Ashley Ricci - NYPD

Well, Belfast was a blast! The highlight of my experience was being able to play with athletes from across the world; I played Women's Rugby 7s and our team was made up from a compilation of different countries. We had players from the US; from California and Rochester, but we also had two Australian players, two Dutch players and one player from Northern Ireland. 

Our teammate from Northern Ireland played locally at Carrickfergus Rugby Club and organised a friendly match there for Team Canada, so I got a chance to play a local team as well as play in the Games which was a very cool bonus!

I was able to grab some sightseeing in between all the rugby. I went to Bushmills Whiskey Distillery and had a great time there! Other than that, I played a ton and took home the Bronze medal in rugby!

Now that I am back home, I am trying to build a program for NYPD women's rugby to enter a team in the next Games! 

Henrik Hansen - Copenhagen Fire Department

You all did an excellent job at the Games! I've been participating in the World Police & Fire Games since 1999 and I have never been to one that was so well organised. Even the smallest detail was taking care of, so well done everyone!!

Henrik at Belvoir Park Golf Club

I was competing in the Golf competition and I asked to be switched to another team so I could share transport with my fellow countrymen going to the different courses. I wasn't sure if it would be possible so I I went along to the course I was going to play on the first round. But they managed to switch me to another course and a volunteer drove me in her own car to it.......that was a FANTASTIC gesture!

All the things lined up before the Opening Ceremony was fantastic. I was even interviewed live on BBC Radio. What an experience..! Your Opening Ceremony was fabulous; I was entertained from the very first minute and everyone was taken by storm with all the different singers, dancers and performances.

In the centre of Belfast, the red-shirted volunteers could be seen all over the city; there was no chance of getting lost!! I could go on forever, but choose to stop here. Thanks again for a fantastic job......the next host cities really have to look at your engagement and commitment Belfast!

Win a life saving defibrillator for your school!

Schools and their pupils across Northern Ireland are being encouraged to get their creative juices flowing to win a life saving defibrillator.

45 devices, manufactured by Belfast company HeartSine Technologies, were provided to this year’s World Police and Fire Games and will now be presented to 45 schools as part of the 2013 Games’ life saving legacy programme.

The defibrillators will be given to children who can best sum up why their school should receive the device, which will be judged by a panel made up of representatives from HeartSine, World Police and Fire Games and the Red Cross, who have offered to provide free training to all schools selected.

Schools who wish to take part should state in more than 150 words: why their school should receive a defibrillator and where it will be located.

Andy McClernon, International Product Manager at HeartSine Technologies, said the programme will ensure local schoolchildren are protected from the devastating condition, Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA):

 

“SCA is one of the UK’s biggest killers. In fact, about 270 people die from it in the UK every single day. It can happen to anyone, at any time. That’s why we wanted the defibrillators which were originally stationed at World Police and Fire Games venues to be passed on to our local schools, so that pupils, staff, teachers and visitors are all protected should SCA occur. If someone suffers Sudden Cardiac Arrest, with CPR alone, survival rates are less than 5%. If, however, you combine CPR with the use of a defibrillator, then the rate of survival can increase to an incredible 70%.”
 
Schools will be judged on how best they demonstrate benefits to the school, evidence that pupils have learned about Sudden Cardiac Arrest and indication that teachers and students have worked on the application with consultation with their parents and local community.

Applications should also address how the wider school community will benefit from the defibrillator in particular local sports clubs, and accessibility to the community outside of the school term.


John Tully, Chief Executive of the 2013 World Police and Fire Games, said: “The Games were a resounding success and thankfully none of the devices had to be employed during the summer, but it was fantastic to know they were available should any of the athletes have suffered Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

“We wanted to leave an enduring and meaningful legacy of the 2013 Games and so are delighted that we are now able to pass the devices on to some extremely deserving local schoolchildren. 

“The competition is a superb way for the wider school communities to get involved and demonstrate what this device would mean to them. We have already had considerable interest from schools and we wish them all the best of luck.” 

Paula Powell from the Red Cross said: “84% of cases of Sudden Cardiac Arrest occur outside hospitals, for example at school, the workplace or home, so access to an available defibrillator is vital. It’s incredible to think that 45 local communities around Northern Ireland will now have easier access to a defibrillator, thanks to HeartSine and the World Police and Fire Games. We will be providing training to all schools on how to use the defibrillators as, although modern defibs are very straightforward to use, our experience shows that completing a first aid course gives people the necessary understanding and also the confidence to get involved in an emergency situation. The rollout of these AED units will undoubtedly save lives in the coming years and that is a remarkable legacy for everyone involved in the World Police and Fire Games."


If you wish to avail of one of the 45 defibrillators, please state why your school should receive one and where it will be located in no more than 150 words and send it to info@2013wpfg.com by 5pm on Friday 8 November 2013.

Egor Iakovlev Chelyabinsk - Russian Federal Bailiffs Service

It's been a little over two months since we came back from the Games but to this day we still have this cheerful spirit; we are always in the great mood, telling all of our friends about our amazing trip and celebrating the big win!

Belfast is an incredible city; very beautiful, with lots of green parks, amazing architecture, friendly people, interesting tours and fun bars, which let us not only to compete in the great setting but also have an unforgettable vacation with family.

The colourful Opening Ceremony, perfect organisation of the whole competition, amazing helpful volunteers all created a comforting and very welcoming feeling from the beginning through to the very last day. 

Being in the same venue as my colleague Vladimir Averin, who was competing in Judo (I was competing in Karate) every day meant that we rooted for each other and of course supported each other. But besides sharing this experience and celebrating the win together, the Games also gave us an opportunity to meet new people from other countries, see old friends, plan to meet again at the next Games!!

Now we will just have to relive it in our memories, looking at the pictures. chatting, blogging and waiting for the next competition!

Laura Noble – London Fire Brigade

Last time you heard from me, I was gearing up to compete in the Bench Press and Ultimate Fire Fighter, and of course, experience the very best of Belfast. Well, what an amazing ten days I spent with like-minded people from all over the world. I hadn't even boarded my flight at Luton Airport, before I was approached by two volunteers, also heading to Belfast. And the friendliness did not stop there! Everyone I met from the bus drivers, to the staff at my accommodation, couldn't do enough for me as a tourist and everyone seemed genuinely excited about the Games being hosted in their city. The Opening Ceremony was a moving spectacle and there was something for everyone; from BMX stunt riders, traditional dancing, fireworks, to live music. It certainly set the tone for the start of the Games.

I stayed in halls of residence at Queen’s University which suited my needs and was an easy bus ride/walk into the city centre. Before my competitions started, I walked all over the city and found a few hidden gems. One of which had to be The Dock Café in the Titanic Quarter. Every city should have a venture just like it! I did a guided bike tour one day and found out even more about the vibrant city from a bona fide local. 

The Bench Press competition venue in Bangor was brilliant and only a short, picturesque train journey away from the city. The spectators really got behind each of the lifters, and several world records were broken which was great to witness. I got the gold medal in my category and of course, celebrated with a pint of Guinness or three afterwards!! 

My parents then arrived to support me in the Ultimate Fire Fighter competition. I was able to act as their tour guide for their stay. There was a lot of support at this event and great sportsmanship from all of the competitors. I didn't get on the podium this time but enjoyed it nonetheless.

I ended up feeling like a bit of a celebrity during my stay, as I was interviewed live on BBC Northern Ireland and also for the radio helping to spread the word about the different events on offer.

Near the end of my stay, I hired a car and drove up the North Coast with my parents to The Giants Causeway and Portrush. It was a lovely drive, the only down side was not having the time to visit all of the little towns and villages on the way! We managed to catch some of the volleyball action in Portrush, followed up with the obligatory fish’n’chips supper on the seafront.

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in Belfast and my parents loved it too! The Games were fantastic, such a buzzing atmosphere and it definitely lived up to its mantra of “The Friendliest Games Ever”. Thank you Belfast!

David Moore - Toronto Police Service

Back in May, David shared his story on our Blog about how he was preparing for his third World Police and Fire Games. Now read about how he got on in the cycling events and 5k cross country competition.....

It’s hard to believe that one month has already passed since we returned to Canada from our trip to Belfast, Northern Ireland and the 2013 World Police and Fire Games. I've been reflecting on how well things went overall and how glad I am that we decided to go. I travelled with my wife Jen, and our teenagers - son Alex and daughter Katie.

We arrived on July 28^th and went directly to our rented cottage near Crossgar in County Down. What a beautiful place and area we found ourselves in. We spent the rest of the day exploring the immediate surroundings, recovering from jet lag and generally just settling in.

We went into Belfast on Monday the 29^th and registered for the Games at the Waterfront Registration Centre. As soon as I saw the other athletes milling about, the reality of the competition began to sink in. It’s that familiar mixture of optimism and nervous energy that strikes me before all events…....

I definitely took advantage of the amazing surroundings for cycling as each morning I went for a solo ride in the early hours, exploring Strangford Lough, Newcastle, Downpatrick and down towards the edge of the Mourne Mountains, amongst other spots. Despite the narrow roadways, without much allowance for cyclists, I found the road surfaces to be excellent and people to be generally courteous as I did my best to ride consistently on the left hand side of the road!

As a family we had decided ahead of time that we definitely wanted to see certain areas of Northern Ireland during our stay - Giant’s Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, the coastal route, the Mourne Mountains, Strangford Lough and to definitely take the black cab tour of Belfast. There were also the important shopping trips that kept certain members of the family in a more supportive frame of mind when it came time for me to compete!

The first race that was on tap for me was the Cycling Hill Climb taking place at Stormont Estate on July 31st. We arrived in plenty of time to warm up for the evening start. This was the first day that we really experienced a Belfast downpour! We parked the car and I went to sign in. All of the assembled cyclists were soaked and probably thinking the same thing – was this precipitation really necessary?! I found out my start time and went to prepare as best I could. We were to go off two at a time – each in one of the two lanes of Prince of Wales Avenue, up and around the roundabout at the Lord Carson statue and ending at the top of the hill in front of the stately Parliament building. The pain began immediately after the sound went to start our race. I made my way up thinking not only of the finish line ahead but also how hard I had trained for this very event. The race was over before I knew it and after several minutes of catching my breath, I rode back down the hill and met up with my family. I had no idea how I had done so we gathered at the results area and waited. The wait was well worth it as they called my name for the silver medal in my age category. What a great start to the Games!

The week went by very quickly and before we knew it the Road Race, Time Trial and Criterium were completed and on the evening of 6 August we were at Stormont Estate once again with all of our luggage packed in the car – including the bike, as this time I was to rely solely (no pun intended!) on my foot speed. 

It was the 5K Cross Country event. I went down to the playing field to watch the end of the 10K Cross Country and began my warm-up. It was exciting to see so many other competitors from all over the world and unlike most of the bike races, we would all be starting at the same time. There were well over 120 of us at the start and after hearing the gun, I fought quickly to gain a good position in the crowd. That unmistakeable feeling of pain in my lungs and legs brought home the reality of this hard event. There is no coasting in a 5K – it is pure effort from the start. The biggest challenge is to remain focussed on breathing and pacing. After the first of the two laps I knew that I could maintain the current pace but was unsure how close behind my next age group competitor was and how much of a kick they might have. Jen and Katie were able to tell me that so far I was in second place for my grouping. I did my best to ignore the pain and kept thinking of the finish line ahead. I also didn’t look back but only gauged how close the next pack behind me was by the shouts of the crowd to them several seconds after I had passed by. I crossed the finish line in second for my age and 9^th overall with a big smile on my face. A second silver medal to join the first one!

This was the first of three Games that I have attended that I have won a medal at, but was also the first Games in which I really felt that I had competed at my best, not only representing Toronto Police Service but also Canada as well. 

As a family we really enjoyed the hospitality of the country and look forward to a return visit one day. My thanks to all of the organizers and volunteers in Belfast and Northern Ireland for making this truly the best Games yet!

Closing Ceremony video

BBC Northern Ireland reported from the Closing Ceremony on Saturday evening at Titanic Slipways:

What a Closing Ceremony!

 

By Volunteer, Anne MacOscar

The atmosphere was electric at Titanic Slipways on Saturday night as a huge crowd of athletes, family members and volunteers turned out at the Closing Ceremony of the 2013 World Police and FireGames. A fantastic evening was had, celebrating the success of the Games, reliving memories and officially handing over the ‘Flame of Hope’ to the hosts of the 2015 World Police and Fire Games, Fairfax.

I arrived at Titanic Slipways just before 6.30pm and already there was huge crowd gathering, everyone wanting to secure themselves a good vantage point to watch the fantastic closing ceremony which lay ahead. Despite the best efforts of the rain early on in the evening, the people in attendance did not let the weather dampen their spirits. Instead they donned the blue ponchos, provided by the organising committee, and got the party started…and what a party it was!

    

Much to the excitement of the crowd, The Red Arrows flew over the Titanic Slipways to officially mark the start of the 2013 World Police & Fire Games Closing Ceremony at 7.30pm.

This was followed by the parade of volunteers – representatives of the 3,500 volunteers who helped to make the Games such a huge success. There was no doubt that during the parade the most enormous cheer of the evening was for the home team, Northern Ireland.

Throughout the ceremony, Sandy Row Falcon Cheerleading Squad and the Open Arts Community Choir blew the crowds away with spectacular performances, including a rendition of ‘What have you done today to make you feel proud?’, dedicated to the volunteers. There was also video footage of the volunteers hard at work throughout the Games and of the Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run team on their journey throughout Northern Ireland, in the lead up to the Games.

When the time came for Belfast to hand over the World Police and Fire Games flag to the hosts of the 2015 Games, Fairfax, Minister of Culture Arts and Leisure, Carál NiChuilin was on hand to do the honours.

The Flame of Hope then entered the slipways, carried by a Special Olympics athlete and a member of the Law Enforcement Torch Run team. They handed the torch over to a representative from Fairfax and so its journey to its new home began. It received a fabulous send off from the people of Belfast, whose sadness that the Games were over was almost forgotten when the 2015 organising committee invited everyone to Fairfax!

The Closing Ceremony truly was a spectacular event to mark the end of the 2013 World Police and Fire Games in Belfast. During the 10 days of the Games, medals were won, friendships were formed, marriage proposals were made (4 in total!) and best of all, the people of Belfast definitely delivered the friendliest Games ever! It was fantastic to have been involved - wishing all the athletes, their family and friends and all of the travelling volunteers a safe journey home.

Ice hockey is, by far, my favourite sport EVER!

By Volunteer Nicci Gregg

On Friday night I made a new discovery about myself.  Ice hockey is, by far, my favourite sport EVER.  I am ashamed to admit this but this was my first ever ice hockey experience, and what a first it was.

I arrived at the Odyssey Arena to watch the bronze and gold medal games for the +35 division.  As I entered the arena the competitors for the first match (bronze medal) were warming up , Canada RCMP were about to take on St Petersburg Dynamo.

As a newbie to the ice hockey scene I was a little clueless and no one told me that it may not be a good idea to sit directly behind the goal net area.  As the Canadian team took turns to practice shots, the ones which missed the net came flying towards me and crashed into the screen in front of me making my heart stop a few times.  It was after this that I knew I was in for a good night.

After a swift move of seat I settled in to enjoy the game.  One of my favourite things about this event was the atmosphere, the arena was filling up with adoring ice hockey fans (over 4,000 attended, with some 50,000 spectators for the tournament as a whole!), music was blasting and everyone was in great spirits, then the match began.  Ice hockey is made up of three periods per match, each lasting 20 minutes.

My first impression was, wow this is fast.  I literally could not take my eyes away for fear of missing something.  There was a goal attempt every minute from both sides.  St Petersburg were the first to score at just 17 seconds into the match which was followed by their second goal just minutes later.  Canada came back fighting as they scored their first goal and quickly gained a lot more possession enabling them to eventually even the score to 2-2.  However, just 16 seconds later St Petersburg took back the lead scoring their third goal making the score at the end of the first period 3-2 to St Petersburg.

After a two minute break it was straight into the second period which was a little slower with Canada scoring their third goal with 1.29 minutes left, evening the score to 3-3. This must have put some fire in their belly as they scored another two goals in the last minute of this period, bringing the score to 5-3 to Canada.

Going into the third period St Petersburg got their second wind and scored their forth and fifth goals, putting the score at 6-5 to Canada.  With their competitors hot on the heels, Canada came back fighting with a memorable goal in the last 20 seconds of the match making them the bronze medal winners with a score of 7-6.  The growing crowd cheered as the Canadian team collected their bronze medals.

Now for the match everyone was waiting for, the gold medal game.  Russian Home Affairs Ministry were taking on the Helskini Fire Department.  At this stage the crowd had doubled and so had the atmosphere. The teams were brought onto the ice with music, disco lights and roaring fans.

The first period got off to another quick start with Russia scoring their first goal within 10 seconds, holding possession they scored another three goals ending the first period in the lead 4-0.  It was very clear at this point that the Russian team meant business.  I was so impressed by the skill and speed of both these teams, the skating was excellent to watch and both teams had a great competitive spirit about them which made the match unmissable.

Into the second period Helsinki put up a great fight but were unable to stop Russia from scoring a further two goals.  The shots from Russia were so powerful, lots of praise must go out to the Helskini goal keeper who stopped plenty of them, as well as the amazing defence.

The third and final period was excellent.  In true Northern Irish fashion, the local Belfast crowd were fully behind the underdogs from Helskini, chanting their names and cheering them on every step of the way and when the team scored their first goal (bringing the score to 6-1) the crowd gave the biggest roar of the night so far.  The unstoppable Russian team continued on to score two more goals ending the period with a final score of 8-1.  Russia were victorious gold medal winners.

As i work for the ice hockey event sponsors Coca-Cola I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to present the silver medals to the Helsinki team who all gave me some lovely hugs and friendly greets and i handed them their medals on the ice one by one.  Russia followed, picking up their well deserved gold medals.

I was amazed by everything at the ice hockey event.  The skill, the speed, the referees who jumped over the puck every two seconds, the atmosphere, the crowd, the cold…everything.  This sport most certainly has a new super fan in me.

This is my last blog for the 2013 WPFG and It was been a great experience, I have met so many lovely people and so many talented competitors.  Until next time.