PRESENTATION OF THE COMPANIES PARTICIPATING IN THE 18TH INTERNATIONAL FIREWORKS DISPLAYS COMPETITION IN TARRAGONA
Today has taken place the draw to establish the order of participation
This morning took place in the Town Hall of Tarragona the presentation of the companies that are taking part in the 18th International Fireworks Displays Competition of Tarragona and the draw to establish the firing order. The Councillor for Festivities from the Council of Tarragona, Mr Carles Sala, with the Councillor for Culture from the Council of Granollers, Mr Francesc Sala, and Mr Robert Esteve, the representative from the Tarragona centre of the main sponsor of the competition, Carrefour, have explained the details of this year's competition.
Characteristics of the 2007 competition
This 18th competition consolidates the budget and prizes, which were increased last year on occasion of the Great Champion of Champions Special Prize. 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 €, while foreign companies or non-peninsular Spanish ones will get 24,700€..
The prizes which were increased last year are now also kept. The first prize will be worth 9,000€, apart from the Trophy Venus City of Tarragona and the award of the pyrotechnic displays during the St. Tecla Festivities, while the second prize will be worth 6,000€ 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 18,000€.. In this sense, the Councillor from Granollers, Mr Francesc Sala, has pointed out the higher quality of pyrotechnic performances in that city in the last two years, both as far as displays and daytime "tronades" is concerned. Equally, the expectations from the public have also risen.
Changes in the jury's voting system: the jury will be able to use the weighted vote system in case of bad weather
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.
Participating companies
The Councillor from Tarragona, Mr Carles Sala, has pointed out the Champion of Champions effect. This year, a total of 27 companies have applied to take part in the competition, which meant extra work for the selecting technical commission. This year's is the competition that has arisen most interest. For example, the Valencia Country has sent more applications than ever. The year before the Champion of Champions, 18 companies sent applications, while this year there were nine more.
Carles Sala explained that the organisation might have decided to repeat some companies that are already known and consolidated in Tarragona, but the option has been to open the competition as much as possible. For this reason, only one of the selected companies has ever fired in Tarragona before: the Italian Orzella, which obtained a second prize.
Also, very different styles have been selected. Among the Spanish companies, one is Valencian, another is Andalusian, and the other is from Galicia, a fact which had never happened before in Tarragona. About the foreign companies: two Italians will compete against a Czech. This is also the first time with the participation from a country from Eastern Europe, which means the opening of the competition to this growing market.
About their history: four of the six companies were founded in the 19th century, and two -the Czech and the Valencian- in the 20th century. In fact, the Valencian company is the youngest of all, as it dates from the nineties. About the volume of the companies: one of them is a really big company - the Italian Parente-.The Valencian Piroquiles, as a member of the group Vicente Caballer, could also be considered as a powerful company. The rest, are on the range of middle-size volume.
Next, the draw for the order of participation has taken place:
Monday 2nd July. Orzella (Italy)
Tuesday 3rd July. PiroQuiles/Grup Vicent Caballer (Valencia)
Wednesday 4th July. Parente Fireworks, from Melara (Italy)
Thursday 5th July. Xaraiva (Galicia)
Friday 6th July. Flash Barrandov (Czech Republic)
Saturday 7th July. Maria Angustias Pérez , from Granada (Andalusia)
Today has taken place the draw to establish the order of participation
This morning took place in the Town Hall of Tarragona the presentation of the companies that are taking part in the 18th International Fireworks Displays Competition of Tarragona and the draw to establish the firing order. The Councillor for Festivities from the Council of Tarragona, Mr Carles Sala, with the Councillor for Culture from the Council of Granollers, Mr Francesc Sala, and Mr Robert Esteve, the representative from the Tarragona centre of the main sponsor of the competition, Carrefour, have explained the details of this year's competition.
Characteristics of the 2007 competition
This 18th competition consolidates the budget and prizes, which were increased last year on occasion of the Great Champion of Champions Special Prize. 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 €, while foreign companies or non-peninsular Spanish ones will get 24,700€..
The prizes which were increased last year are now also kept. The first prize will be worth 9,000€, apart from the Trophy Venus City of Tarragona and the award of the pyrotechnic displays during the St. Tecla Festivities, while the second prize will be worth 6,000€ 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 18,000€.. In this sense, the Councillor from Granollers, Mr Francesc Sala, has pointed out the higher quality of pyrotechnic performances in that city in the last two years, both as far as displays and daytime "tronades" is concerned. Equally, the expectations from the public have also risen.
Changes in the jury's voting system: the jury will be able to use the weighted vote system in case of bad weather
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.
Participating companies
The Councillor from Tarragona, Mr Carles Sala, has pointed out the Champion of Champions effect. This year, a total of 27 companies have applied to take part in the competition, which meant extra work for the selecting technical commission. This year's is the competition that has arisen most interest. For example, the Valencia Country has sent more applications than ever. The year before the Champion of Champions, 18 companies sent applications, while this year there were nine more.
Carles Sala explained that the organisation might have decided to repeat some companies that are already known and consolidated in Tarragona, but the option has been to open the competition as much as possible. For this reason, only one of the selected companies has ever fired in Tarragona before: the Italian Orzella, which obtained a second prize.
Also, very different styles have been selected. Among the Spanish companies, one is Valencian, another is Andalusian, and the other is from Galicia, a fact which had never happened before in Tarragona. About the foreign companies: two Italians will compete against a Czech. This is also the first time with the participation from a country from Eastern Europe, which means the opening of the competition to this growing market.
About their history: four of the six companies were founded in the 19th century, and two -the Czech and the Valencian- in the 20th century. In fact, the Valencian company is the youngest of all, as it dates from the nineties. About the volume of the companies: one of them is a really big company - the Italian Parente-.The Valencian Piroquiles, as a member of the group Vicente Caballer, could also be considered as a powerful company. The rest, are on the range of middle-size volume.
Next, the draw for the order of participation has taken place:
Monday 2nd July. Orzella (Italy)
Tuesday 3rd July. PiroQuiles/Grup Vicent Caballer (Valencia)
Wednesday 4th July. Parente Fireworks, from Melara (Italy)
Thursday 5th July. Xaraiva (Galicia)
Friday 6th July. Flash Barrandov (Czech Republic)
Saturday 7th July. Maria Angustias Pérez , from Granada (Andalusia)