Hong Kong 3rd Asia Pacific Boccia Tournament : Finishes

Refs and linespeople (Paul Coffey. head ref and Pedro Fernadez, assist head ref (both in blue))

21st Aug 2009

A great day of finals saw Thailand take out the teams final with China 2nd and Korea 3rd. For the Pairs, Korea just managed to defeat Thailand with Hong Kong coming third.
In the overall medal race Korea came first, followed by Hong Kong, then Thailand, China and Malaysia. It was sad to see the end of a very well run tournament with an ever increasing standard of Boccia.
Overall impressions of Hong Kong as a city: Rail system easy and cheap to get around on, infrastructure very ggod. Electronic's pricing approx 10-20% cheaper than NZ. Food quite reasonable and delicious of course. Temp very hot this time of year but most buildings are air-conditioned, still shopping and any outside events are quite taxing.. Everyone has some understanding of English but I was expecting a higher degree. Obviuosly many are fluent. Boy are there a lot of people crowded into a small area but everything works very well.
.............This is Harvey Brunt signing off from Hong Kong

20th Aug, Evening Hong Kong Time:

Today was the pools round for the NZ Team and the NZ Pairs. The Pairs failed to qualify for the knockout rounds having lost all three pool games.
The NZ Team just sqeeked through into the quarter finals but were unfortunately knocked out this afternoon by Thailand, so the tournament is now over for the Kiwis. Tomorrow will have the semi finals and final competition. The finals are played on Friday at 12:30pm Hong Kong time.
It will be sad to see the competition come to a close, it has been great........ Harvey

19th Aug Evening Evening Hong Kong time:

This may be hard to believe but the Aussies have turned up in a uniform that is black!!!!! Something to do with their sponsor... what is the world coming too. anyway ......
The boccia singles competition for BC1, 2 and 3 have now finished and the medals presented.
Alas, the NZ team failed to fire with only Maurice Toon and Kerri Bonner (BC2) going through to the knock out rounds. The first knock out round took its toll on both of them with neither progressing through any further. Maurice had the bad luck of playing the eventual silver medallist in the BC2.
Gayle Russell, our new BC1 player has been blooded in international competition now. She failed to win a match in the singles but had a very close match where she lost 6:5, but only because her long game has to be developed. Her competition took full advantage of this to just pip her in the last end.
Korea and Hong Kong are dominating the games. The amount of money that South Korea puts into its athletes allows them to practice most days and hence they develop great skills. Also, as Hong Kong is moderately small in area they also get the opportunity to practice together frequently. It would be like having all our team based in Auckland, life would be so much easier.


This afternoon, the NZ team played Malaysia and got hammered and the Pairs team played Australia. Australia won 3:1 (bugger). There is a feeling that the power in boccia may be moving across the tasman to Australia but this may be a premature thought.
Tomorrow will see pool games in the Teams and Pairs events continue and the beginning of the knockout rounds with the finals finishing on Friday afternoon. This will be a crucial day
.Last night the team managers, referees and officials went to the HK Yacht club for dinner. Very exclusive.... on the seas edge looking towards Kowloon. After a number of formalities and speeches we were all given an encased set of tournaments medals, the gold, silver and bronze, I sat next to Kerry Jenkinson at the dinner who is now looking obviously pregnant with the new arrival due in January, our congratulations go to her and Trevor. After dinner we were taken to the top of Victoria Peak to survey the lights of the city, boy they must power through the electricity here.

The referees are a great bunch and we are getting to know each other well now and cementing new friendships. The CP world is a really interesting place with interesting and wonderful people

(The Aussie team has turned up in uniforms that are BLACK!... what the? They mumbled that it was something to do with their sponsors. It is good to see that they have amalgamated with NZ and we can now refer to them as our West Island, I am sure we can think of a Maori name for it in due course :) )






Photo shows team loading up to return to hotel on 19th Aug. Note women in foreground is an Aussie assistant in their black colours!.(Photo show Jeremy Morriss about to get on hoist. ... notice Michael Northcott in back ground :) )

 

Cheers ...... Harvey Brunt
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