Starts today.
Athletics in Berlin.
Cycling, Swimming/Aquatics, Gymnastics, Triathlon, Rowing and Golf in (and around) Glasgow.
https://www.europeanchampionships.com/
I’ve just been to see some gymnastics. Going to the synchronised swimming tomorrow, the velodrome for track cycling on Saturday, and BMX next Saturday. Might catch some of the road cycling this and/or next Sunday.
It’s on the tellybox. I’ll give you a wave.
Anyone else going?
Didn’t even know it was on until I saw the turnstiles at the station had an advert on.
*crawls back into cave
I’m off work next week, so might just try and show up at some events when the mood takes me.
Never bothered with tickets for this as I always assumed I’d be away already. Is there still tickets for gymnastics and stuff? If you can turn up and buy a ticket I’d be keen.
Glanced at the website there - didn’t look at specific events, but there was something about two for one tickets on there.
don’t really get why an athletics competition has been combined with some other sports happening in a different country, gonna watch the t&f and boycott the rest for that reason
Our tickets today were for the morning session. Plenty of seats available (perhaps not surprisingly, considering how bit the Hydro is). They made no effort to get us out before the afternoon session started. Got the impression they’d have been happy to have us stick around and have a few extra bums on seats.
Easier to market a bigger, combined, ‘event’, I suppose. Less of a liability/easier for cities to host if the events are split/shared, I’d also suppose. 🤷
Any properly jumped up sports day has to have an accompanying cultural programme, right?
Went to the Sonica presents Portal sound/lightshow/robotics installation in the bike lane of the Clyde Tunnel this afternoon. Pretty much a post-apocalyptic mad scientist in an underground bunker version of the classic fairground ghost train vibe. Kinda cool. Needs video to do it justice cos it’s all moving parts and audio and whatnot, but here’s some snapshots anyway.
And I’m a sucker for the Hydro. Corporate as ya like. Criminally overpriced shit food & drink, for sure. But a great venue for seeing stuff, as far as enormodome arenas go.
There was still tickets for the cycling track in Saturday the other day so presume there would still be gymnastics tickets.
Kathryn joseph and others are playing a free gig in george sq tomorrow so probably head to thst.
Was thinking of going to the cycling on Saturday but still unsure. Probably just go watch the road races.
Saw some Belgian kitted cyclists outside Costa the other day.
Saw the water dancing today.
But seriously. Synchronised swimming is genuinely fucking impressive. And a good vibe. First pair we saw had The Prodigy as their music, had some James Brown and other bangers later on. Saw the first medals of the games being handed out, too.
Also, the balance of artistry and athleticism is very satisfying, rather than or being solely about being faster, stronger, etc, Difficult to get performance enhancing drugs for better artistry, co-ordination and teamwork.
Also also, what I like about ‘minor sports’ is how there’s obviously intense efforts and competitiveness, but there’s a genuine human aspect - an intermingling of competitors, support teams, spectators, etc that you tend not to get with the usual headline-grabbing sports. Easier to enjoy it for the spectacle that it is rather than get all tribal about it. Indie sports, yo!
