Just came back from Aus. supporting my missus (boo boo).
Couldn't get enough time off work so only flew over for a couple of days. No photos yet as the films are still in Aus with the wife.
Don't post much on this board but just had to let everyone know that my "internet fencing geek" wife is coming home with a GOLD medal from the WF team event!
My impressions were that the Aussies tried very very hard to make it a big event and *almost* succeeding.
They had fenced off the 1st round pistes to create no go areas for non-fencers. Which was good, although the metal garden fences made ressemble a dog show.
For the DE fights they tried the blue/yellow/red/green quadrant thing from Sydney (Paris has it too), but with obviously cheap/old carpet. Fencers are put in a "staging area" (more like a sheep holding pen) until it's their turn, and they are paraded out to their coloured pistes.
It made for a great atmosphere with a lots of supports waving flags and cheering, but lots of delays as they wait for a whole set of fights to be completed before bringing on more people.
For the final they had a rasied piste, actually not a raised piste, more a flat piste on a 2 meter high stage, proper seating. They were going to have giant video screens, but got stuck in customs (the first supplier they used went bust!)
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