Cadet Designated "B", Samorin, Oct 20-21

[foildad]

For cadet foilists who are planning on going to Samorin, here's a link to the tournament webpage in english:
http://www.slovak-fencing.sk/Source/.../index_en.html

Disclaimer: I found this information on the Slovakian fencing website and cannot vouch for it's accuracy. Also, nobody should make any travel plans until they are absolutely sure they have been selected by the USFA to participate.

The closest airport is in Bratislava, but it appears there are no nonstops into Bratislava from the U.S. There are nonstops into Vienna (about 50 miles away) from New York, Washington, DC, and Chicago.

Those who have done this before: Any insights about Samorin?

Thanks

[JMcC]

Of course you'll need passports, but a visa is not required for a short visit to Slovakia.

Bratislava (where you're likely to stay) is a large and rapidly modernizing city; lots of high-rise construction cranes around the skyline. The fallout from the transition from Soviet block country can be seen though. Our hotel was across the street from a huge, modern super market, but the small (man-made?) lake on the other side of the hotel was not well maintained.

Samorin is a suburban town about 30 to 45 minutes east of Bratislava by chartered bus.

Language note: Slovak is written in Cyrillic. Unlike the Romance languages, you won't be able to make "educated" guesses about what signs and lables say unless you actually know the characters in that alphabet (see water below).

Breathing note: As in much of Europe, there are NO non-smoking areas, so be prepared for smoking anyplace you may be.


Last year:

Travel/accommodations
It was everyone for themselves getting to Bratislava. We flew into Vienna, then bussed to Bratislava. At least one parent rented a car, but had difficulty with maps, road signs and navigation (see Language note above).
Once in Bratislava, there was a team hotel, and transportation to-and-from the venue had been prearranged.
Prices for most items were quite reasonable.
Hotel food was acceptable, but bland.

Notes on last year's hotel:
Hotel "showers" were not; it consisted of a tiled sqare on the floor and no shower curtain - aim the water carfully!
It had a disco on the ground floor. The music was loud and went late into the night/morning. The pounding bass rhythms traveled through building's structure, and those with rooms too close had difficulty sleeping.

The Venue
It was at a sports club set amid a number of older, pre-dissolution of the Soviet block, high-rise and newer, under-construction, modern, lower-height apartment buildings.
The club consists of a single, typical high school-size gymnasium and a large general purpose room. The two linked by a short corridor of offices and classrooms. The complex is flanked by several athletic fields.
The facilities were clean and maintained well, although showing their age somewhat.
Strips were set up in both the gymnasium and the multipurpose room, and it was necessary to keep tabs on who needed to be where from round to round during the DEs.
The vendor PBT had a small table set up selling equipment and parts, and there were event T-shirts for sale as well.
There is a very small snack bar at the far, general purpose room end where they were selling snacks and bottled water. Note on water - "No gas" is what you need to ask for, or you'll end up with carbonated mineral water.

The events
Many of the European countries - including Eastern Europe - fielded teams, and there was even a strong group from Japan. While the Germans were there in force, the Italians and French were conspicuous in their absence.
As expected, teams from the countries closest to Slovakia were more likely to include weaker fencers, as the trip to this event was not a major expense for them (we see the same phenomenon at our domestic NACs.)

This was not an official FIE event, and no equipment checks were made prior to fencing. Officials did check the fencers on the strip. I did see some weight testing of foils, but it wasn't universal.

The language differences minimized the interactions between the fencers, although our kids did chat with their counterparts from the UK.

The finals were held in the evening at an auditorium about three blocks away, preceded and followed by formal ceremonies (introductions, awards etc.).

Throughout, it was both amusing and reassuring to see all the "fencing parents" from every country going through the exact same routines with their fencers; some things are universal.

[4qtrs]

Foildad,

I believe that there is a Marriott or Hilton in town (Bratislava). When Chris went they stayed at the team hotel, which included a strip club in the lobby and that night I got a phone call begging me to book them back into Vienna. They took the train back to Vienna after the tournament and were very happy.

[NNR]

Can anyone remember the name of the hotel with the strip club? I'm booking for Junior event, and want to make sure to avoid that establishment! There is a SAS Raddison in Brastislava that is very nice (it is many steps above th Raddison brand in the US)

[darius]

Hotel Junior

[foildad]

Originally Posted by JMcC

Samorin is a suburban town about 30 to 45 minutes east of Bratislava by chartered bus...
...It was everyone for themselves getting to Bratislava. We flew into Vienna, then bussed to Bratislava. At least one parent rented a car, but had difficulty with maps, road signs and navigation...

I thought we'd take a train from Vienna to Bratislava but I see that the train station isn't really near the airport. So then I thought I'd rent a car, but I would prefer to avoid the difficulty JMcC describes.

So to any of you who've made the Vienna to Bratislava journey on a tight schedule: Bus, train, car, or other?

Thanks

[Capt. Slo-mo]

FD:

In many of our Euro trips, some of the easiest trips to the hotel have been when either the team manager or the parents got together and booked a shuttle bus to take the group straight from the airport to the hotel.

Navigating the rail system, particularly for newbies, has a steep learning curve...especially while lugging fencing bags and suitcases. Often, the organizers of the meet will help arrange mini-bus transport, if you ask.

[HDG]

Originally Posted by NNR

Can anyone remember the name of the hotel with the strip club? I'm booking for Junior event, and want to make sure to avoid that establishment!

Yeah, that's why you want to know...

[FeatherBlade]

Originally Posted by JMcC

Language note: Slovak is written in Cyrillic. Unlike the Romance languages, you won't be able to make "educated" guesses about what signs and lables say unless you actually know the characters in that alphabet (see water below).

tell me you didn't mean that!

[JMcC]

Originally Posted by FeatherBlade

tell me you didn't mean that!

I should have said "unlike non-cryllic European alphabets", not "Romance languages".
Slovak IS a Romance language.

[4qtrs]

Originally Posted by foildad

I thought we'd take a train from Vienna to Bratislava but I see that the train station isn't really near the airport. So then I thought I'd rent a car, but I would prefer to avoid the difficulty JMcC describes.

So to any of you who've made the Vienna to Bratislava journey on a tight schedule: Bus, train, car, or other?

Thanks

I would say the trains or cabs are the best way to go.

[FeatherBlade]

Originally Posted by JMcC

I should have said "unlike non-cryllic European alphabets", not "Romance languages".
Slovak IS a Romance language.

Ok, got me scared for a moment...

[teacup]

Information about the participants is now listed on the website.
http://www.slovak-fencing.sk/

[fleuretrogue]

Take the bus from the Vienna Airport. It is fast, convenient and cheap. It takes you to the Bratislava bus station and from there you can take cab to wherever you are staying.

In the vienna airport, to get the bus you go out the exit near the Mcdonalds. The bus will stop to your left outside and will say Bratislava on it. There is an info desk on the inside, but depending on when you arrive it might be closed.

You can buy tickets from the driver. It is 9 euros plus 1 euro per bag. It takes about an hour.

BE SURE TO KEEP YOUR PASSPORT WITH YOU AS YOU MAY NEED IT AT BORDER. Sometimes the bus goes right through the border, and sometimes border officials get on board and check passports.

Originally Posted by foildad

I thought we'd take a train from Vienna to Bratislava but I see that the train station isn't really near the airport. So then I thought I'd rent a car, but I would prefer to avoid the difficulty JMcC describes.

So to any of you who've made the Vienna to Bratislava journey on a tight schedule: Bus, train, car, or other?

Thanks

[teacup]

Not sure if Samorin is the same and it is a little more expensive but shuttles can be arranged in advance online for about $85.00 US for to four people from Vienna airport to Bratislava. You are picked up at the baggage claim and taken from the airport to your hotel. Same for the return. There may be a similar website for Samorin.

http://www.bratislavahotels.com/vien...tle-bratislava

[4qtrs]

Has anyone seen any results?

[fnzizxpnzve]

Usa Cadet Mf
2. Jeremey Goldstein
3. David Willette
3. Alexander Massialas
11. Nick Kubik
15. Turner Caldwell
22. Gianni Dicioccio
33. Danny Nguyen
40. Lucas Lin
45. Alexander Pensler
54. Igor Krivenko
55. Julian Cardillo
59. Nobuo Bravo
66. Eli Shenkel
71.robert Malcolm
74. Robert Daniluk

[4qtrs]

Thanks fnzizxpnzve!

[Cyano]

Does anyone have a link to the results? Cadet women should be over too, any results there?

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Posted on the Godollo thread...