THE 18TH INTERNATIONAL FIREWORKS DISPLAYS COMPETITION OF TARRAGONA CONSOLIDATES THE BUDGET AND PRIZES OF LAST YEAR'S SPECIAL PRIZE
The jury will be allowed to use the weighted vote system in case of bad weather.
The City Council of Tarragona has published the specifications for the 18th International Fireworks Displays Competition "Ciutat de Tarragona", that will take place during the first full week in July. Those companies interested in taking part will have to hand in their proposals by Friday 2nd February.
This 18th competition consolidates the budget and prizes, which were increased last year on occasion of the Great Champion of Champions Special Prize. In this respect, the local Councillor for Festivities, Carles Sala Roca, pointed out "the really high standards reached by the participating companies that get to Tarragona with outstanding proposals make it necessary for the organisation to rise to the occasion as far as budget and prizes is concerned".
With the consolidation of budget the City Council wants to guarantee such a good level as that of the Champion of Champions special Prize. Therefore, the companies with headquarters in the Spanish Peninsula will get 22,200 EUR, while foreign companies or non-peninsular Spanish ones will get 24,700EUR.. The prizes, which were increased last year, are now also kept. The first prize will be worth 9,000EUR, apart from the Trophy Venus City of Tarragona and the award of the pyrotechnic displays during the St. Tecla Festivities, which are worth 41,580EUR. The second prize will be worth 6,000EUR and the trophy City of Tarragona.. The City Council of Granollers (an institution associated to the competition in Tarragona) also keeps their contribution for the best peninsular company and will award them the fireworks displays for the local Festivity of White and Blue, which is worth 18,000EUR.
Changes in the jury's voting system
Last year the organisation of the competition in Tarragona saw how two splendid displays (by the Valencian Ricardo Caballer and by the Italian La Rosa Lorenzo) were ruined by bad weather conditions. The lack of wind and the extremely high humidity in the environment made it impossible to see the displays. Neither the great majority of the public nor the jury, which is usually right in front of the display, could enjoy the beauty of those displays.
Obviously, the public cannot change their location, but if such bad weather conditions occur again in 2007, the jury will have another point of view. In this sense, the organisation has decided for the first time the location of two members of the jury (out of seventeen) in a boat on the sea. This transport will allow them to see the displays from a different angle. If this measure were necessary, those two members of the jury might be essential, as their points could get to be fifty per cent of the total amount of points given by the seventeen members. This innovative weighted vote system will make it possible to assess the companies in a much more suitable way than before if the weather conditions are bad.
Acceptance of sea catamarans
Last year the pyrotechnic company Pirogestió from the Igual Group asked the organisation of the competition in Tarragona to let them set up sea catamarans so as to widen the already wide firing area. The City Council accepted, the change was enjoyed, and for 2007 this possibility has been included in the specifications. Also, the companies will not have to prepare the luminous sign with the name of the main sponsor of the competition, as the name Carrefour will appear on an electric board, thus avoiding the potential concentration of smoke at the beginning of the display.
We attach Specifications
