I said I would write about my trials and tribulations and the start of this season has already provided me with the opportunity to write about them.
Doha A-Grade (Qatar) was our first competition and with preparation beginning from the end of the Worlds (Nov) I was well trained, rested and psyched. On our arrival in Doha sprirts were high, swords were working and legs were fresh. Unfortunately the food at the hotel buffet was not so fresh and 3/5 funded team members were hit with food poisoning.
Although I didn't get through to the second day of individuals and was in no fit state to fence in the team event, there were some victories during the trip. Sissi Albini came 23rd out of 145. We came 13th in the team event and although this was a place lower than last year it was our most consistant performance yet. We beat Mexico, Japan and Canada and narrowly lost to Germany 42-45 and Sweden 41-45.
The second comp was in Budpest and again has provided us with more trials. Although our flight was on time and the hostel was UNbelievably plush for 15 euros a night (this comp, not including a team event was self funded), our fencing bags were not brought from Heathrow until 2am meaning that we had to go the venue early to put our weapons through security and safety tests and went to sleep unsure of whether we would actually be able to compete at all the next day.
Although I felt I fenced more relaxed and confidently than I had yet in an international comp we all did bitterly badly and none of us made it through to the second day (a dismal result not yet encountered by us).
Of course I can lay on the excuses thicker and faster than the Swedish snow but that is not my intention. Instead I mean to portray the psychological strengths we are building as an individual and as a team. Despite the setbacks we are not beaten in spirit and I can honestly say I cant wait to return to London tommorow morning and start the weeks training again this time probably with more fire to prove myself (although could probably do without the 6am flight!).
Sunday 27 February 2011
Tuesday 8 February 2011
When in Rome
Like Julius Caesar, I came and I saw, but the question is: did I conquer?
Just had a brilliant week of great fencing and even greater pasta in Rome, together with my team mate, Mary Cohen, (@fencingmary). Decided to go there to conquer the tensions and stiffness I get whenever my opponent is wearing a national kit NOT containing the union flag. Italy are currently ranked sixth in the world, and Rome being one of the best clubs in Italy, was a great place to train, focus on the season ahead and conquer my unjustified nervousness when fencing other nations.
Unlike British clubs, Rome fencing club has it’s own building within an Olympic sports venue and so is open throughout the day for training and fitness. Because of these “office hours” it certainly has more of an air of professionality about it. Both the fitness and the fencing is in one area, unlike my training which is split between various fencing clubs and Fitness First, and so the atmosphere they create is relaxed but meaningful and, more importantly, their own. Although it has provided me with some new ideas for training, in a paradoxical manner my greatest surprise was what I had really known all along: there is no magic formula to their fencing skills.
In between morning and evening training we got several opportunities to have a look around, and the hospitality of our host allowed us to gain true Roman experiences such as a midnight drive to the pastry factory and a real home-cooked Roman meal with friends.
When asking a twitter friend (@BudgetTraveller) –I have those now, you see- what there was to see when in Rome, I was told it was an open air museum so it would be best to walk around and stumble upon its history.
First impression was the contrast of modern graffiti scrawled upon ancient buildings, which suggested a lack of respect and a run down environment. However, the longer I was there, and the more awe-inspiring the monuments and churches I accidently came across, the more I realised the reason for the lack of red-tape and protection: all of Rome is still very much lived in, acknowledged and understood by its citizens in a very real way. The people of York are no more like Vikings than I am, but the Romans are still as Roman as Julius Caeser himself. Indeed, graffiti is Latin for “scratching” and refers to rude words scratched by Roman soldiers, so the graffiti merely confirms their roots.
So did I conquer?
They train hard, as do we, and perform well, as can we. Whilst this meant I did not leave Rome with The Answer, it has also revealed to me that, in the wise words of B.O.B (feat. Bruno Mars) “they got nothin’ on you babe”.
So Doha – bring it on!
Just had a brilliant week of great fencing and even greater pasta in Rome, together with my team mate, Mary Cohen, (@fencingmary). Decided to go there to conquer the tensions and stiffness I get whenever my opponent is wearing a national kit NOT containing the union flag. Italy are currently ranked sixth in the world, and Rome being one of the best clubs in Italy, was a great place to train, focus on the season ahead and conquer my unjustified nervousness when fencing other nations.
Unlike British clubs, Rome fencing club has it’s own building within an Olympic sports venue and so is open throughout the day for training and fitness. Because of these “office hours” it certainly has more of an air of professionality about it. Both the fitness and the fencing is in one area, unlike my training which is split between various fencing clubs and Fitness First, and so the atmosphere they create is relaxed but meaningful and, more importantly, their own. Although it has provided me with some new ideas for training, in a paradoxical manner my greatest surprise was what I had really known all along: there is no magic formula to their fencing skills.
In between morning and evening training we got several opportunities to have a look around, and the hospitality of our host allowed us to gain true Roman experiences such as a midnight drive to the pastry factory and a real home-cooked Roman meal with friends.
When asking a twitter friend (@BudgetTraveller) –I have those now, you see- what there was to see when in Rome, I was told it was an open air museum so it would be best to walk around and stumble upon its history.
First impression was the contrast of modern graffiti scrawled upon ancient buildings, which suggested a lack of respect and a run down environment. However, the longer I was there, and the more awe-inspiring the monuments and churches I accidently came across, the more I realised the reason for the lack of red-tape and protection: all of Rome is still very much lived in, acknowledged and understood by its citizens in a very real way. The people of York are no more like Vikings than I am, but the Romans are still as Roman as Julius Caeser himself. Indeed, graffiti is Latin for “scratching” and refers to rude words scratched by Roman soldiers, so the graffiti merely confirms their roots.
So did I conquer?
They train hard, as do we, and perform well, as can we. Whilst this meant I did not leave Rome with The Answer, it has also revealed to me that, in the wise words of B.O.B (feat. Bruno Mars) “they got nothin’ on you babe”.
So Doha – bring it on!
Tuesday 1 February 2011
Swedish Camp
This is a brief account of my recent trip to Sweden consisting of a satellite one-day competition which we took as a light start to the season followed by a five day camp with the Swedish and Estonian national teams. The competition was a bit of a disappointment with inconsistency in my performance resulting in my coming 31st out of 55, but also gaining good competition practice .
We arrived at the camp at what felt like midnight due to the early Scandinavian sunset and, seven Chinese buffet plates later (I had reason to commiserate), the five of us piled into our week's accommodation in the form of a log cabin made for three. Training with the Swedes (Estonians, a Kirghizstani and a Norwegian) was a fun affair of doing footwork drills to the rhythm of Lady Gaga's "Alejandro" and fencing to Metallica and Linkin Park.
Our free time was often spent in a (possibly, no I'm going to say highly likely) neo-Nazi cafe about a kilometre’s cold walk from the camp, in Uppsala as this was seemingly the only place for wifi and cheap hot chocolate. We also visited Uppsala Cathedral whose only significant feature to me was the St Lawrence door located in the East Wing.
All in all, the Swedish trip was a success, providing competition practise and increasing my confidence and fight for next time I come up against the six foot, blonde, gorgeous Swedish team.
P.S I am writing this in a Roman cafe and look forward to telling you aall about that too!
We arrived at the camp at what felt like midnight due to the early Scandinavian sunset and, seven Chinese buffet plates later (I had reason to commiserate), the five of us piled into our week's accommodation in the form of a log cabin made for three. Training with the Swedes (Estonians, a Kirghizstani and a Norwegian) was a fun affair of doing footwork drills to the rhythm of Lady Gaga's "Alejandro" and fencing to Metallica and Linkin Park.
Our free time was often spent in a (possibly, no I'm going to say highly likely) neo-Nazi cafe about a kilometre’s cold walk from the camp, in Uppsala as this was seemingly the only place for wifi and cheap hot chocolate. We also visited Uppsala Cathedral whose only significant feature to me was the St Lawrence door located in the East Wing.
All in all, the Swedish trip was a success, providing competition practise and increasing my confidence and fight for next time I come up against the six foot, blonde, gorgeous Swedish team.
P.S I am writing this in a Roman cafe and look forward to telling you aall about that too!
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