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“Promoting Excellence Celebrating Success” |
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| WorldSkills London 2011 | ||
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| Tool Black Team Diary – Photos page | ||
| Day Four, final day of Competitions - October 8. Well, Day four was certainly an action fueled race to the finish. Unfortunately there were some issues with one of the categories that took up a bit of our time this morning so I apologies in advance for the fact there are less pics today. While some competitors had already finished yesterday (Scott and Megan) most finished around midday some went through to 4pm with Laura being the last of our categories to finish. Some of the Team have finished very well and the anticipation until the Medal Ceremony at O2 tomorrow night will be hard to bear. Regardless of how we go though, the team should all be extremely proud of their efforts giving 100% right till the very end. Well done team Tool Blacks 2011!!! Tonight we are able to relax and have a drink and we have planned to meet all of our Sponsors, Supporters WAG's etc that are here with us at the Fox Bar for dinner and drinks. Tomorrow is our first real free day in London and I hope to take some of the Team (that are up and awake) to the Tower of London. Then we will all meet back at the Hotel Ibis at 5pm all fresh, clean, dressed in our No 1's so that we can travel into the O2 again for the Medal Ceremony. After that we will meet up with our experts who will hopefully give out the Medallions of Excellence to those who have scored extremely well in their category. Then the big farewell party begins and we say goodbye to some of the Team who are up early to continue their Big OE. The remainder will check out on Mon and the buses will be there to pick us up and take us to the Airport to return home. I will be back in NZ after Labour Weekend (after touring California) so will catch up with you all then if not before. Ka Kite | ||
| Day Three of Competitions - October 7. As Day 3 draws to a close, I cannot believe how tired and worn out I feel, so I have absolutely nothing but the utmost admiration for all of the WSNZ ToolBlacks who have coped so well with the extreme pressure of an international endurance competition. Not only have they coped with what is historically the hardest day in the competition but they have all done so admirably, to the extent where they are all still in the running for a very high final placing. We should be extremely proud of them all as they have represented NZ extremely well, Kapai Team... The day started as normal with the Haka echoing within the great halls of the ExCel Centre and finished with a tired team hopefully retiring early to their beds, eagerly awaiting the downhill run for the final marks from the half-day of Competition Day 4. Also today our New Team Mascot was officially recognised with his first Accreditations pass – well done Kapai Kiwi... There are a few pics of our supportors, sponsor, etc today as they dined as guests at Restaurant Services or were seen being interviewed by WSTV. The Team looks forward to meeting with you all tomorrow at the Fox Bar, West ExCel from around 4pm. After that its Competition + 1 (Sunday) and back to the O2 for the Medal Ceremony and Big Farewell Party. Im sure all of our competitors are looking forward to it!!! Ka Kite | ||
| Day Two of Competitions - October 6. Another great day here at WSlondon2011. Day 2 is going well for most Tool Blacks. A couple of competitiors I spoke to at lunch had some issues but nothing they cant catch up on in the coming days (according to their experts). At least the wheather is a little cooler now, well it was this morning but it has heated up a bit or that could just be the hot air in the Team Leader room. I will upload the pics from day 2 soon. Have had some quick conversations with the various supporters we have over here Vaughan Crimmins has taken on the responsibility of Supporter POC for the Parents, Sponsors WAGs etc that are here to cheer us on directly. Of course we are also very aware of the support of those back home and tomorrow morning I intend to remind the team just that. Great to see Barry Gibbons here too and today he let me know that there are always other windows of opportunity for supporting this great organisation that is doing so much for Vocational Education and Training within NZ but could do much more with the right support. So it is great to see the NZ Tertiary Education Commision here as part of the Premiere WorldSkills Experience and seeing for themselves how important this event really is. Anyway enough politics as this comp is all about the Tool Blacks and they certainly let the ExCel Centre know they were here this morning. Unlike yesterday we moved inside the large foyer to do the Haka this morning and man did it echo down the centre boulevard,awesom feeling and just the thing to pump the team up. Enough for now, need to pick up Kiwi's accreditation and check the competitors... Later..... Well into Day 2 of the comp today and most doing well by all accounts. Everybody is fit, focussed and quietly confident going into Day 2. This was confirmed by most experts that the Tool Blacks were well up there after Day 1. No preliminary Progress palcings yet but will keep you posted... Day 1 started with a traditional Kiwi Haka right in front of ExCel while everyone was waiting to get in. Couldn't think of a better way to fire the Team up, Kapai! (Watch the Opening Ceremony Haka on Youtube Haka). Plenty of young School kids visiting yesterday but didnt see our OSOC students... More secondary students today. Will post Day 2 update and pics later but time to relieve Daniel at lunch (good way to catch up with our competitors) looking forward to another great day. Kia Kaha Kiwi. Ka Kite. PS Kapai Kiwi spent most of Day 1 on Ben the brickies stand and is with Aroha the florist this morning, still trying to get him an official accreditation pass. | ||
| October 5 and another busy day planned. The Buses picked us up at 10am from the other side of the Dock (we had to cross a pontoon bridge to get there) then off to our School vist at Halstow School which was a very different visit to the one in Calgary but as we were the guests we had to remain flexible and just roll with whatever they were doing. Still although things didnt go quite as we had planned, the visit was a great success and was good for the team spirit as the young students reacted as if the All Blacks had visited which gave the team a real boost. We look forward to seeing our adopted Kiwis at the Comp. The Bus picked us up again at 2pm and took us into NZ House to have Afternoon Tea with the Deputy High Commisioner. Once again this was an extremely worthwhile visit which raised both the profile and Mana of the team and helped to motivate them to do well over the next few days. The views from the Penthouse suite at the Top rivalled that of the Millenium Wheel, awesome... Next we got brave and made our own way up to Piccadilly Circus dressed in our No1 Team Uniform and made our way to the nearest Jubilee line Tube Station to get to the O2 for the Opening Ceremony. A bit of culture shock for some of our young team but all part of the experience, and we all made it with plenty of time to spare. The team explored the massive O2 centre and had some food before we lined up to enter the main arena and take our seats. The ceremony was a great spectacle and the parade of nations was awe-inspiring especially when, against all instructions to keep moving, the NZ Team stopped centre stage and busted out the Haka officially for the first time at London. Several of our spectators videoed it and said it was awesome so I will attempt to post it asap. Rest of the ceremony helped to boost the team but once again it was a very tired team that retired to the Hotel planning the Haka for the morning and ready to start the comp the next day... | ||
| October 4 - onsite. Familiarisation Day which always starts off rather haphazardly as the site is still a construction site and far from completed. This can be quite a frustrating day for the competitors and quite overwhelming as the well supported nations roll out their gold plated tool storehouses. Bring on the Kiwi underdog punching above our weight - how can a young country so far away with a small population do so well on the world stage? Because the number 8 wire mentality is ingrained in our culture - we are jack of all trades, used to doing so much with so little with that pioneering spirit that comes out when the going gets tough even in this young team. Familiarisation raised a couple of issues but nothing that couldn't be sorted and gave the team a real heads up to the competition to come. Another full-on day with some working on till 8:30pm. With another full day planned for tomorrow the pressure is always on, but in different ways. So far I am confident the team is holding up well and can't wait to get started... | ||
| October 3 - Excursion Day. The Best thing is that although it is still unseasonably warm, it is cooling down a little. The Excursion was great - we were picked up by old style double decker buses which took us around London seeing all the touristy sites. We then took a cruise up and down the Thames and were dropped off at the Millenium Wheel which has great views over London. The buses picked us up again and took us to the welcome reception at the QEII Convention Centre opposite Westminster Abbey. Dinner a quick welcome to London and back to the Hotel on the buses very tired. | ||