KORA XIV - "UK CHAMPIONSHIPS 2007 READING" 30 June & 1 July

[Sid]

KORA XIV aka The UK Champs 2007!

KO2 UK CHAMPIONSHIPS 2007 READING

The Kick Off Reading Association is proud to host the UK Championships...

WHERE:
The Crowne Plaza
Caversham Bridge, Richfield Avenue, Reading, Berkshire RG1 8BD
Tel: 0118 925 9988
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/cp/925 ... tid=400282




WHEN:
Saturday 30th June & Sunday 1st July 2007.

Booked for both days, Saturday & Sunday.
Format of both days is open for discussion, I have no set rules.

TOURNAMENT OPEN TO ALL


TOURNAMENT FORMAT:

PLEASE EAT BEFORE YOU COME INTO THE ROOM!!
and MAKE SURE YOU ARE THERE FOR AT LEAST 12.30pm

I'd like EVERYONE there for this time, and if you want to pop out at any stage afterwards you can do so, as long as you are back in time to play your next game.

This ensures we can start promptly!

Here is the tournament schedule.

9am Saturday
Tournament room opens for set up and practice matches.

12-30 - 12:45pm Saturday
Formal introduction to the UKC's 2007.

1pm Saturday
Tournament games commence.

6pm Saturday
End of day 1 official play.

If people wish to carry on playing KO2, for those that are not playing real footy, then you can continue to do so (allowing you to get more games out of the way). Mark Bishop will be in the KO2 room if this happens.

Everybody else goes to play and watch the real footy.

6:30pm to 7:30pm Saturday
Real Football

8:30pm Saturday
Drinks at Toby Carvery, and if people want to eat here they can too, traditional roast British food (I will be!)

9pm Saturday
Tournament room closed for the night.

9am Sunday
Tournament room open for practice matches.

11am Sunday
Tournament games re-commence.
Again, if people want to start their games earlier, then they are free to do so.

3pm Sunday
Tournament games finish

3:30pm Sunday
Prize giving.

4pm Sunday
Close.


* Normal Pitch
* 2 x 5 minute matches
* No wind
* Extra Tactics are allowed (such as Falcon, Blitz, Balanced, Lockout)
* No line-up changes
* No altering of the KO2CV options (i.e. autoheaders & autoslides stay on)
* One big league spread over both days.
* A cup competition is 'possible' after the league has finished on Sunday... for those that want to take part in it. Probably after our International Guests and Northerners have left.

See page 29 for an explanation of the schedule, if you are curious, provided by BountyBob.


TOURNAMENT ROOM:
Size: 13m x 5.5m (71 m2)

The Tournament Room is 2 suites linked together, just need to slide back the dividing screen.

See here for the tournament room pictures:
http://www.ko-gathering.com/phpbb2/view ... &start=230

"...Impressive" (Steve Camber, KOA God)


TRANSPORT LINKS:


http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/e ... sportation

Reading Central, the main station, is 10 mins walk away (says the hotel).


Reading West is also near... less than 3 mins drive, and 0.9miles overall ...?
(though I woiuld recommend Reading Central)



(start point 1 being the hotel)


ACCOMMODATION:

Holiday Inn Express, Richfield Avenue, Reading RG1 8EQ
Hotel Front Desk TEL: 44-845-1126142 | Hotel FAX: 44-845-1126161
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/e ... facilities

To stay in the hotel it costs £55 per night for the room (NOT per person), which can accommodate 2 people (so thats £27.50 each).
(All rooms are the same price, single/double/family).
It is "suggested" that a max of 3 adults and 1 child is the capacity for the rooms...
(1 x double bed & 1 x sofa bed) No twin rooms were available.
(a 3rd adult staying in the room is charged at an additional £25)

IF ANYONE WANTS A ROOM, YOU BOOK IT NOW, AND YOU HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO CANCEL UP TO THE DAY OF STAY!

Simply call the hotel to book your stay on the nights that your require.


ALTERNATIVE HOTEL ACCOMMODATION:

I have negotiated once again fantastic rates, at a hotel nearby (you might have to walk 5 minutes!)

Thameside Hotel
144 - 150 Caversham Road, Caversham, Reading RG1 8AZ
TEL: +44118 959 0135
http://www.thamesidehotel.co.uk/tariff.php

Click for Map:
Location is Caversham Rd, and the Crowne Plaza is on the corner of Caversham Rd and Richfield Avenue

This is a better class hotel as its normally for business use.
Please quote "KOA" when booking.

As you can see a normal stay at this hotel is £83 inc vat and breakfast.
You can stay here for only £65 INC vat and breakfast.

£55 = Single room / Double room with ONE occupant
£65 = Twin / Double Room with TWO occupants

As of 4th June, 'Celine' reassures me they have a few rooms available for the time being.

Get in there!!


COST:
The meeting room rate is £300 for the whole day (normally £700!!). x 2 days = £600.
£25 each (total) for the whole weekend's gameplay.


OTHER ACTIVITIES:
In Woodley (close-by) there is an indoor go-karting track. I went there with my work last week, and it's very good. Will find out prices if I know numbers (for the Sunday afternoon perhaps?)
5-a-side Footy is also a possibility, see Rivermead Leisure Complex (below)
Let me know what else people would like to do, or just play KO2, on 2 days...

Reading also has a buzzing night life, if anybody wanted to go out in the evening. Bars, Clubs and Restaurants galore...


AMENITIES:
Excellent surroundings!
I will list these in descending order of proximity to the hotel:

The Crowne Plaza (tournament location) is next door to the HI Express (chosen residence of the UKC's)
HI Express

The Crowne Plaza is situated on the River Thames, (as you can see in the pics above) and you have the possibility of going on a River cruise.

NEXT DOOR:
Toby Carvery (Pub and Traditional English Roast Lunch/Dinner)

OPPOSITE:
Reading Sporting Casino

BP Petrol Station and Shop, with Instore Bakery


DOWN THE ROAD TO THE RIGHT (out of hotel)
Rivermede Lesiure Complex (Gym, Badminton, 4 x 5-a-side pitches, Indoor Bowls, Swimming pool) 0118 901 5000
http://www.reading.gov.uk/leisureandcul ... recomplex/
http://www.londonfitnessnetwork.org/scl ... ermead.htm


Golf Driving Range


DOWN THE ROAD TO THE LEFT (out of hotel)
George Cafe
Moderation ...looks like a Pub
Riverside Restaurant & Bar
Ample selection of B&B's
Kebab Shop
Standard Tandoori & Nepalese Restaurant
TGI Fridays

Then there is the Reading Train Station


Further Information on Reading; the Capital of the Thames Valley!
http://www.readingtourism.org.uk/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/going_ou ... ding.shtml
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Eu ... ading.html


ATTENDANCE LIST:

Confirmed:
1. Mandhir S (Sid) - both days
2. Mark W (Durban) - both days
3. Wayne L (Waynie) - both days
4. Robert S - both days
5. Steve E (Steve1977) - both days
6. Darren G (Stainy) - both days
7. Sascha W - both days
8. Wolf H - both days
9. Michael O - both days
10. Thomas K - both days
11. Michael Mu - both days
12. Gianni T (Torchiador) - both days
13. Jon G - both days
14. John H (Hogstrom) - both days
15. Garry C (gdh82) - both days
16. Steve C - both days
17. Simon B - both days
18. Nazim - both days
19. James Bu - both days
20. Simon K - both days
21. Alkis P (Alkis21) - both days
22. Peter S - both days
23. Stephen D (Noodlebug) - both days
24. Mark B (BountyBob) - both days
27.


Possible:
1. GingerPete
2. Martin Beard
3. Imran A
4.


Negative:
1. Pee
2. Mark E (Ely)
3. Rodolfo
4. Jorn F (Freshmaker)
5. Hadyn H (Semtex)
6. Gianluca (The FoxSoft)
7. James Beard
8. Niels Tijssen
9. Dan C (Crossy)
10. Ben C (Ben Chen)
11. Ran S
12. Martin Jeffrey
13. Ray C
14. Ben G
15. James L
16. Gunther
17. Thorsten
18. Rob H
19.


ACCOMMODATION LIST:

1. Mark W (Sat night) - HI Express
2. Sascha W & Michael Mu (Fri & Sat nights) - HI Express
3. Thomas K & Michael O (Fri & Sat nights) - HI Express
4. Steve E & Alkis P (Sat night) - HI Express
5. Garry C & Simon K (Sat night) - HI Express
6. John H (Fri & Sat nights) - Thameside Hotel
7. Steve C (Sat night) - HI Express
8. Wolf H & Peter S (Fri & Sat nights) - HI Express
9. Stephen D (Sat night) - Royal County Hotel
10. Robert S & Gianni T (Sat night) Thameside Hotel
11.



ROOM-MATES THREAD:
http://www.ko-gathering.com/phpbb2/view ... hp?t=13701


EQUIPMENT THREAD:
http://www.ko-gathering.com/phpbb2/view ... hp?t=13634


FORMAT DISCUSSION
http://www.ko-gathering.com/phpbb2/view ... 320#216320



FIVE-A-SIDE FOOTY

5-a-side football will take place on Saturday 30th June, at 6.30pm to 7.30pm.

Rivermede Lesiure Complex
http://www.reading.gov.uk/leisureandcul ... recomplex/
http://www.londonfitnessnetwork.org/scl ... ermead.htm


1. Sid
2. Gianni
3. Alkis
4. Robert
5. Simon B
6. James Bu
7. Waynie
8. Steve E
9. Simon K
10. Sascha
11. Michael Mu
12. Michael O
13. Thomas K
14. John H
15. Mark W
17.


I HAVE BOOKED TWO 5-a-Side pitches. We can make this into 1 pitch by moving the goalposts... AMPLE room to run around and feed the killer balls into the dangerman (me!) lol

So no overcrowding here!


RULES:
(as stated by Durban)

The idea is to have a fun game, but not let it erupt into an unfair goalhanging goal fest. Therefore I suggest the following simple rules.

1) You should not be allowed to Shoot from inside the Goal Area.
However to make the game more fun you SHOULD be allowed to enter the goal area (both attacking and defending) but no shooting. If you shoot from outside and then enter the area afterwards this is fine.

2) No slide tackling. This is simply because a) we don't want to break any legs before the UK Champs and b) most surfaces are pretty nast to slide on to be honest (ie astroturf, carpet or cement)

3) Fuck the overhead height rule tbh!

4) Sort out the teams up front, have one team in a dark kit (preferably Blue or Red but all players in the same colour) and one team in a light colour (White or yellow NOT grey NOT Silver NOT light blue)




THE FINAL TABLE AND ALL RESULTS ARE HERE:

http://www.ko-gathering.com/phpbb2/view ... 609#218609

[gdh82]

Good on ya, Sid

My vote is for a 1-day* event.

Will get back to you about dates (but best delete the July date as is clashes with the non-elite tourney plans!)

Sid for president!


* edit

[Bounty Bob]

Book for the two days.

Not everybody can make it for a two day event. So the UK champs is played on day one and the second day is for other Kick Off fun. Usually smaller competitions, cups etc.

If everyone can make two days, then that would be great but it's normally enough of a struggle to get people interested enough for 1 day.

It's traditionally in July, although I wouldn't personally object to the September dates, it may be too close to the world cup for some. On the other hand, it could be considered a good world cup warm up.

[durban]

I am available on all dates except 9/10 June

[waynie]

Nice one Sid!

Thanks for thinking of the runty champs re: dates. At the moment, all dates are fine, but the sooner one is agreed the better. I will try to juggle my summer plans around whatever date is set.

Sidney! Sidney! Sidney!

[Sid]

Main thread updated

[Ely]

Put down as a possible, there's no way I can afford a World Cup abroad so this may be my one and only tournament this year.

[Freshmaker]

depends.... if the WC would be at my place, I'd really wanna attend, but can't really see that happening...

[Pee]

Any plans for REAL footy? Was the highlight for me of last years UKs.

One day was enough too, in my opinion but Go Karting or some such sounds good for Sunday.

Put me down as a maybe for now. Depends on family commitments. I will confirm or otherwise as soon as I can though coz I know from experience how annoying it is to have too many maybes

EDIT: I am on holiday that weekend so I'm a no for that date.

[Sascha]

I think there are some Germans here who seek revenge for Roberts performance against us in Milan!

If we are invited (although this would mean a German might be the UK Champ ) I am sure that there will be some interest to join this event...

As soon as you agree on the date I will ask the guys...

( But be warned that we will most likely have to react on the provocating "english-flag-waving" of Robert in Milan )

[Steve Camber]

The UK champs are always open to foreign vistors!

Put me down as highly probable for any date at the moment.

[Bounty Bob]

If we are invited (although this would mean a German might be the UK Champ ) I am sure that there will be some interest to join this event...

It would be cool to see you guys again, please come.

Sid: I'm on the confirmed list but haven't actually confirmed yet! Will not know untill a bit nearer the time but I am much more likely to be there than not.

[Robert Swift]

Sid, at this moment I almost love you.

Put me down as confirmed.

And get the Germans!