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ISF World Schools Sport Meeting 2004, Belgium
On 17th April we both set out to Bϋtgenbach, in the German Speaking Community of Belgium for the ISF World Schools Sport Meeting. 15 countries took part: Belgium, China, England, France, Israel, Scotland, Italy, Latvia, Austria, Portugal, Sweden, Slovakia, Brazil, Hungary and Slovenia. Jess was in the Senior Girls Select Team and Jo was in the Junior Girls Select Team. The whole competition had a great atmosphere from start to end. All the different countries socialised with eachother, trying their best to speak eachothers languages where possible! Scotland apparently did the best as they won the fair play award at the end! This involves fair play at the competitions and the friendship side of it all. (All the countries vote). We had 2 important races for individuals and teams: Classic Distance and Middle Distance. In the classic Jess finished 12th and Jo 15th. In the Middle Distance Jess was 5th and Jo 7th. These two races were combined to get a team result. The Senior Girls Select team came 3rd and the Junior Girls Select team came 1st. Both excellent team results. There was also a Friendship Relay, which was basically a score event, which you split between the three of you in a team and you all met up at the finish to run in. (First team to finish with all controls between them wins) This was great fun and helped you to make friends with people you might not have met yet. It’s also a fun challenge trying to make other people understand which controls they need to do because if you don’t get all the controls then you don’t classify as a team. Unfortunately, Jess wasn’t able to run after running into a tree right at the end of the Middle distance event and concussing herself. I tell you, she’s a liability!! There was also a lot more to the week than just the competitions including an Opening and Closing Ceremony, Discos and a Cultural Fair. The cultural fair was great fun and it involved everyone. Each country provided visual things plus something edible! A lot of countries also had typical orienteering area maps, which were interesting. As a country, England took round the fair lots of bowls of typical old English sweets for everyone to try. Countries also put on performances - the Senior Girls teamed up to help Scotland, as they only had four boys and a coach, to be their partners in Scottish dancing. This was very entertaining to watch (Jo) and to be in (Jess). World Schools was a great experience and it was all enjoyable. We made lots of new foreign friends as well as English people we didn’t know before. England was also very successful and hopes to be as successful in two years time. It’s something to aim for in 2005 for those in Year 10 and 11 and for younger people for the years to come!
Jessica and Joanna Halliday
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