learned their names, their fencing styles, a little of their psychologies, what kind of support they wanted (and didn't want), how they coped with victory as well as defeat, how to engage their attention and when to leave them alone - and then it's all over in the time it takes to collect bags from the conveyor. A quick goodbye, hand them over to their parents and those intense days become the past, relationships stored away for a year to be reactivated once more at the next event.
I'll miss the cosmopolitan air of Wroclaw though - the Poles were very friendly and curious about our band of England-jacketed kids. Great cheeses and sausages too!
I've added some more photographs: a few more by me, some by parents and some by fencers. It's interesting how different they can be. The fencers' shots are all of people rather than places/things, and they're much more personal: the subjects are more intimate and idiosyncratic because the picture is being taken by an equal and a friend rather than an official.
We met Andy's ancestor in the museum!
Details from medieval paintings in Wroclaw museum
Good Polish cheese.
Coming back holds its own joys too - seeing friends, sleeping in one's own bed, settling back into my own office chair ready for hard work (which is lucky, because I've got to write a whole conference paper by Friday).
Friday, 26 March 2010
Events draw to a merciful close
I can barely keep my eyes open. It's been enormous fun, and the team have performed brilliantly. Despite Dan McGlade managing to lose a fight 5-4 by hitting himself on the foot, all the boys made it through to the direct elimination, and almost all of them exceeded their seeding: one ranked 57 beat the no 6 seed. In the end, we came away with a 3rd place, a top 8 and a load in the last 16 and 32.
Other entries with pictures of Challenge Wratislavia are here, here, here, here and all the photographs are here.
They all got on famously despite spending most weekends in British sports halls as deadly rivals.
The Polish hosts were perfect: efficient and friendly, and the teams mixed really well. Facebook contacts may well have been swapped.
It's back to work on my return: I've just realised that the conference paper I thought was for the end of April is actually to be delivered on April 4th or 5th. Really need to write it in the next 5 days. Oops…
For the immediate future - make sure they're all settled down, then go for a celebratory sparkling mineral water in the bar (and no, that isn't a euphemism, it's an alcohol-free trip).
Other entries with pictures of Challenge Wratislavia are here, here, here, here and all the photographs are here.
They all got on famously despite spending most weekends in British sports halls as deadly rivals.
The Polish hosts were perfect: efficient and friendly, and the teams mixed really well. Facebook contacts may well have been swapped.
This guy won. Same as last year. He's…well… very confident. He's arsed up this fleche quite badly.
Indoor Fireworks (is also a Laura Cantrell song)
Ugg Boots: apparently part of this year's kit…
For the immediate future - make sure they're all settled down, then go for a celebratory sparkling mineral water in the bar (and no, that isn't a euphemism, it's an alcohol-free trip).
Thursday, 25 March 2010
Injury time
After a full day of girls hitting each other with inflexible weapons, we are sad to report a series of horrific injuries.
2 girls, despite the devoted attention to their welfare of highly trained professionals, have sustained cuts… while shaving. The wailing of the afflicted and their grieving comrades was highly affecting. Or do I mean 'affected'? The identities of the victims will remain confidential - partly because that's right and proper, and partly to maintain various parents in suspense until their daughters return.
Obviously, I shall tender my resignation on my return. Many thanks to the life-saving medical care of Dr. Andrew Goodier. I thought blood might be shed on this trip, but I meant it metaphorically…
If blood and shaving make you faint, do NOT watch this 1967 Martin Scorsese film, The Big Shave, which is an allegory for the Vietnam War.
2 girls, despite the devoted attention to their welfare of highly trained professionals, have sustained cuts… while shaving. The wailing of the afflicted and their grieving comrades was highly affecting. Or do I mean 'affected'? The identities of the victims will remain confidential - partly because that's right and proper, and partly to maintain various parents in suspense until their daughters return.
Obviously, I shall tender my resignation on my return. Many thanks to the life-saving medical care of Dr. Andrew Goodier. I thought blood might be shed on this trip, but I meant it metaphorically…
If blood and shaving make you faint, do NOT watch this 1967 Martin Scorsese film, The Big Shave, which is an allegory for the Vietnam War.
Final fencing fun for the day
If you're desperate for results, follow @fencingarmourer. He's astoundingly popular.
Coaching instructions of the day: 'Put the brick down' and 'leave everybody's nipples alone'.
This was the medal ceremony. You can't beat fireworks for a sense of occasion (click on it for a larger picture).
We let the boys play while waiting for the girls' final…
Girls' U15 final
Double hit.
Rest of the pictures are here
Fencing fun (continued)
I've posted a load more here: probably of interest only to fencers!
Miranda lands one
Luckily, the referee agrees
Francesca lands one on the wrist
Parried!
News from the Land of Nylon
My first full day in artificial fibres: trainers, England tracksuit etc, trapped in a dim sports hall while the sun shines.
Today's competitors were from 20 countries, including India and Israel amongst predominantly East European countries.
Still, the first day of competition was enormous fun. It was girls' epee today. Some were nervous, others very cool: coaching is often a matter of knowing when not to say anything, of hanging back and letting the fencer cope (rather than rant and rave like some I saw today).
I was seriously impressed today. None of the girls underperformed, and two got to the last 16 of their age groups, and some met tough opponents earlier than they might otherwise have. Meanwhile, the boys played their part today: as slaves to the girls. They get their revenge tomorrow.
Today's competitors were from 20 countries, including India and Israel amongst predominantly East European countries.
Still, the first day of competition was enormous fun. It was girls' epee today. Some were nervous, others very cool: coaching is often a matter of knowing when not to say anything, of hanging back and letting the fencer cope (rather than rant and rave like some I saw today).
England fencer appears to aim for her own leg
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