EC Tallinn 2005

[Wise Old Owls]

Hello,

An English quizzer writes ...

In answer to AleyPat, we English never go anywhere without our buzzers With us all likely staying in the same hotel I imagine some late nights buzzing, and buzzing, and buzzing ...

We do have, for example, a University Challenge-style quiz with nothing but questions about 'The Simpsons'. We've some other quizzes (lots) we can edit down for our continental bretheren's taste also.

During the weekend (and Arko knows about this) I will be giving a short presentation, perhaps 5-10 minutes, setting-out some big plans for next year and explaining what sort of quizzes people can look forward to if they happen to visit us when the European quiz circuit rolls into the UK.

Looking forward to seeing you all in Tallinn. Indeed, I can't wait!

[Wise Old Owls]

Hello again,

I forgot to mention. One of the things I am most looking forward to in Tallinn is the pairs competition. I really enjoyed the team quiz in Ghent - more so because I played in a team comprising two English (I was one), an Estonian (Arko) and two very good Belgians - and so, having enjoyed that experience I am really keen to form a partnership with someone from the continent for the pairs competition in Tallinn. Is there anyone out there who would like to pair with me for this quiz?

If it helps, here's some information about me.

I speak English very well
I speak a little French (and I mean pas tres bien, vraimant!)
I like beer (and will probably drink lots during the quiz)
I am 2.0m tall and approximately 150KG
I am placid - not a football hooligan, but I love football.
I am VERY interested in European History, ESPECIALLY military & wars
I have a GOOD knowledge of European geography
I love films - pretty good on most genres (including non-English speaking films)
I am quite good on animals/natural history (but weak on botany)
I keep up with current affairs
I like 'classical' music (more than pop)

... so, if your interests are completely different from mine then maybe we'd make a good pair? And if you are a world-beater then I definitely want to hear from you. Attractive and female would be nice also, but I'm not a male chauvinist*(honest!). SO, come and get me, I'm yours!


* Named after a rabid, pro-Napoleon supporter - see, I told you I was good on European military history.

P.S. We came third in the team quiz in Ghent (we led at half-time), although for this Arko and I were very grateful to be playing in a team with two exceptionally strong Belgian players. Hell, we were good also!

[Wise Old Owls]

What, no takers

[Külaline]

Maybe there´s also a question of chemistry

[Wise Old Owls]

I know nothing about chemistry ?

[Wise Old Owls]

Looks like I've managed to kill all conversation on this thread ?

[TaunoV]

The Estonian tradition is to elevate conversation after the quiz - i.e. how bad the questions were, how annoying are the people who know things that you don´t know, that the wind was from wrong direction, beer is getting more expensive etc... Up to November we just have to cross the fingers and hope EC will be a smooth event with good questions

[Wise Old Owls]

... if the beer is good enough who is worried about the questions ?

[arko]

The English-language web page about EC in Tallinn is now open. You can reach that by pressing the EC logo in www.kilb.ee and then selecting In English.

[Prodigy]

On that website, I read the following: "As in UEFA, England and Wales are separate teams".

I don't want to appear anti-Welshist or something, but isn't football the exeption? I think we should look at the Olympics as a model and only accept independant states.

There are no doubt practical reasons for it, but we should also consider the ramifications of this precedent we're hereby setting for the future:
- Does this mean the UK can also enter two Scottish en Northern Irish teams?
- Does this mean the Faroer Islands could enter a separate team?
- Does this mean Belgium can enter teams for each of its regions?
- How is determined if one is English, Welsh or Scottish? Because they all carry a UK passport ... Like in Uefa, we can wind up in the situation where players living in one UK country but being born in another can almost choose between teams (thus leading to 'transfers' between UK countries, which aren't possible between Belgium and Netherlands). In concreto: I'm hugely exagerating, but players currently living in England (where most UK quizzers at international tournaments originate from) but with Welsh roots could start playing for Wales, thus forming a de facto second English team (which, contrary to they official English team, could go on to the semifinals, because 'it's another country').

If you accept a Welsh team, it would be logical you also accept a Scottish and a Northern Ireland team, creating the theoretical possibility of all UK semi-finals ...

[Prodigy]

Another question: in the individual tournament, how will the players be distributed over the groups? At random, based on nationality or based on previous international results?

[arko]

On the second question I can comment, that every group will have one seeded player (based on the results of this years WQC) and the others are placed randomly.

[Nico]

I will arrive in Estonia on Tuesday in order to visit some interesting places. I gues I'll have enough time to visit Tallinn on Friday, Saturday, Sunday morning and the first three evenings. On Tuesday and Wednesday, I intend to visit Tartu and Helsinki. But maybe the Estonians have some other suggestions for me?

[Matis]

Haapsalu (West Estonia, Läänemaa) is really nice town. Tower, Train Museum, Yacht Port, Promenade. Or Pärnu.

[insu]

Nico, you are very welcome to visit Tartu! It would be my duty to introduce you some nice places (including pubs!).