Tanya sent the final numbers for Anaheim last week.
The Anaheim locale is appropriate: Half the fun of thrill rides is letting the anticipation scare you, so I’ve decided that the only way to approach SN this year is to view it as a roller coaster, probably one of the dark rides where you can’t see the next drop or loop. Every morning I can show up at the venue, ready to see what twists and curves await us all. The only thing is, I’m not sure 12–14 hours in the Convention Center will provide the exhilaration to release all that nervous anticipation.
Consider the numbers:
Last year, we had 6, 221 individual entries and 340 teams.
This year? 7,074 individual and 427 team entries.
No short days for us this time, either—we’re projecting only 2 days to finish before 8:00 pm, 5 to finish between 8:00 and 9:00, and 3 for 9:00 pm or later.
Largest individual event: Junior Men’s Epee, 286. Notable runners-up: Junior Men’s Foil, 269; Junior Men’s Saber, 231.
Startlingly large events: Youth 10 Men’s Foil, 125; Youth 12 Men’s Foil, 235.
I’m choosing to view the preparations as the pre-ride, the build-up-your-expectations wait to board. Then a deep breath at the top of the climb when the ride pauses just long enough for us to realize we can’t see the steep drop to come, and then,
WWHHEEEEEEEE!!!!!!
At least we’ll get (real) fireworks every night.
JUNE 21 UPDATE: Final numbers after the withdraw deadline: individual entries are now 6947; team entries are still 427. Projected end times are unchanged.
Mary Griffith 