and we saw...

Italy V Japan in the first match - which was quite close considering Italy were world champions.

Next the treat of the night GB V Algeria.

We didn't know that Algeria were African champions and 53 places above GB.  But that didn't matter as we stayed till 00:37 to see GB win 3-2. 

We celebrated with the girls and never got back to the pub (which would have been shut by then) and had a mad dash for last trin to Clapham and got back at about 2.30am.

A night at Earls Court

After a bit of train hopping and a couple of pubs we arrived at Earls Court for volleyball. 

Even got to hold the Olympic torch.

And what is best if you can't sit with your friends? Sitting opposite, waving flags at each other and watching your mates do ACE.  Spot the friends....

Southfields Suporters Club

Even the folk of leefy Southfields are getting behind my team!!!

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&q=acuba+road&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x48760f50a517cbd7:0xf331917eed8a011e,Acuba+Rd,+London+SW18&gl=uk&ei=SXEXULGaCqe90QW93oGwDA&ved=0CAoQ8gEwAA

BBC Live subtitles.....

When commentating on Becky Addlinngton's bronze..."...she as a British Womad Hoon put...dog in deep..."  huh?!?!?!??!?!?!? :-)

Team GB...and the rest

Team GB....

The only person to help the brits....a german...who'd have thought!!!!!  Not sure where the towel is though....

Brazilian brilliance

Menezes made Olympic history by becoming the first Brazilian woman to win a gold medal in judo, beating a Romanian in the final (sorry Lyn). I think it's fair to say that Brazil have got off to a cracking start, with three medals (2 in judo, one in the men's swimming) - only being beaten to the lead by Kazakhstan's two gold meals... no comment. 

But overall it has been a splendid weekend with cycling galore and beverages flowing. The Saturday saw us at the top of Box Hill (near Boidier Hurst) blaring horns and cowbells for the flashes of lycra that flew past 9 times (sometimes a bit too close for comfort). 

The Sunday was a lot wetter but proved more successful for the GB team with Armistead showing the boys how to get on the podium with silver. Despite being on duty in Leatherhead, I was still sporting the Brazilian green and yellow colours!!!! Unfortunately the cycling was unseen today due to a selfish(!) spectator getting injured as the bikes passed. 

Meeting the Nations

Dan made the most of the opportunity to meet a Norwegian at the Road Race. The guy was so nice he wanted to give Margs a quid to join the sweepstake :-)  Sadly we didn't give him the blog address.

However, Christine's friendly Canadian may visit to see if his picture appears. So how many more of us can meet people from our countries and anymore rhymes?  Why is the flag upside down?

Day 1 - overnight table (well 9.25pm)

It's early days (day 1!) but 7 are off the mark.
Amy is doing very well picking up gold and bronze in Judo (who knew?) and silver in swimming.
Asta how could you ! - gold in road race.  Dabe was first to get a medal - rifle shooting.
James and Anna earnt bronze in Judo, Colin in weightlifting and Dan in road race.

	Gold	silver	Bronze
Brazil - Amy	1	1	1
Kazakhstan - Asta	1
Poland - Dave B		1
Hungary - James			1
North Korea - Colin			1
Norway - Dan			1
Uzbekistan - Anna			1

Box Hill - Cycling Road Race

I hope that I won't be the only one blogging on how fab this was. Arrived at approx .30pm to camp the night at Boiderhurst Scout Camp.  Got a great spot for a row of chairs to watch the 9 laps of Box Hill. Realised we were perhaps a litte too close to the riders and moved back a bit.  All very exciting, a few random nationalities, friendly policemen and sunshine - a great time.

Think the blurry mn is one of Team GB?

Opening Ceremony

So Darren & Christine have arrived from Nottingham.
The amount of electirc cable in Olympic stadium would stretch from London to Nottingham and VIP hospitality at Boxhill has Castle Brewery Ales from Nottingham

Anyway, enough of Notts - opening ceremony - bizarre but fun.

Just seen Argentina come in Hurrah - great hockey player carrying the flag - due to celebrate her 35th birthday soon.  Go ArgentinA (unless Team GB can beat you of course).

Saturday 28th - medals being contested

So tomorrow sees medals won in the following:
Archery, Road Cycling (come on GB!), Fencing, Judo, Shooting, Swimming and Weightlifting.

I haven't looked to see who are the hopefuls this time round but here is who won medals in these events in Beijing. No Spanish cyclist this time.

Good Luck all

Argentina	Bronze	Judo - Women's -48kg	Paula Belen Pareto
Cuba	Silver	Judo - Women's -48kg	Yanet Bermoy
Czech Republic	Gold	Shooting - Women's 10m Air Rifle	Katerina Emmons
Hungary	Silver	Swimming - Men's 400m Individual Medley	Laszlo Cseh
Romania	Gold	Judo - Women's -48kg	Alina Alexandra Dumitru
Spain	Gold	Road Cycling - Men's Road Race	Samuel Sanchez
Switzerland	Bronze	Road Cycling - Men's Road Race	Fabian Cancellara
Turkey	Silver	Weightlifting - Women's 48kg	Sibel Ozkan
Uzbekistan	Bronze	Judo - Men's -60kg	Rishod Sobirov
Zimbabwe	Silver	Women's 400 metre individual medley	Kirsty Coventry

Bealey Boys' outfits

Dave has Polish kit sorted and is ready for action!
Wonder if Pete will be purchasing the Spanish Olympic kit?

Had to be done...

recap on countries

Archery starts today - but non-one particularly in the firing line for that.  Here's a reminder of who has which country.  Counting down the hours......

Argentina - Margs
Azerbaijan - Jane
Belarus - Ted
Brazil - Amy
Bulgaria - Tess
Canada - Christine
Cuba - Jan
Czech Republic - Lisa
Denmark - Chris
Ethiopia - Keith
Finland - Shirley
Georgia - Kev
Hungary - James
Indonesia - Darren
Jamaica - Mick
Kazakhstan - Asta
Kenya - Jon
Maxico - Sue
Mongolia - Kelly
New Zealand - Kate
North Korea - Colin
Norway - Dan
Poland - Dave B
Romania - Lyn
Slovakia - Andy
Slovenia - Dave H
Spain - Pete
Switzerland - Gillian
Thailand - Rich
Turkey - Maddy
Uzbekistan - Anna
Zimbabwe - Paula

There will be the following prizes:
£8 – most gold medals
£8 – most silver medals
£8 – most bronze medals
£8 – most points 3points for gold, 2points for silver, 1 point for bronze.

Anyway, there we all were at the top of Box Hill, wondering what to do next when I found this lying on the floor. What are the chances of that!

Jim's rings

Box Hill Olympic rings, close up. We ran up from Dorking train station in 30 degree heat. And we're wearing matching hats. More excitement to follow....

You can rely on the Scotts

Organisers tried to scupper my teams journey towards a gold medal last night by using the wrong flag at Hamden Park... but the mighty NORTH Koreans were not put off and beat Columbia 2-0.... that's what happens when you get the Scotts involved...

Go North Korea :-)

The Games Kick off ... and Kate loses first

So the games kicked off yesterday - quite literally with the Women's football. It is a long way till the final on Thursday 9th August, but Kate was the first loser as New Zealand lost to Team GB (hurrah) making her chances of picking up a medal in this event a little more tricky.

Amy's Brazil (silver medalists the last two Olympics) kept up their reputation of being good and beat Cameroon 5-0.  When Colin's North Korea finally took to the pitch after the South Korea flag was shown next to the players' names he beat Columbia 2-0.

Today's men's football include: Pete (Spain) V Japan, Gabon V Gillian (Switzerland), Egypt V Amy (Brazil) and a grudge match of Ted (Belarus) V Kate (New Zealand). I'm so pleased we aren't doing yellow cards, longest names or any of that - the BBC website is so difficult to follow and quickly find results.

Beach volleyball - not quite..

So where were you all (on holiday...).
Wednesday night volleyball ended up two aside - thankfully not in bikinis (although Dave was keen).  It was hard work but well done to Mick, Dane, Dave and I.  Memorable moment... "go on Dave get it!" :-)

Lyn, Jan has something to tell you...

Hi Lyn,

So guess who Jan had in the back of his cab (Olympic official vehicle)?

Well they were Romanian.  They were something to do with Romania but apart from that.... we have no idea. We need to buy Jan a visitors book so we know who he transported around. :-)

Olympic Torch Table

So after an identity crisis (too complicated to explain..) we are back and running...

So who has seen the Olympic torch carried by the most people. My reckoning is below after Dave went for a hard day's work at Kew with Keith. Oh what luck, at tea break the Olympic torch was at the end of the road.  Dave wasn't allowed on the copper's bike, but Keith did get to pose with number 44 whoever she was.

Name                Number of torch bearers            Number of locations
Dave                                 5                                    3
Asta                                  3                                    2
Paula                                3                                     2
Margs                              3                                     2

anyone else wish to be in the table with more than 1?

Also my mum (who isn't in the sweepsatke but saw 2 and 2 and took rubbish photos of both! :-)  )

Friendly Estate Agent

So this may seem even less related to the Sweepstake but it did involve 2 of us...
Having missed the enterage and knowing that there was a 'lunch stop' at a school near Redhill, 4 of us walked to Reigate to see the torch relay again. There we were walking along the street and I commented on how civilised it was that the guys outside the estate agents were drinking champagne, red wine etc. And so we (Paula and I) were invited in for  glass. Having finished my drink I decided on a photo - the perfect way to be offered a refill :-).

We saw the change over of two torch bearers - including a little dance by the two of them and then Dave and Asta joined Paula nd I in returning to the estate agents for Pimms. All good.

Olympic Flame

Not quite the sweepstake but 6 of the 32 of us were drinking in Wetherspoons beforehand so I think it counts.  Made the mistake of watching just after the pedestrian highstreet so no pre-amble advertising floats before hand and they were a tad late so the guy was running faster than I'd seen them do on the telly.

Sill go a picture though. Hope we're in the Surrey Mirror too as we'll get £50 :-)

Please try for me Argentina

I'm sure you know the tune...

Please try for me Argentina,
The truth is bronze is what I aim for
in the Men's basketball
and Tornado sailing
Women's hockey and Judo
and Madison trck cycling...

We love you Slovenia we do,
No one can row like you,
And judo you can do,
Oh Slovenia we love you.
Let's go red, white and blue.

A little ditty from proud supporter Dave H. Any more fans songs out there? Feel free to post.

Welcome to the new face of sweepstakes

So here it is the new home of Horley Sweepstakes.  This will be the place to find out about the Olympic Sweepstake swiftly followed by the Championship Curry Competition (CCC) 2012-13. If only I'd know before the Euros.....