Monday 10 October 2011

Bordegassos de Vilanova returning to the 8th level


For five years in a row, Bordegassos de Vilanova have organised a day of human towers in honour of late team member Albert Salvany (la Diada d’Albert Salvany). With three human towers of eight levels and three 2d7, this year’s edition, celebrated on October 9, must have been the most spectacular so far.



Bordegassos de Vilanova have seen a lot of new faces in their training sessions (assajos) recently and the team is rapidly gaining in stability and confidence. But although things have looked promising for some time, the results of the exhibition this weekend are extraordinary. After a solid opening with the third 2d7 this year, Bordegassos had decided to take on two brave challenges; to complete the first 4d8 since 2006 and the first 3d7xs (3 by 7 lifted up from below) since 1998. Honestly, how many vilanovins believed that we would make it? Well, we did and in both cases on the first attempt. By the way, this was the 100th 4d8 completed in the history of the team.



As if the local success was not enough, both guest teams offered more spectacular constructions:

Castellers de la Vila de Gràcia made us doubt in the beginning, since they started with two dismantled attempts (intents desmuntats), but then completed three beautiful towers: 4d8, 3d8 and 2d7 (i.e. the so called clàssica de 8).

Xiquets de Reus, who as late as a week ago made a strong exhibition in their home town, arrived in Vilanova with a limited number of team members, but still completed their 14th 2d7 this season. Apart from that they completed 3d7 and 4d7.

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Find Bordegassos' official report from the event here (in Catalan).

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Personally - since I joined Bordegassos de Vilanova in 2009 – this is the second time in my life I take part when “my team" builds a 4d8 and the first time ever I see it completed, so I am highly emotional about this achievement. I was tercer lateral and – as the majority of the people in the base (pinya) – could only judge what was going on by the sounds from the square; first the gralles (the typical wind instruments) indicating that the tower was about to be crowned and then the stronger and stronger cheering of all spectators, as it became clear that we would not fail during the dismantling. All this followed, at a really late stage – probably when the third level (terços) was about to start descending – by the magic moment when the core of the pinya - all of us who wore Bordegassos’s yellow shirt this day - dared to scream with happiness.

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