Dijon 2010: 6-9 May

[Wolfgang Ritter]

Oli Winter - Cashier

I'm not related to Harry ...

Zut alors!! Je suis un imbécile! Changed!

[Oli Barker]

Oli Barker - The Virgin

Youwahh?

[Dangermouse]

Bryan Tunstall - Sandwichboardman

Binge Drinking Clown probably more apt!

A huge thank you to Fab for pulling off such an awsome event. I, and the 5 Dijon Virgins that travelled with me had a great time for the short duration that we were able to stay. We are all really looking forward to next year!

The Saturday Night was a blast and I woke up Sunday morning on the floor of the van (as the hotel had closed when I got back!) knowing I had had a good time. However, I have had some of the strangest dreams of my life since then and am struggling separating reality from fiction - so could somebody please clarify the following for me:

1) Did Matt Easton really beat Scott Brown and Matt Gallas in an arm-wrestle for control of the colonies?
2) Was Lopes wearing a kilt and doing a Scottish accent for a big chunk of the night?
3) There was a Pirate, right? Please tell me there was a pirate...
4) Woke up with a face plastered in glitter - where on God's earth did that come from?
5) Woke up with my hand stamped (suspect it said "Reject" in french) - anybody know anything this?

Thanks anybody who tollerated a very drunk DangerMouse and to Fab, Lucy, Axel, Andreas, and anybody else that bore the full force of this and a special thanks to Fab's chap's for tolerating having themselves described in broken french for most of the night (Barbe Noire etc!).

Very much looking forward to next year!

[admin]

Back home at last!
I won't list everybody who made this year's event so enjoyable, so I'll just say thanks to team De Taille et d'Estoc and thanks to the guys we hung out with and had so many laughs with. I am covered in bruises, pretty much entirely thanks to my fight with Lois in the tournament.

1) Did Matt Easton really beat Scott Brown and Matt Gallas in an arm-wrestle for control of the colonies?

In short, yes. Mr.Galas foolishly risked the United States with his right arm, then having failed, called for Mr.Brown, then Mr.Wassom. Both were struck down by the Empire, with Mr.Brown claiming foul play! Having failed to save the colonies from being reclaimed by Her Majesty's representative, in true American fashion Mr.Galas then solicited aid from the French in the form of Mr.Perrier (Kurso), claiming that this would be their New Orleans. However, I subdued the French mercenary, saluting his valour. Having crushed all these Republican opponents I can confirm that the former United States are now once again firmly under Crown control, thanks to God, humility and my arms.

[Dangermouse]

Huzzah! Glad I didn't dream that one!

[Fab]

A huge thank you to Fab for pulling off such an awsome event. I, and the 5 Dijon Virgins that travelled with me had a great time for the short duration that we were able to stay. We are all really looking forward to next year!

Ta matey. A shame we couldn't spend more time together.

1) Did Matt Easton really beat Scott Brown and Matt Gallas in an arm-wrestle for control of the colonies?

See above. Though I suggested Mr G&B to call Austrian help in the shape of Harry. Why it dodn't happen, I do not know.

2) Was Lopes wearing a kilt and doing a Scottish accent for a big chunk of the night?

He started that two nights before TBH.

3) There was a Pirate, right? Please tell me there was a pirate...

If you say so.

4) Woke up with a face plastered in glitter - where on God's earth did that come from?

The Glitter Girls. Or maybe you've been raped by a bunch of fairies.

5) Woke up with my hand stamped (suspect it said "Reject" in french) - anybody know anything this?

What did it say exactly ? It can be so many other things...

and a special thanks to Fab's chap's for tolerating having themselves described in broken french for most of the night (Barbe Noire etc!).

Very much looking forward to next year!

Shouldn't say that, but he appreciated the thing. Barbe Noire, I mean.

[Oli Barker]

5) Woke up with my hand stamped (suspect it said "Reject" in french) - anybody know anything this?

I believe the precise phrase was "In your face". What exactly was in your face is between you and whatever gods you worship (and possibly a platoon of glitter-wielding Burgundian girls).

[Harry]

I had a great time in Dijon - just not enough time to talk, drink and fight with all the terrific people there.....only two disappointing things:
1. The weather generally sucked - no girls in summerdresses on the campus, but instead an awful cold for me. Bearer of the Hat of Awesomeness, please fix the weather next year!!!
2. The event is over and I have to wait another year.....I even already miss being annoyed beyond belief by that fuckhead at the nightshift of the B+B Hotel...

yeah, this idiot is spoiling the arrival year to year again.... I don't know how employee issues are dealt in france, but in austria this fuckhead would been fired after 2 minutes.

Harry Winter - Whiteface Clown

do I need to learn "vesti la guibba" until next year?

[Harry]

In short, yes. Mr.Galas foolishly risked the United States with his right arm, then having failed, called for Mr.Brown, then Mr.Wassom. Both were struck down by the Empire, with Mr.Brown claiming foul play! Having failed to save the colonies from being reclaimed by Her Majesty's representative, in true American fashion Mr.Galas then solicited aid from the French in the form of Mr.Perrier (Kurso), claiming that this would be their New Orleans. However, I subdued the French mercenary, saluting his valour. Having crushed all these Republican opponents I can confirm that the former United States are now once again firmly under Crown control, thanks to God, humility and my arms.

ok... so in that case I need to conquer europe back for austria... so at swordfish you need to face your worst nightmare

[scholajo]

Huzzah! Glad I didn't dream that one!

Glad to see, despite this being your first time, you managed to embrace the spirit of Dijon.........and so much of it too!

Next time you see Oli Barker, get him to present his reportoire of DM character voices - they're excellent.

[Axel]

Wonderful event, thanks everybody and Fab, Sarah and de Taille et d'Estoc in particular, we Swedes had a wonderful time! I got to fence with alot of great fighters like Lopez, Joeli, Lois, Oli, the Spaniard whos name I've shamefully forgotten, the Hungarian horde, Awesome Wassom, Arto (who gave me som sweet bruises in the competition), Alexander and the guys from Paris and many others. The competition was probably the toughest one I've participated in and it was really a challenge and an honor to face my opponents, both the fights I participated in and the ones I watched all seemed even, tough and there were alot of "oohs" and "aahs" from the audience when the fighters pulled off some cool combinations. it really felt, watching competition and sparring, that the level of skill is going straight up all over the community.

The socializing at the Dijon event is one of the things I love the most about it, you can really tell that the Dijon crew puts alot of thought and effort in creating an event where verybody trains hard and then have alot of fun afterwards. My girlfriend really appreciates the calendar .

Thanks again all, I can't until next time, for the 10th year anniversary of the Dijon event!

/Axel the firefarter

[Derek Wassom]

5) Woke up with my hand stamped (suspect it said "Reject" in french) - anybody know anything this?

I believe the precise phrase was "In your face". What exactly was in your face is between you and whatever gods you worship (and possibly a platoon of glitter-wielding Burgundian girls).

Or the word could be Swedish. If it is...you don't want to know.

[Oli Barker]

After sorting through my sleep-deprived, booze-saturated brain, the following things stand out:

Much more opportunity for rapier fights. It is pleasing to see more and more of the HEMA community making it into the 17th Century. Thanks to Thibault and Reinier for some entertaining fights!

The tournament gave me my first opportunity to fight Axel (somebody, please, post video!). I enjoyed my fights with both him and Alain immensely (certainly, the crowd appeared to appreciate our efforts). It was also the first chance I have had to use the Knight Shop synthetics. For Bolognese sword and buckler I found the synthetics vastly superior to the shinai I used last year - I'm definitely looking forward to the complex hilt version now.

It appears that I will have to learn the words to Hearts of Oak before Fight Camp. Sorry Bryan.

Scott's face was very entertaining when it became apparent that he had confused andouillette and angouillette.

Doubtless additional memories will surface as my neurons and synapses recover from the abuse I have subjected them to - for now, it only remains to say thanks to Fab, Sarah and team for all the work they put in organising the event and to say what a great pleasure it was to see so many of my swordy friends there.

[admin]

I even already miss being annoyed beyond belief by that fuckhead at the nightshift of the B+B Hotel...

yeah, this idiot is spoiling the arrival year to year again.... I don't know how employee issues are dealt in france, but in austria this fuckhead would been fired after 2 minutes.

He is indeed a complete dick.
However, I have a funny story:
Back 3 years ago, when Serena fell off Simon's shoulders coming back to the hotel, I went into the kitchen area to try and find some ice to put on her head. However, instead I found this guy sleeping on the floor, when he was supposed to be at the desk. He leapt up and shouted at me (as if I had done something wrong). I just ignored him and he looked pretty embarassed.

[Reinier]

You're welcome. I look forward to the next time we meet, and will do my best to provide a more challenging and entertaining fight then!

After sorting through my sleep-deprived, booze-saturated brain, the following things stand out:

Much more opportunity for rapier fights. It is pleasing to see more and more of the HEMA community making it into the 17th Century. Thanks to Thibault and Reinier for some entertaining fights!

The tournament gave me my first opportunity to fight Axel (somebody, please, post video!). I enjoyed my fights with both him and Alain immensely (certainly, the crowd appeared to appreciate our efforts). It was also the first chance I have had to use the Knight Shop synthetics. For Bolognese sword and buckler I found the synthetics vastly superior to the shinai I used last year - I'm definitely looking forward to the complex hilt version now.

It appears that I will have to learn the words to Hearts of Oak before Fight Camp. Sorry Bryan.

Scott's face was very entertaining when it became apparent that he had confused andouillette and angouillette.

Doubtless additional memories will surface as my neurons and synapses recover from the abuse I have subjected them to - for now, it only remains to say thanks to Fab, Sarah and team for all the work they put in organising the event and to say what a great pleasure it was to see so many of my swordy friends there.

[Fab]

...And here's the commemorative vid :


http://www.youtube.com/v/I8zwdLyJpJE

[admin]

Huzzah!

[Fab]

The tournaments reel :

http://www.youtube.com/v/bcaAVuaHbNE

[Axel]

check out Kits awesome one handed cut at 4:35, beautiful!!

[Bulot]

My wrist kind of remember that too. Kit definitely should have been granted the victory for this bout. The video rocks, btw.