Cross-country and water polo!!

Well cross country day started with, what else , at least an inch of pouring rain. Getting tired of this let me tell you. We got to the course and it rained so hard for the hour prior to starting that you couldn't see the jumps. All the workers were out in their positions and had to stand out in the rain, ponchos and all. By the way, David and I have come up with the official uniforms for next year: shorts, ponchos (with the corresponding country logo), and crokks (the plastic sandal shoes)!! We get off the busses and have to hike down to the course and you get soaked, feet and all. So I wore my sandals (have done so every day), which got soaked, and then changed into my running shoes once inside the control building.

The start was delayed for about 15 min and then it did indeed stopped raining. The radios, and communications were much better today and things really went well. The course rode great and the footing was superb. They have installed drains, drain tiles, and whatever , on the Olympic course that apparently can withstand and inch an hour all day! The actual track of the course follows the rough of the golf course mostly so there is really little damage to the beautiful golf course here. Can't wait to come back and play someday!!! Fore...

No problems with horses or any major events on the day...couple of run outs and refusals..no falls or holds or anything like that. The misting fans were turned on at the start of the day and caused so much FOG they had to be turned off. There is so much humidity in the air that the ice melts in the water buckets and causes mist....it is really strange. So much water in the air already that there is no benefit from the misters......The day was wet and cloudy so the vets didn't really get a feel for what would happen if there was a sunny really hot day....much for them to talk about regarding next year. There are provisions for the Olympic schedule to be flexible in case of the typhoons tho....

Our announcing went really well and Giles (from UK) and I got into a good rhythm taking alternative horses...I of course got to do both of the US riders! Laine's horse was a bit rank and had run outs at the double brush corners and then she went really slow after that. Much to the consternation of the US observers and coach and vets....Buck had a clear with a few time faults, and did a good job. Only one horse made the time, but the course was very tight and twisty and it was only by luck that the German made it ....everyone else had just a few time faults. The site is really super and I think everyone was very pleased with the outcome. Considering that many of the Chinese workers had never even seen horses or this kind of thing...it was a great day.

We finished off the day with a nice dinner with the US contingency at their hotel overlooking the Honk Kong harbor (photos attached) where they do a terrific light show (a la Disney) with all the skyscrapers lighting up with multi colored lights and lazers!! This happens each night at 8pm and on Sat they have fireworks (which I missed, living on the other side of the city, where us peons have to stay)....the hotels all around the harbor play the soundtrack for the light show inside each building...it really is neat.

Well, show jumping tonight under the lights....and the awards Olympic style...podiums and all. I will let you know how it goes tomorrow. Off to the mall, to see what Chinese shopping is all about!!

Brian 10AM Monday