So its all over. This is the final blog from Bressuire TC following the longest awards ceremony I've ever been at. Every man and his dog was up at the mic.
Actually it was long and mostly in French so the majority of the finalists had no clue what was being said but it was very good, another great learning experience. The kids got up onto little podiums for 1st and 2nd place, there were photographers and journalists, a crowd of about 200 and an interviewer who asked all of the finalists to make a little speech just like they do on the Tour. They spoke in their own language and interpreters translated it into French.
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Once they had been presented with their glass trophies and an MP4 player or a camera, they were taken to make their handprint on a clay square and to autograph the tourney poster. All the coaches had to make a speech too (that's why it was taking so long) - Bencic's dad told the organisers that he would be back next year with her little brother (bet they were delighted) and he hoped they would find a Swiss flag to decorate the courts as it seemed to be the only nations flag that was missing.
His daughter won the 12s against a gutsy wee Spaniard called Julia Payolla Succarrats and they presented her with a special glass bowl - which she promptly dropped!! !- for winning here 3 years in a row.
An all French 12s boys final was won by big leftie Tetart Chague who had beaten Lucas Taylor in round one. Gabby Taylor beat Maia Lumsden 6-2, 6-4 in the 11s and Eduard Guell got the better of his Catalonian team mate in a quality 11s boys final.
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Everyone has gone now, the Scots are the only team left. There's still a mass of activity however as the organising committee clear the courts and the clubhouse. The games room and waffle tent have been dismantled and the luggage room, clay modelling room and tourney admin areas have reverted to 3 squash courts. Our flight is at 6pm and we are just waiting for the mini bus to return from Poitiers train station. We had to cough up 900 euros for 6 new flights as 5 players made it to the semi finals or better! We weren't banking on that! I guess it is the price of success :)
I think GB is making progress though and it is being noticied, the Austrian coach just said as much. "You are doing much better now. Five years ago the Brits were always the first ones to go home!"
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Todays bit of fun - I asked our kids to write up in their tennis notebooks what they learned on the trip and what they wanted to improve on when they get back. Best ever - no names mentioned. "I learned that if you don't shower, nobody will want to sit beside you on the bus!". You've got to love that!
That's it from me then. Can't wait to get back now and looking forward to my Spa day at Gleneagles tomorrow. I booked it weeks ago when I knew I was doing this trip again. And before that I'm hitting my favourite cafe in Auchterarder for a pot of real tea and a slab of homemade sponge with jam filling and loads of coconut icing. Parfait, as the French would say.