Christmas Prize 2008

This weekend I went to Prague (CZE) to Judge at the Christmas Prize, an event that brings more and more swimmers every year and I am very glad I have the opportunity to join them. Honestly, I was amazed by the numbers:

• 210 swimmers (13-15 age group)
• 53 swimmers (Senior)
• 32 Clubs
• 52 Judges
• 16 Countries (Austria, Bulgaria, Croacia, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, the Czech Republic as the host country and myself from Venezuela)

It has been a very nice experience for me and I am willing to Judge at different events also near by; being a Judge is a long learning process that might never end but most definitely, all of us who have decided to become a Judge, are up to go all the way :) and yes, after having a small walk around the town, you could definitely feel that it was Christmas there!

Este fin de semana fui a Praga (CZE) para participar como Juez en el Christmas Prize, un evento de categorias que cada ano atrae a mas y mas participantes y yo estoy, ciertamente, muy contento de haber tenido la oportunidad de participar este ano. Honestamente, me quede sorprendido con los numeros:

• 210 atletas (categoria 13-15)
• 53 atletas (categoria senior)
• 32 Clubes
• 52 Jueces
• 16 Paises Countries (Alemania, Austria, Bulgaria, Croacia, Dinamarca, Eslovaquia, Grecia, Hungria, Japon, Polonia, Rusia, Serbia, Suecia, Suiza, la Republica Checa como anfitrion y mi persona, en representacion de Venezuela)

Ha sido una experiencia muy grata para mi y estoy dispuesto a seguir viajando para participar como Juez en otros eventos en paises cercanos; ser Juez es un proceso de aprendizaje muy largo que probablemente no tenga final pero definitivamente, todos los que hemos tomado la decision de ser Jueces, estamos dispuestos a recorrer ese camino :) y si, luego de dar una vuelta por la ciudad, se podia sentir que ya es Navidad!

Info and results here / aqui