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Post by stephanie2006 on Jan 5, 2011 16:40:06 GMT 1
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Post by Nadin on Jan 5, 2011 21:17:21 GMT 1
Thank you!  I can't wait  |
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Post by Mireille on Jan 6, 2011 16:09:24 GMT 1
Ohhh so that is your blog Stephanie!  I found that months ago, and it was very useful, especially the pictures taken from several different seatings in the arena!  I just didn't know it was yours, lol. So, are the hotels (ibis etc) really accross the stadium/rink? Thanks for opening the thread! |
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Post by stephanie2006 on Jan 7, 2011 12:37:34 GMT 1
So, are the hotels (ibis etc) really accross the stadium/rink? Indeed... on one side of the street, there's the building with 3 hotels in it. On the other side, there's a car park, the curling rink, the practice rink and the main rink. |
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Post by Mireille on Jan 12, 2011 23:26:03 GMT 1
Thanks! And now a question about the arena. All people say it is so cold. But why? I mean, in Tallinn it was also minus 15-20 outside, but the arena self was fine. (imo) I heard stuff about the roof? What will actually help to bring, to keep us warm?  |
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Post by stephanie2006 on Jan 13, 2011 12:31:02 GMT 1
Why it is cold? The arena in Bern is constructed for ice-hockey matches and is not a multifunctional arena like Saku Suurhall in Tallinn. There are about 16'000 fans coming to every ice-hockey match and they don't need a heated arena because they stay for only 2-3 hours and keep warm by spending the breaks in the warm restaurants or with cheering choreographies etc. Now if you have a different kind of event like our Figure Skating Championships, it's seems that it's not possible to install a full heating in a big arena that it's not constructed for it. They did a special warm up for a boxing event, but in boxing there is a lot more money involved than in figure skating and it is possible to warm up the ground floor to 18 degrees as you have no ice rink then. Well I'm not an architect but that's how I imagine it works. What can we do? Well we can't influence the building but we need strategies how to keep warm: bring the warmest clothes you have, blankets, warm tea etc. Me and me friends found the "heated" arena in Tallinn quite cold too but now in Bern it should be possible to warm up in arena restaurants - I don't know how many of them will be open especially in the beginning of the week but the blue one on the pic for sure. We'll see how it really is in the arena when the competition starts. Anyway Jamal Othman has trained in this arena for over 15 years and I never heard negative statements about the cold or the quality of the ice - only that local skaters don't get enough training time because there's always some ice-hockey training going on. |
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Post by Mireille on Jan 18, 2011 17:08:05 GMT 1
So basicly it is just because it isn't heated? I can live with that, better than that it is half open, which is what I heard. About your strategies... you think it would be allowed to take your own thermos with cof or tea?? (I have nightmares about Tallinn still  ) PS. that skaters don't complain has a reason... they are usually warm because they are moving all the time |
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Post by stephanie2006 on Jan 18, 2011 23:13:05 GMT 1
I have two more big arena pictures for you - no way it is half open. img690.imageshack.us/img690/3217/img4644p.jpgimg412.imageshack.us/img412/1322/img4645z.jpgAbout taking stuff into the arena we'll see how it goes when we get there. But the organizers observed everything in Tallinn and certainly noticed all the RULES there. There was an interview afterwards saying that they realized that the skating world is a big family and you need to keep a sense of proportion. I loved how relaxed everything was at Worlds in Torino, they didn't care about anything. I guess next week the rules will be somewhere between Tallinn and Torino.... |
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Post by stephanie2006 on Jan 23, 2011 13:13:02 GMT 1
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Post by Mireille on Jan 23, 2011 14:23:47 GMT 1
Hey girls, We arrived in Bern yesterday eve, by train. We got an hotel accross the ice rink, so it was fun to see that from the outside Nope haven't been there yet. It is slightly cold here (colder than in the Neths, but for example warmer than in Sweden). We went to eat at a hotel next doors, first person we run into is Belgian skater Jorik, lol. Who just got his luggage after 2 hours delay. Looked at the info stand for the practices rotation schedules. They didn't have them on paper (yet), they did request them, but hadn't received. Hoped for tomorrow, but couldn't promise. That's about all "skating news" I can give atm. Practically speaking, 5-10 mins walk from the arena is a mall (now closed cos it's Sunday), and there are several restaurants around as well. TTYL! |
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Post by EMJO on Jan 23, 2011 14:45:35 GMT 1
About the arena made for Ice hockey. I think it is rather funny the swiss consider those fans more warm heated than others countries do.In Sweden most arenas are heated so this will be interesting.I am bringing all my warm clothes possible unless I find a swiss man to warm me up...
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Post by IsraelSk8Fan on Jan 23, 2011 16:28:17 GMT 1
If anyone is in Bern and you run into Danielle Montalbano (ISR pair skater) don't forget to wish her a happy birthday! LOL
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Post by Mireille on Jan 23, 2011 23:56:43 GMT 1
Well, for everyone who is coming, the arena is definetly cold. There are blankets available, but even then, after 1,5 hours today, we had enough. Of course there is also not much audience, so that doesn't help. All other news is positive the staff is friendly and helpful. You do have to go inside through a gate system (and for going outside you do need your ticket again) but there was no bag checking or anything (today). I even had a waterbottle at the outside of my backpack, and no problem whatsoever. It all seems pretty relaxed. They are still "decorating" the arena. There is no kiss and cry yet. Program booklet are for free. We saw 2 groups of guys and one ladies practice. Not so much to tell you about that really. Jorik Hendrickx skated till the very last second of the practice time. We joked he was nearly kicked off the ice. Maciej Cieplucha had very interesting moves, especially his ending position. Jakub Strobl makes interesting spins and his name gets pronounced in such a way we kept hearing "strudel". As usual the dresscode was mostly black, tho it seems like that is more true for the ladies now. Only Belinda Schönberger didn't get the memo. Cecilia Törn wore white gloves, nice contrast with the black, and sis likes her graceful moves. In between ladies and men we went to warm up in the bathroom (really ) The restaurant next doors closed today at 5, so many skaters were sent away. A few general pics (I will try some skating ones tomorrow)  Hardly any audience and look everybody wrapped up:   Wrapping up the kids too  |
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Post by stephanie2006 on Jan 24, 2011 8:55:39 GMT 1
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Post by reut on Jan 24, 2011 10:28:00 GMT 1
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