17.5.2004 / 10th juniors & 19th seniors European Championship

Reportage by Linda Trubička Deutschová

Hi folks,
I’m bringing you an article about 10. Junior and 19. Senior European championship.
Our team had 31 competitors, plus 2 trainers, doctor (giving us drops against diarrhea), psychologist (fortunately no need for her, because no one got crazy during our journey), three referees, master, Czech federation president and two drivers. These two were useful not only for driving our bus, but mainly for bribing Bulgarian cops, who, having tough shift probably, got taste for our Coke, cigarettes and Czech beer and thankful to this fact we have gone through Bulgaria without any problems. And now some numbers: We have left Strahov (part of Prague) at 15:00 2. May 2004 (through České Budějovice, Brno and leaving Czech Republic to Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia and Montenegro and finally Bulgaria) to pass 4 countries. As the BMW, Mercedes and other air wasting machines were decreasing in numbers, more ecological „machines“ start to appear – horses………it was jump to absolutely strange world. And next thing that surprised us was that 18 maybe equal to 28 – 18 hours was planned length of our journey, 28 hours was the real one.

When I got used to bus-life, where in first floor the elit
e of Czech competitors had traveled, we were moved to 5-stars hotel Princess in Sofia. Accommodation was pretty comfortable, but we especially appreciated swimming pool (with obligatory bathing caps) and sauna. Not only walls of this hotel were witnesses of our team patterns training, but we also were rarity on local railway station, with our great local fans. Next time, we should try the airport……….

After hard fights with local oriental shopkeepers (I’ve bought really nice T-shirt), harder fights started during Friday morning and finished on Sunday evening – fights for medals. 28 countries, 360 competitors and plenty of organizers working hard to make championship smooth and also trying to send us, not competing in a moment, out of the hall. We were really loud being side with our friends trying to pull them for their maximum. We had drums with strong drummers and lot of other „music“ instruments. Local fans were pulling for national team for Bulgaria so after a while rest of team had created a kind of collusion and were side with each other against Bulgaria.

The most successful team was Russians, we were second and third were (of course) Bulgaria, but you have probably got to know this from our website. To highlight Sonkal members, Bára Lála Sýkorová shew what a great warrior she is and became the most successful female junior competitor of the event. Rest of us – Linda Deutschová, Lucka Kolmanová and Pepa Huy also tried not to lose our faces and got few medals too. I think that this year our results were influenced by the team’s „age-change“, when new faces in team were stressed and don’t have enough experiences, which they will get in a while. But even I had jumped nomo chagi to where I shouldn’t jump it :o)

We left championship on Monday morning, long way in front of us, but in the end tasty Czech meal, we were really looking forward. Way back to home was quite fine (everyone got home, anyone hasn’t immigrated to Bulgaria) a take unbelievable 26 hours. HURAAAAYYY!

Written by Linda Trubička Deutschová.

Photos from Euros are available here.

Translated by Martin Svitek.