North Pole Classic 2006

[Geir The Viking]

On the 10th of June 2006, The Second Annual North Pole Classic (a.k.a. Longyearbyen Open), will take place in Longyearbyen, on the Norwegian island of Spitzbergen. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svalbard )

In what is arguably the northernmost official RPS tournament in the world, high class players will meet under the midnight sun to compete for the highly regarded title and a yet-to-be-announced price. Officials from The Norwegian RPS Society (NFSSP) will be in place to oversee if last year's winner Thea Beate Hansen yet again will show her sharp scissors, and keep her position as The Best Of The Arctic. Here's last year's results: http://www.steinsakspapir.com/resultatservice/svalbardmesterskap.shtml

As an extra bonus, the North Pole Classic 2006 is held on the very same day the largest settlement on Svalbard, Longyearbyen, is celebrating its 100th anniversary. So expect a tournament with lots of celebrities. http://www.ssd.no/document.aspx?uid=827&title=Longyearbyens+100-?rs+jubileum

NFSSP welcome all international players to a weekend of sun, snow, polar bears and RPS.

-Geir Arne

PS.
Hot tip for playing visitors: Longyearbyen is a mining community.

[Darlo]

Wooh, thats a bit too cold for me!

[custardchuk]

Geir,

Good to hear from you.

Interested to hear your opinions regarding the latest, in a long line of, RPS fracas.

We all know you as one who has no vested interests other the promotion of the sport and, as such, your opinions carry no weight in this one and should probably be kept to yourself.

You can't imagine my disappointment with the scheduling of the North Pole Classic. I have been gearing for an attack on that tournament and I have an illogical desire for that trophy.

Norway, 100 year anniverseries, miners, celebrities, never ending nights, quality competition and polar bears all in one day. It will be all I could have hoped for and more.

It appears, though, my Swedish lessons, my cold weather training, naked in my bathtub full of ice, my trips flying around Australia just to rack up the FF points and my Lonely Planet research will probably be in vain this year.

Any other week. ( there is no chance your 14th June is a week different to ours?) Please consider delaying the tournament by 1 week and I will be there.

regards
custardchuk

[custardchuk]

I am pleased to announce, on behalf of RPSOZ, that I will be in attendance at Longyearbyen next Saturday.
I have solved the problem of getting to Oslo.
I have solved the problem of getting to Longyearbyen, (an island that is a very long way from, Oslo as I just discovered. (apparently further than Africa is, if Geir is any judge)).
I have not been able to get a room for the night, but then I hear there is no night in Longyearben so I don't see any problem there. If worst comes to worst I can sleep in the park if i have to. It wouldn't be the first time and and, in truth, it would be a chance to reminice on my younger days on the circuit.
I have been told beer is expensive and that it might be cold there. Both are issues I shall address on site. How expensive can beer be?, and how cold can summer be near Africa ? I see no real problem here either though I will buy some long pants and socks just in case and probably some duty free Australian moonshine.
I have not had a chance to get much dope on the Norwegians, as I can't read Norwegian. Having seen Team Norway in action in Toronto, I will not be taking them lightly, and I will use much of the flight times to script my play for the early rounds.
I expect, if it is as cold as I am being told it is, then they will be expecting me to struggle with complex throws like scissors. I have though, been doing a lot of refrigerated hand training with ice cold beers.
And so the game begins...........
Obviously, with unknown opponents, the early rounds are critical. Much can be learned, but much can be lost. It is no secret that, I have taken some serious hits at the Internationals from unknown girls, yet been competitive, if not dominant, against most of the best at the after parties.
I'm expecting, in a mining town such as Longyearbyen, that fortune will finally shine on me and i will not draw either of the girls in the early rounds and, as such, I am expecting big things for myself.
Assuming everthing goes to plan, I am considering using using my winnings to head over to the Philly League HQ to swap notes, and/or maybe Washington to get my win inscribed in ink. (I wouldn't mind running into the turncoat, while I'm there. We have much to talk about. I would be doing the talking and, him the listening, if he knows what's good for him.
Anyway, that is wishful thinking and the chances of us running into each other in such a big city, are slight.

Interestingly, Australia will be playing their first World Cup Soccer match for 32 years on the same night I compete. I'm sensing the Australian National Anthem may be a part of Longyearbeyen folklore at their 2106 celebratiion.

regards
custardchuk

[custardchuk]

In what is arguably the northernmost official RPS tournament in the world

Geir,

If anyone is arguing that, then tell them to give me a call. It is so far north it nearly falls over the top and heads back to my house.

regards
custardchuk

[Geir The Viking]

It's a great honour to bring the results from the just finished RPS tournament here in Longyearbyen, on the city's 100th anniversary day.
This little community gathered together 36 of it's finest RPS talents, and today we crowned a new champion: Ragnhild Klingsheim. The female dominance in Arctic RPS continues, with two women competing for the trophy. Ragnhild won 3-1 in set points in the final, after some close matches in the preliminary rounds.  
Ms. Klingsheim is the first competitor to qualify for the Norwegian national finals this September.

Today was not only a great day for Norwegian RPS, as Australia did very well, represented by their well-known player Clayton 'Chuck' Dwyer - currently the only professional RPS player to compete on three continents and both hemispheres.
Mr. Dwyer made it through to the final eight, eventually losing to one of the finalists. Chuck's reputation for not playing well against women continues, but he promises to work on his tactics for next year's North Pole Classic.

It's zero degrees centigrades, but the hearts beat warmly for Arctic RPS.

Best regards,
Geir Arne Brevik
President, Norwegian Rock Paper Scissors Society (Norsk forbund for stein, saks, papir)

[custardchuk]

Chuck's reputation for not playing well against women continues,

That said, I did manage to take out a young kid, another of part of my play that has been suffering of late.
I feel I am very close to regaining top form and I would warn against women and children taking me too lightly this season.

regards
custardchuk