Challenging but exciting!

photo: Richardsons - four-time world champions

At 4 p.m., the evening program began,which included dinner and the opening ceremony. The dinner was interesting, if only because the Canadians I was sitting at the table with told me that the Czech team is definitely the most popular team here in Moncton, and that it even managed to make the front page of the local newspaper. The reason was a lost and recovered wallet with the team's money in the taxi. Jirka became the marketing face of the Czechs with his wallet in hand and the Canadians just joked if it wasn't all set up in advance. Jirka and the whole team take home the message that they are well taken care of and that everything is working great so far. I was fortunate that while looking at period photographs an elderly gentleman struck up a conversation with me, which subsequently turned out to be one of the biggest stars of the evening - four-time world champion Garnet (Sam) Richardson, one of the famous foursome that dominated world curling fifty years ago. The evening was packed with curling personalities from Lindholm, Ferby, Howard to Danieli and Ramsfjell. Those who like artistically conceived opening ceremonies were obviously satisfied. Hundreds of performers, including bluesman Matt Anderson (6'4", over 100 pounds, Stubby finger), a sixty-piece ensemble of pipers and drummers, a fiddle virtuoso, and a singer of only eleven, Isabell, singing Edith Piaff's repertoire with unbridled pathos. What was important, however, was that curling, as Canadians feel it, permeated everything. I mean, seriously, but with an attitude. The requisite bilingual speeches held things up a bit, but the overall impression was definitely as the organizers wanted it to be.

photo: Celebration of curling, the Richardson family team, Jiri Snitil, a stellar line-up of veterans