Tourney: EHBPC 2010 Geneva - 16-18.07.2010

glad i missed that. Did mirek make his plane ok? We were so fucked and lost and de-hydrated at 4am

Gee...I still feel broken today...yet great!

It's hard to put down all my feelings about the weekend just gone in one post...and I'm probably going to only echo what others have already said, but anyway...

First...

Geneva....massive thanks. From all those (esp CLémon) who worked their arse off to put together such a great tourney (courts, goals, format, atmosphere, free food and accomodation was all faultless - it really felt like a tourney for the players by the players), to the beautiful city itself (sun, water, mountains, fresh air, the rubber tree and 50p beer) - all became one special weekend!

The European Polo community...it was awesome to catch up with familiar faces as well as meet so many new ones (some wicked new young rising stars to watch out for) and thanks for all the Cosmic support in the final - it was unbelievable!

The London and UK Polo gang...of course, sad that not everyone could be there, but to those who were, it felt like we were family. I loved every moment of hanging together, on the courts, by the water, in the bunker...such fun times. We all came together to rep London and support each other and we did - hard! I still believe we have the best Polo scene out there!

Apples...a special mention to you guys...in my eyes, as ever, you rep'd everything that is awesome about polo...you embrace everyone and everything with such Polo passion. You played awesome all weekend and created many of the best highlights - I'm only sorry that our game was not how we all would have wished. Love you guys!

and to my Cosmic family (Toddy, Tom, B and of course Therese)...I couldn't achieve and experience any of the wonderful moments without you all...heart you all so much!

Toddy...Tom...we nearly had them - next time ;-)

BIKE POLO!xxx

glad i missed that. Did mirek make his plane ok? We were so fucked and lost and de-hydrated at 4am

yeah we all made it ok. Think he was still stoned when we saw him the next day at lunch time

big up lucas for a barspin goal against the ponies.!

Aha, i was goal ref and i don't count it ! :)

For reffing, my best image was the bro' of patrick from Moteur fucker, sitting on the chair with two kids on his knees, the sheet and clock in hands.

Lewis did great job!

@Yorgo: I don't know what to think about the level of european players against US, durieng this EHBPC, the level was really high, and I saw a lot of team who can handle great games against best american players. But the way to play the bike on bike or body to body check are so different, I don't know how Berlin gonna manage such a gap.
Something considered as a big foul here can be a beautiful and clean check across the ocean.

Sorry, I forgot to add that playing against L'Equipe in the final was an honour. They play so fair, yet hard with awesome tactics. They helped us to step up and make it the final it was. Def the best game I've ever played in...still cant believe it went 4-4 and ended after 30mins - cant wait to watch!

Thanks L'Equipe...you deserve to be Europe's no.1

I hope you're wrong yorgo. I watched the final of the ESPI, what was so amazing?

I've just watched that footage...yeah there's some good bits of skill in there, but I agree with Gabes, overall I cant see what makes this US game style so much better than any top EU one.

Ho! I need to put the thanks a lil' bit further.

Thanks for the staff who help me a lot, to patrick johan and quentin for staying 2 hours to draw a bracket whitout nothing duringsatursday night. And to quentin again for the (amazing)trophee. To patrick again for all is fuckin work around the courts.To my two sisters who manage staff and car transportation of the stuff. For all their works.
Thanks to manu for finding the courts and the amazing coffee. To GVP who make this possible.

Thanks to Geneva City who participate a lot (paying the bunk, the courts, the goals etc...).
Thanks to Chunk for the amazing shirts, even if some players are too proud of their balls to wear some pink monkey, I don't car I love them this way.
Thanks to LAPATI, who bring us this courts (one of the best i've played on IMO). Make us this fucking goal just in time.
Thanks to Waiting for the sun and eight inch for the prize.

Thanks for the staff who help a lot, to patrick johan and quentin for staying 2 hours to draw a bracket whitout nothing duringsatursday night. And to quentin again for the (amazing)trophee. To my two sisters who manage staff and car transportation of the stuff. For all their works.
Thanks to manu for finding the courts and the amazing coffee.

Thanks to all the player, this community is the best I never saw. In wich world you can let the key of your work and of your house to a couple of guy that you know from 3 hours whitout thinking any second about what can happen wrong.

Thanks to apples for their shoulders after the shitty LB game...

I forgott a billion things to thanks...

hard to define, all I can say is that during that final, Luis, Marc and I were just slack-jawed, watching in silence at the speed and accuracy of the guys. OK I did break the silence by a few Oooh Laaa Laaas

Thanks to apples for their shoulders after the shitty LB game...
Not your fault dude +
See you in Berlin, also I've got some Swiss Francs left so it looks like we'll have to come back to Geneva for more games some time.

Polo first streaker.

*I thought it was brendan at first!

@Em:
Can't wait!!

Bikes gallery:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/52254137@N08/sets/72157624536545532/

haha gabes. :)

Clemont was it your sister who took loads of photos?

no, think it was my bro girlfriend's, Sarah.

^^^ Love the redhead's expression, 3rd from left.

some pic's from Taka, me (jamal) and lorenzo (to be added) here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ehvfxd/sets/72157624380225743/

movies will come on vimeo

Great weekend! Thanks to Geneva for hosting and for all the hard work to make it run like Swiss clockwork. It’s already been said; a lovely, relaxed atmosphere, a brilliant city, and jumping in the lake after games and at midnight was such a treat in that heat.

Nice trophy too. I picked it up at the end of the prize-giving to have a look, turned it over and found a small oval sticker on the bottom bearing the words ‘rotten apples’.

Max’s legacy lives on.

Would just like to say that I've had the most awesome weekend (and I don't even play polo!). Geneva was amazing, the London Family equally amazing, everyone has been so nice and welcomed me to the Polo family despite me not playing, I just want to say a big thank you to you guys, you're amazing!

Cosmic, you are winners my heart!

Funniest comment of the weekend : In the bunker when Toddy comes out of the bedroom with an eyepatch after having pulled off some sick discusting slimey parasite from his eye saying 'Did we win the war?'

Nice trophy too. I picked it up at the end of the prize-giving to have a look, turned it over and found a small oval sticker on the bottom bearing the words ‘rotten apples’.

Max’s legacy lives on.[/QUOTE]

Something tells me that Ric has something to do with that little surprise

What an incredible weekend! The organisation and location were both faultless. 3 perfect courts + free food + free bed + the lake = polo paradise. And having the group stages organised so that we played all our games within a short space of time led to exciting mini-leagues which were relaxed and yet still fiercly contested. Geneva set the bar high for next year's hosts.

There are so many memories popping in and out of my head from on and off the court. Bright times spent swimming in the lake, Toddy shampooing his beard, then beer, pizza and throw-ins back up at the courts. Night time at the bunker; morning patisserie en route to Avenue Blanc.

Groups annouced: Cosmic draw Apologie, 24 hr Party People (Barca), Tough Shit (Munich), Wiener Blut (Vienna) and Catania (Sicily). We win four and tie the fifth with Tough Shit in a 1-1 draw - the same result as our Karlsruhe encounter. Jono had a great time playing with Marc and Edouard on Apologie, and they played some very slick polo together, Jono always leaving the court with a big grin on his face. Done by 4pm and late afternoon spent cheering for the Ponies and other London teams, the spectre of Dr V stumbling around all the while. Late night swims in the lake, then back to the bunker.

On Sunday all 3 Cosmics played out of their skins - I think it is the best we have ever played, both as individuals and collectively as a team. We stayed up in the winners bracket for 4 games, which included a bitter-sweet victory over the Rotten Apples, before losing 4-3 to El Club in a frantic, violent game. Cosmic emerged battered from the encounter - Todd sporting cuts all over his arms and legs, Mat's rear brake falling apart and twin gashes opened in my ankle from a big crash.

Regroup and regather, and a tense 4-3 win over Polosynthese meaning a rematch against the Apples. This turned into a somewhat joyless victory. Due to the dimishing light we were moved to a different court, and whereas on Central Court the position of the sun was neutral for both teams, on Paquis Court there was a clear disadvantage to the team playing towards the sun. We tossed for it, and Apples ended up playing into the sun. Cosmic won 4-0 but it didn't feel fair, and it felt like a side-show from the main tourney, with few of the crowd realising such an important game was being played away from Central Court. There were brief rumours of a rematch but with light fading the games pressed onwards.

Rematch against El Club for a place in the final. This time we played at our own speed, breaking down their rapid game and maintaining possession ourselves, playing 3 out in attack and strong defence when we lost possession. Cosmic through to the finals.

The final is a blur. 1-0 Cosmic. 2-0 Cosmic, then a l'Equipe tidal wave to go 2-4 ahead. Another surge from Cosmic to bring it to 4-4. Half an hour gone and it's down to next goal wins, and it's Mario who slots a shot through my BB which I can do nothing about. Losing has never felt better.

Our good friend Alex Schindel of Shark Attack (who put on a really strong performance in the elimination) sent through these pics:

Sorry for the brain dump. Thank you Geneva, and Clement in particular, and special thanks and love go to Bianca and Terese - all weekend long they gave us support and cheers, new mallets and fresh water, high-5s and lots of laughter, and so much more besides. Big Cosmic love to you two lovely ladies x

For me Manu is still head and shoulders above any player in the world, fast, calm, technical and accurate.

who does he/she play for?

l'equipe

He plays for L'equipe.

no he dosnt nob head

edouard

Something tells me that Ric has something to do with that little surprise[/QUOTE]

I don't know why you have this strange idea.

Polo first streaker.

*I thought it was brendan at first!

I'm proud. Thank you all :)