[Dansk version]

2000 Scottish International Badminton Championships

Dille's diary Only need to know what happened on the specific day? Press the wanted date, otherwise read the whole story! 23 Nov. 24 Nov. 25 Nov. 26 Nov. Wednesday, 22. november It's the day before the day! That's a kind of saying in Denmark about the day before Christmas! Well, Yours Truly feels the same way about Scottish Open! This very cosy tournament has been held every year since 1907 - interrupted only by World Wars I and II. This year the tournament is held for the 81st time! Yours Truly hasn't been around for that long! It's only, or should I say: it's already my fourth time! And it feels like coming home! This Dane find the Scots to be very pleasant people generally - in Scottish Open especially. Everybody helping to make the tournament run smoothly knows exactly what to do and willingly gives a hand else where if needed. The Championships office is a very lively, very busy, place! Chaos sometimes seems to rule but don't mistake that for inefficiency! Everything is under control! Dille's diary will tell you more about that during the next five days! Just a little example: Yours Truly asked for pick-up at the airport and is met at the belt! That's efficiency! Thanks Sheila! Speak to you later! Addition: Yours Truly left for Kelvin Hall in the afternoon - where Scottish Open is being held this year - to watch the preparations before takeoff Thursday! And the activity.... The Championship office wasn't ready, neither was the Running Track where the Canival is being held! But the courts was being rolled out so everything was as it should be! Going to Kelvin Hall of course meant meeting a lot of friends! One was Liz who announced that in a short while she was going to Perth to watch the International match: Scotland vs England - would I join her? Of course I would!? What a nice unexpected chance to se the Scottish players before Scottish Open, not overlooking the chance of the first ever Scottish win over 'the auld enemy'! The drive to Perth, approx. 60 miles north-east of Glasgow, was fine! Of course the view wasn't much - complete dark, hardly with any street lamps in sight but who cares, the company was very nice! Bell's Sports Centre was a fine newly restored arena, with two court rolled out to hold to SCO-ENG match! The courts were surrounded by spectators om four sides which gives the atmosphere a boost! Approx. 400 were present to see the match which England won 1-4! A minor match report! 23. november After a night in absolute coma - due to lack of sleep the previous night - Yours Truly woke up at 9 A.M., and started working right away! Yes, I know - I should have been down to breakfast but ...! By lunch-time it was about time to go to Kelvin Hall even though play didn't start til 5 P.M. But the carnival was going on and that I wouldn't miss! Interested in the experience yourself?Read on... The Championship office was almost ready, well at least the vital functions worked: phone, fax, copy machine.... During the day lots of players came by to pick up the 'dog-tags', to learn where and when they could have practice-time and things like that... Sometimes it felt like being in George Square during rush hour!!! But that's alright - it's Scottish Open - it's Scotland! Yours Truly was busy all day soaking up the ambience, taking pictures, talking and not least - writing! Around 9 P.M. it was time to leave the Kelvin Hall, go home and freshen up, cross the street and go to Pavarotti! Pavarotti is an extremely cosy Italian restaurant, with superb food, excellent waiters and reasonable prices! After a nice meal and good company (Cherry and Tanya) it was time to go to bed! Believe it or not - I was in bed by midnight! 24 November Good morning! Well, actually it was not that great a wake up - I had a headache, not from drinking but from sitting in a room with temperature going up and down all the time, sitting in too low a chair.....but a couple of aspirins did the trick! Went down for breakfast with the girls this morning and left for Kelvin Hall at 8.15! Yes - busy as usual! The Running Track was busy with the Carnival , the office was busy, Yours Truly trotted around Kelvin Hall with my trustee companion 'Hardy' soaking up the atmosphere - time passed, it was 10 P.M. and almost time to go home. Well, there was still a few matches going on which didn't exactly interest Yours Truly, so why not play a little 'triangle badminton' with some friends? As usual Yours truly was 'kicked out' as the Championships office staff closed the placed up! It was 11 P.M. and the throat was very, very dry!!! That made it very nice going back to the hotel, meet friends in the bar and have a pint of ....lemonade:-) 1 A.M. Yours Truly went to bed...! 25 November Woke up at 7.00 A.M., not exactly fresh as a daisy but not very tired either! You know, it's amazing how wonderful it can be soaking in a hot tub even though you bring some work! Well, since play starts at 10.00 A.M. I better get down to breakfast before taking the 9.30 shuttle to Kelvin Hall! And boy - was I hungry! It's amazing how you eat at odd hours when being at a tournament! Got on the bus and got to Kelvin Hall nice and easy - of course it being Saturday meant no traffic! On court it was elimination day! The finalists for tomorrow were to be found and the three courts in the Arena and the crowd hoped to have scots in the finals! Unfortunately for the home crowd the hope didn't come through! Well, the evening offered a reception at the City Chambers with drinks, finger food and possibility to mingle with players, coaches, sponsors and other invited guests. Inside as well as outside the City Chambers in George Square is very, very beautiful! When the reception was over at 10.00 P.M. some took the bus back to the hotel and others walked across George Square to the bar!!! Later we meet in the bar in Thistle hotel - you know, just to relax! For a change Yours Truly was in bed very, very early: 3.30 A.M.....! 26. november Woke up around 8 A.M., got up at 9.30 and felt slightly thirsty...! A glass of water took care of that though! Luckily Yours Truly didn't have to leave for Kelvin Hall so early since the finals first commenced 14.00 hrs. This meant time for a long, hot, wonderful, soapy and relaxing shower! It also meant time to go to breakfast - or brunch - at 10.45! At 12.30 the first coach left for Kelvin Hall with me on it! The final day of an event is special - somewhat sad...! The activity level has dropped since the beginning of the week and there's a certain logic to that! But that doesn't mean that things are left in pilot light! Not even close! Oh Well, Yours Truly have to admit there's not the same fire as in the beginning of the tournament but there's a logical explanation to that! I had been assigned to gather various impressions from the event and that took some time! But who's complaining - it was fun! Right, when arriving to Kelvin Hall Yours Truly spend 5-10 minutes setting up the equipment: Camera, power supply, batteries - you name it I plugged it in...! It looks like a dish with spaghetti and meat balls with a laptop in the middle! But it was always show time when I plugged things in - some people seemed to be slightly impressed by the equipment - that you with 'a few' things like this could do just about anything...! Oh boy, I definitely miss Meadowbank in Edinburgh! Meadowbank was synonymous to a very short walking distance from Championships office to the Arena! In Kelvin Hall one has to walk pass the running track, down a corridor before finally getting to the hall which misleadingly is referred to as the Arena! The V.I.P.s, sponsors, coaches, players and Media was present and play could begin! That is - first a number of acknowledgements was presented: one was to SBU Chief Executive Anne Smillie who just passed the first 20 years in office! Very impressive - and if anyone she is Scottish Badminton! She has done a wonderful job so far! Finally the finals started! They were held in two courts which Yours Truly think is a huge mistake! It makes it impossible to fully pay attention to a single match...! One good thing is it only took 2½ hours to finish the finals! Yours Truly of course watched the five finals and the medal ceremonies afterwards - gotta have pics!!! Then back to the office to do the minimum work necessary! Then to the V.I.P. room to - first of all to spy with the camera - but also most importantly to talk to everybody and get a chance to say 'thank you - see you again soon!' And one must not underestimate the bar offering any drink you might want - as many as you wanted! Not bad...! Scottish Open is over for now - THANKS, it's been wonderful seeing you all again! /Dille

.

DilleSport main index Mail the Editor!