Torchbearer AA

Very creative solutions to the problem how the cauldron will be look like. I think it will be something very special, but a wok? Will the opening be one big cooking event

Like the hockey schedule. That schedule was also not published the first day at the website. Maybe it's not until now, but I'm not sure.

I saw it on the website of Beijing 2008 they released it today. But the schedule was already for months on the website of FINA. I don't catch it.. is there something changed?

That list isn't complete. There are only 45 countries on the list, only in Europe there are 50 countries broadcasting the Games live. Around 80-100 countries will broadcast the Games live, so they're missing a lot.

That's right. In a magazine I saw the cauldron already on a picture before the Games begun.

For baseball there were three continental qualification tournaments (2 places for America, 1 for Europe and 1 for Asia) and there was a final world qualification tournament for the last 3 places. The 8th team is the host country. And during the final world qualficiation tournament no other country could qualify for the Olympics.

Because the qualification rules from FISA and the IOC do not say a host country is allowed to have a boat in each category. It only says if the host nation has no boats allowed to participate they could send one male and one female athlete in the men's and women's skiff.

BOCOG thinks not all Chinese customers will pay in time. These tickets will be also sold during the Games. I think a lot of people just bought some Beijing tickets for selling them. If I could find a swimming or very interesting diving ticket I will buy it if it's not too much money. But I'll try to get one in Beijing in the ticket boxes.

I don't hope it's a cauldron like that phoenix on the pictures. By the way, does anybody know when in Athens they started with the decoration of the Olympic look around the venues and in the city?

1 is China here and 2. Russia.

Also the Dutch M8+ has qualified. This was the last day of the qualification tournament. And again a lot of athletes who can go to Beijing. Congratulations!

Very exciting race but the Dutch and Canadian W8+ go to Beijing. The M8+ race just started, only the winner can go to the Olympics.

That grey kind of thing is only to cover what they are building inside I think. Because what the cauldron will be have to be a secret. I earlier said it could be a dragon. But I don't think they are building a dragon, it has the forms and is inspired by a dragon (or Chinese somethig phoenix.. whatever you wish).

The Dutch LW2x has qualified for the Games, together with USA. Netherlands won with three seconds before the USA. Within a half hour the 8+ W and after that M will start.

I think it's just so close to it. Because it's not inside that thing.

What's that kind of big round thing? Now there are more questions .. I hoped with new pictures there could be less Has anyone an idea?

I think it's al about security. They have so many rules now. Maybe too much I think if I read this story.

In Norway and Germany the Beijing tickets are arrived. They expect to start the distribution to customers beginning of July. In the Netherlands also they start at that time. I don't know yet if the tickets arrived here.

I believe it will be released this Friday in the United Kingdom, is that right?

I saw a few screenshots. And in the videogame there's also an olympic flame burning in the National stadium like the cauldron in Sydney. The National stadium isn't all the same in the videogame as the real National stadium. There are a few differences with the stands. The look of the Games elements in the videogame are nice. But I know from some insiders the colour in the National indoor stadium for the gymnastics competitions will be a lot of red, and not the blue like the videogame.

Rowing qualification tournament. Tomorrow we know the last boats who can go to Beijing. The Dutch LW2x had the second time in the heats. There are two boats for Beijing, so the USA and the Netherlands will probably go. The Dutch M8+ had the fastest time in the heats, one second faster than the Russian boat. We'll see tomorrow, only one boat is allowed to go. But I hope the Dutch M8+ could go. The Dutch W8+ has the third time in the exhibition race, only 2 boats are allowed to go. I hope in the final they can beat one other boat so they can also go.

It's also with Dutch athletes. The athletes competing in the first days are not allowd to march in the opening ceremony. The other athletes have the choice. I know 4 years ago the equesterian athletes were coming just before the equesterian competition started (the second week I believe for them) but they specially came to Greece for the opening ceremony and after that went back to the Netherlands. It's what the athletes think about the importance and the atmpsphere about the ceremony.

There are also a few countries who say that it's good for the athletes if they arrive early in Beijing because they can feel before the Games how it will be during the Games. I don't know what's the best way. I will see in August how bad the air is in Beijing.

I hope he'll win. I also have a ticket for this event.

I don't like the tower so near the stadium. But indeed there's nothing new at this moment.