Alec Lochore, Tokyo 2020 Competition Manager, Equestrian is also the Tokyo toilet paper hero
Hello everyone!
Let‘s say that I’ve survived a pretty crazy month in Japan with just 134 days to go! (as of 12th March)
Covid-19 has been part of everyone’s life for a while now and, as I live in Japan and I have my family in Northern Italy with my father, sister and mother working in a hospital, I’m quite affected by the situation.
The situation in Tokyo is not much different from the usual, but without all the tourists the city looks pretty empty.
Last week I had to make the decision to lose my dignity and ask Alec to bring me toilet paper from the UK as tissues, toilet paper and kitchen rolls disappeared from all shops in a couple of hours as people panicked about how these supplies will run out, being imported from China.
As you know, all of the media are talking about Tokyo 2020 feasibility and everyone’s mood in the office is definitely not the best, despite being four months away from the Games and we now have to confirm and finalise all the major plans.
Sakura Blossom at Yoyogi Park
On a brighter note, luckily the winter in Tokyo was quite mild this year and we are already enjoying some very nice sunny days and the sakura are already blooming!
The cross country course building team led by David Evans are now in Tokyo to work on the cross-country course and we also had the course designer Derek di Grazia and the TD Philip Surl on site to check all the details. Seeing a cross country course coming along is very exciting and I’m very looking forward to see it finished in July!
And, as we just like to be as busy as possible, the Footing Team was also in Tokyo to start the final warm-up and final holding-area at Equestrian Park (EQP)
The cross-country schooling area in EQP is also ready as David and his team have already been working there to bring all the jumps up to measure and check the final details.
As always, it was good to have people visiting and to feel some Olympic Eventing Team Spirit, especially when we all went to Daiba to take a picture in front of the Olympic Rings that were installed in the bay to celebrate six months to go to the Games
The Eventing Team are keeping their spirits up and working hard
P.S. For those who remember my A-Z of Tokyo, I finally managed to take a picture of dogs in a stroller!
Good doggies in the stroller
