World Cup Preliminary Groups Draw

Haha.

Yesterday evening at 11PM, we were hung on the telephone, hanging out at the hockey rink on the docks of Bordeaux after practice, waiting for the results of the draw.

I won't insult you in illustrating this article with the picture of the original notes I took, because I really had a hard time writing legibly with my cold frozen hands -- I don't have the chance to have found me a deserted pair of gloves at the sports shop the day before, not insinuating anything of course. The illustration of Blood & Thunder, the derby magazine organizing this first-ever international competition, will do:

These are the preliminary groups for the World Cup. We'll play all the other teams of our groups to determine a ranking and be placed in the corresponding brackets for the real thing.

The unfolding of the event is still unclear, all we are sure about is that it's in Toronto, from December 1 to 4. There is a general run-down of the event on the "World Cup" part on B&T Website, which should soon be detailed better as they were waiting for the draw to do so!

Now, what are the conclusions so far?

We are 13 national teams to take part in the Cup. There are 4 preliminary groups, thus obviously the one and only group of 4 is being swindled. Of course we're in it. Let's see it that way instead: we're sooo lucky because we'll get to play mooore!

...At least for the preliminaries... before we get kicked out. (NB: Saying so is just a strategy to make believe the other teams we suck while we're just badass).

Anyway, whatever the draw, people would have always found fault with it. I'm more into the "That's the way it is and let's just do what we can with what we got" philosophy. I mean, let's be honest: Brazil, Sweden and Canada? We all know it's going to be a piece of cake. We could play the three simultaneously. But *shush* let's not say it out loud!
I'm fine with the groups. Actually I'm not: I wanted to start with the USA to get cool pictures of me on the track against them while we're still fresh. Just to brag about it.

Check out the amazingly fascinating video of the draw:

Check out the members of the national teams in browsing their websites: (I'd suggest you to start with Team France because they are quite awesome)

Argentina: Team Argentina Facebook page
Australia: Team Australia Facebook page
Brazil: www.rollerderbybrasil.com
Canada: Team Canada Facebook page, www.teamcanadarollerderby.ca
England: Team England Facebook page
Finland: Team Finland Facebook page, www.rollerderbyfinland.com
France: Team France Facebook page, www.rollerderbyfrance.fr
Germany: Team Germany Facebook page, www.rollerderbygermany.de
Ireland: Team Ireland Facebook page
New Zealand: Team New Zealand Facebook page, www.teamnzrollerderby.tumblr.com
Scotland: www.teamscotlandrollerderby.com
Sweden: www.teamswedenrollerderby.com
U.S.A: www.teamusarollerderby.com