Round 4 - Pinball Championships of the World

Round four was a hotly contended series of events hosted by Crown Complex in Melbourne, Australia.

All previously held team loyalties were soon abandonned as the contestants in this years Urban Decathlon lined up at the starting grid of Daytona. A rough and ready race followed and was eventually won and lost right on the finish line. Although protests were entered, officials upheld the finish line standings.

Shortly after a brief repose in the Pits, the teams again lined up for a round robin teams challenge on the Fusball table. Clear winners on this event were Meaghan and Jen. Stephen and Adam, though coming in with strong history in Pinball Parlours, were left wanting in every game.

Then the basketball challenge. This is where Adam and Stephens superior ball handling skills showed. Jen and Meaghan were clearly out classed in the penultimate challenge.

Last, but by no means least was a four on four laser zone encounter, reminiscent of one of the previous challenges.

Pin Pals - The Photos

These people look like professionals...

...Especially Harry Highpants!

Pin Pals - Round 3

Pin Pals live on at the Forest Hill AMF Bowling alley. Adam and Meaghan started off well by being late – retirement has been good to those two! Jen and Steve got off to a flyer due to some pretty spectacular outfits. Steve went low key in a second hand yet stylish tracksuit (that came with significant Harry High Pants potential) and Jen had her very own AMF bowling jacket. Moonah is back . . . .

Let’s not joke around – Ten Pin Bowling is the most demanding of the ten decathlon sports. It requires skill, ability, focus and the ability to high five. Adam had no reason for high fiving today . . . .

The first game was a walkover with Moonah taking the honours. No-one could catch her on a fabulous score of 125. Meaghan got a respectable 82 (just one ahead of the struggling Adam) and a fair way behind Stephen. The second game, Stephen was in the hunt for Moonah’s title and came out on top. Meaghan got a personal best of 100 with Adam trailing Moonah on 70 something.

Hard to say who was the best on ground for today. Stephen has to get an honourable mention for the high pants episode. Moonah gets a very honourable mention for having a new and super cool nickname. Meaghan gets the coveted most improved award and Adam gets the most tolerant award for now having to put up with Meaghan’s gloating (and insisting on being called King Pin whilst within the confines of the Denmark st residence). Quote of the day goes to our intellectually disabled friend in the next lane informing the most improved player that she missed after one of her many gutterballs. Thanks champ!!

Three down, seven to go with the most grueling event out of the way . . . . . . . . .

Indoor Climbing - Round 2

Well, round two is complete with the teams having had a crack indoor rockclimbing at the Hardrock Climbing Company in Nunawading last week...

Given that two of us are scared of heights, the initial sight of those huge walls was quite daunting, however after a 15 minute lesson on safety and belaying, we were harnessed up and ready to go.... Not forgetting that we had the additional equipment provided by Meaghan, matching wrist sweatbands. (actully to be fair, we were too embarassed to wear them but we do have them!)

We started on a relatively easy wall with a pretty easy run straight up with no overhang. Having said this, Adam and Meaghan went straight to the top while Jen freaked out half way up (after looking down) and decided to come back down....

We moved on to different walls, Adam and Meaghan excelling at each one - previous skills, experience and strength really showed. They even managed to actually stick to the colours they started on at the bottom! Both did really well and actually looked cool doing it which is quite difficult in this particular event!

Stephen made it up a high wall with quite a bit of overhang and overcame his fear of heights to touch the roof. He not only managed to overcome this fear but this in addition to having the world clumsiest and slow reflexed person as a belayer! His giant leap of faith to a green fixture was mighty impressive too (needless to say - it was not Jen belaying for him at this particular moment!)

We all had a crack at the crack - which ran up a lower wall in the second room. We all avoided using the climbing fixtures/handholds and managed to get about 1 whole metre off the ground, with the exception of Adam who may have hit the 1.5m mark. Very impressive. he he.

All in all a great day and another great round....