WCC 2011 - Did someone say Webcast?

I am really starting to enjoy this whole webcasting process! After a few NRL weekends and now into our second day here things are starting to come  together.

Over 500 of you tuned in to watch the 3 games yesterday! Thanks for tuning in and I hope you enjoy the other games all week. 

Now I understand that the time different between Finland and Canada is causing some of these broadcasts to be during your prime sleeping hours, but this event doesn't happen every year so be sure to tune in!

This is some great ringette, you are sure to see dozens of outstanding plays in each game.

If that is not enough for you then I urge you to tune in to watch the outstanding camera work by Peter Steele not only is he providing the camera work for the webcast feed, but he is also tagging the game in dartfish for both canadian teams all while snapping up a few action shot with his fancy camera (Laynski has camera envy). 

In case you were wondering how this whole webcasting goes down - here is the view from the video press box.

As I mentioned before... be sure to tune in and enjoy the action. 

I know we can getmore than 500 of you to tune in today!

-Franski

PS I am working on archiving the games. I think I have it all figured out - so games from today on should be archived by the end of each day. *fingers crossed*

2011WCC - It's all about preparation... (Day 2, Blog #1)

The Lightning are off to an early start on day 2 of the WCC. They are up in the first game against USK (Sweden) at 10 am local time here in Turku - thats 3am local time for you fans back in Richmond Hill!

So it was an early start for the Lanski-Franski duo as we hopped on the 8am bus with the Bolts this morning. Our group was the first to arrive at the rink this morning... most of the lights were still off and the press box wasn't unlocked yet. 

The athletes and coaching staff have wasted no time. As they arrived the athletes made their way to the dressing room and then out for a run (it is still dark outside here!), then broke out into individual pre-game routines. The coaching staff wasted no time to review footage from yesterday's game and worked out the game plan for this game. 

The work, preparation and thinking that goes into each one of these games became very evident this morning.

As fans of the game we don't always sees everything that goes into it. Everybody has a role to play and at this level every extra little bit counts. 

I am looking forward to this next match-up!

The game hasjust started!

Go Bolts!

- Franski

WCC 2011 - City Hall, Old City Hall and Town Hall...

It took multiple flights and a variety of modes of transportation to get us all here - but we made it to Turku Finland!


The Turbos, the Lightning, staff members and fans are all here and ready to rock this event. 


Today started with the Opening Ceremony - set to start at 9:30am at City Hall (at least that is what the information we got said) Laynki and  I walked over to  City Hall with the members of the Tubos team... and this is where the adventure begins:


9:20 - We arrive at City Hall only to be greeted by members of the staff that have no idea what we are talking about. I guess we are at the wrong location! 

9:23 - Salla (from Ringette Finland) walks by and instructs us to follow her to the venue - turns out it is at Old City Hall (or at least that is what we think)

9:27 - We seem to have lost Salla - she was walking ahead of us and then we lost her!!

9:29 - We ask a random people on the street to direct us to Old City Hall... only to be sent to different buildings every time - and all of them locked!

9:39 - Tried to call Salla from one of our cell phones... but we never go through. Is there some sort of trick to dialing in this country?


9:49 - Finally we spot someone in the Red Host committee jacket and we are directed to the right building... up the street, 5 buildings down. 


For the record - The building was called Old Town Hall - NOT City Hall... 


So I guess you could say that we arrived to the party.


Our apologies go out to the organizer of the event and all the participants that had to wait for us.  I have taken a funny tone to sharing this adventure, but in the grand scheme of event organization I know how much of an inconvenience this may have caused. 


So what did we learn from this adventure? 

- check the map before we leave for any other event locations. 

- confirm the exact name of the location

- learn how to dial a Finish number from a Canadian cell phone. 


Today the Richmond Hill Lightning take on Lapinlahden Luistin-89 and the Turbos take on Luvian Kiekko - 82.


Click here for the live stats or tune in to the webcast (I know it is still early in Canada!)

Check out our Flickr Photo stream on the right for a glimps of our adventure and the ceremonie.

More blogs to come later today!