Today's the day!

Official practice was yesterday, all the bowlers were split into 4 squads. 2male, 2 female! I was cheduled to bowl at 12.30 noon. We ran a little late and I got started around 1.15pm. I found the lanes a little quicker than expected. Whenever people have spoke about the World Cup pattern before I got the impression the were fairly dry and play fairly open, which I didn't find the case.

After the first 10 minutes we were free to move around the centre as we please til our 1hour and 15 minutes were up. I moved randomly until I was happy with the ball reaction from 2 balls. The Brunswick Blast Zone and the Hammer Black Widow. I found a couple of positive looking shots with each ball that I could move slighty either way to create different entry angles.

I then played on all the pairs I wouldbe bowling on today when the tournament starts to see if there was anything unusual about each pair! Nothing stood out so I just bowled to see how my reactions held up against the carry down on each pair! I was lucky enough to be able to play the same area of the lane just with slight adjusments!

I finished practice feeling happy and confident. I was throwing the ball well and felt comfortable with my game.

Onto some less serious stuff - We woke up to snow this morning :o) only a little but still it's snow! It was 2 degrees when we arrived on friday and it felt cold. Yesterday felt colder but I didn't realise how cold until I made a dash from the bowling centre to the bus in my skorts and my legs felt like ice! We checked the tempreture when we got back to the hotel to find it was -1 * note to myself : get changed next time!

I'm not sure what the temperature is today, just sat looking out the lobby window. I'm guessing from the way people are wrapped up and the way I can see their breathing clearer than ever before, it's pretty cold!

About the bowl:
The bowling centre is lovely. I haven't managed to load any photos yet but there is quite a few on Bowling Digital. 32 lanes 15 pairs and 2 singles lanes (17 & 18 divided by a pillar) The seats are like sofas behind the lanes for spectators so it's actually comfy to watch unlike the usual cold plastic seats! There is an upper lovel too where you can see the whole centre from one spot!

The opening ceremony was different. Very traiditional. All the countries were lined up on stripped lanes at each end of the centre then we were entertaind by drummers, russian dancers and then marched out to a brass band! Again I dont have pictures loaded yet but there is some flying around the internet!

Right I better go! Need to shower, change and have a quick boogie to some crazy music before we catch the bus at 12.30! We're gonna go for lunch at the food court in the shoping centre where the bowling centre is! It's wicked good - chinese, pizza, jacket potatoes, some crazy foreign stuff and KFC ( Which actually tastes like KFC at home :o) Happy Days! ) then prepare to bowl at 4pm (1pm English time!)

Seeya Bye

JJ xxx