PDF's "Canadian Elite-style" open- er...huh?

[Mauler]

I'm still trying to figure out why air conditioning is an inducement. I thought it was a baseline.

Oh, in addition to AC, Strip 1 features the following....

• Scoring machine w/ time & score display
• Name & club affiliation displays (LED panel)
• Hi-def LCD (or plasma) screen on the side that shows updates of tournament progress and other info of relevance/convenience
• Wearable mic for the ref (i.e. during Final bout)
• In-house paramedic standing or sitting within 10-sec response radius
• 48-sec response time in swapping ceiling-mounted reel (ladder is on standby)
• Award display that shows medals of that event
• Huge windows that show off, by day, gorgeous vista of thick forrest, river and waterfall... and, by night, mirror reflection for the referees to check on accuracy, style and delivery of their hand signals
• In-house FOC and/or FIE referee(s) present at all times for evaluation & feedback
• Bout committee table within 7-sec slow walking distance away, with a software engineer (or his affiliates) twitching to update the results on-line before the fencers salute and shake hands.
• Wi-Fi connection (decent enough for playing MMORPG without a hint of hiccup, if you were to say, arrive too early and need to wait a few hours for the tournament to start )

These are just some of the things I've encountered just from Strip 1. Listed from memory without trying hard to remember. I'm sure there are other features that fencers appreciate from the strip as well (i.e. grounded strip). There is, however, a singularly most impressive and critical implementation of concept that deserves to be listed by itself:

• Has its own set of weight, shims, inside hex afixed at (my) chest height along with the remote to promote efficiency between bouts. Also has a nail to hang the clipboard close to this "tool station" in order to prevent seconds being wasted in paperwork and calling fencers.

Next time you're watching a pool, sit down with a stopwatch and count the time wasted on non-fencing matters -- i.e. having to pick up clipboard from a table in order to record score and call fencers, having to spend seconds (usually double-digit) waiting for a fencer to tigthen the screw or worse, have to change a weapon, having to wait for a pile of seconds before the ref on adjacent strip is done with weights & shims (sharing due to shortage), etc.

Doesn't happen on Strip 1.

[Mauler]

You Americans are spoiled! In Canada, if you want air-conditioning you have to encourage a penguin to flap it's wings real fast. Just try and talk a penguin into doing much of anything when it's feeling sluggish!!!

I take it penguins in Canada don't throw a paradigm-setting BBQ? When penguins on our side of the border get sluggish, they cook.

[Inquartata]

Is Strip 1 approached via a set of pearly gates, by any chance?

[KShan5[PrFC]]

No....but it comes w/ 72 Virgins every time you ref or fence on it.

[darius]

I knew there was a reason I fenced all three days at the PDF Memorial Day round robin ...

darius

[EpeeConvert]

If you lose though George Washington and Robert E Lee start kicking the crap out of you.

/72 VIRGINIANS YOU @$$HOLE

[epeemike81]

Oh, in addition to AC, Strip 1 features the following....

• Scoring machine w/ time & score display
• Name & club affiliation displays (LED panel)
• Hi-def LCD (or plasma) screen on the side that shows updates of tournament progress and other info of relevance/convenience
• Wearable mic for the ref (i.e. during Final bout)
• In-house paramedic standing or sitting within 10-sec response radius
• 48-sec response time in swapping ceiling-mounted reel (ladder is on standby)
• Award display that shows medals of that event
• Huge windows that show off, by day, gorgeous vista of thick forrest, river and waterfall... and, by night, mirror reflection for the referees to check on accuracy, style and delivery of their hand signals
• In-house FOC and/or FIE referee(s) present at all times for evaluation & feedback
• Bout committee table within 7-sec slow walking distance away, with a software engineer (or his affiliates) twitching to update the results on-line before the fencers salute and shake hands.
• Wi-Fi connection (decent enough for playing MMORPG without a hint of hiccup, if you were to say, arrive too early and need to wait a few hours for the tournament to start )

These are just some of the things I've encountered just from Strip 1. Listed from memory without trying hard to remember. I'm sure there are other features that fencers appreciate from the strip as well (i.e. grounded strip). There is, however, a singularly most impressive and critical implementation of concept that deserves to be listed by itself:

• Has its own set of weight, shims, inside hex afixed at (my) chest height along with the remote to promote efficiency between bouts. Also has a nail to hang the clipboard close to this "tool station" in order to prevent seconds being wasted in paperwork and calling fencers.

Next time you're watching a pool, sit down with a stopwatch and count the time wasted on non-fencing matters -- i.e. having to pick up clipboard from a table in order to record score and call fencers, having to spend seconds (usually double-digit) waiting for a fencer to tigthen the screw or worse, have to change a weapon, having to wait for a pile of seconds before the ref on adjacent strip is done with weights & shims (sharing due to shortage), etc.

Doesn't happen on Strip 1.

Most of your list is also available on strips 2-8. The LED name boards and windows are only available on 1 and 2, but other than that...

We only use the mic on 1, but it's a wireless mic, so we could just as easily use it anywhere.

-m

[Mauler]

Most of your list is also available on strips 2-8. The LED name boards and windows are only available on 1 and 2, but other than that...

We only use the mic on 1, but it's a wireless mic, so we could just as easily use it anywhere.

-m

Yeah, I didn't want to shock people too much.

Like Epeemike81 says, most of the above features are available throughout the venue. And if the event is small enough they only need 8 strips, then ALL of the tournament strips receive such a luxurious treatment.

On the opposite side of the continent, there is also another venue that features a high-profile treatment of the Final Bout: Salle Auriol in Seattle, WA. But instead of high-tech approach of PdF, they focus on a classy presentation in the form of:

• Raised strip
• Long, "plastic panel" repeater lights built onto the side of the raised strip
• Thick, black curtain that can be closed as a backdrop for the Final Bout.
• Special lighting that focuses on the Final Strip. Bright but not blindingly so. Makes the Final Bout a visual feast.
• Flying in high-ranking international/national referees.

[Mauler]

Is Strip 1 approached via a set of pearly gates, by any chance?

I'm not very good with colors, but I do know the fencing hall is accessed through a white door (with window panes). I guess it could be described as pearly white. If not, easily remedied with a coat of appropriate paint.

[Inquartata]

I knew there was a reason I fenced all three days at the PDF Memorial Day round robin ...

darius

Who is Robin, and what makes her so special?

[Goldgar]

Who is Robin, and what makes her so special?

Her roundness, obviously!

[KD5MDK]

That's not very nice to mention.

[Inquartata]

Depends on whether the roundness is overall or selectively located.

[mrbiggs]

Can fencers come if they're not preregistered?

[MyrddinsPrecint]

Fred doesn't indicate that it's necessary, there's no posted maximums, and it's not a qualifier. I would say yes. I can't imagine it's anything other than yes.