In Trencin we visited a summer school where the children applauded our arrival. The children were keen to find out which countries each runner was from.

Where possible they tried to talk in English to some of the runners. They enjoyed running with the torch as each child beamed while holding the torch.

Our next ceremony was 27 km away at Nove Mesto nad Vahom where we met young athletes from the elementary sports school, and the vice mayor, Mr D Hevery.

This year they had won the gold medal for their region. The principal of the school informed us that many Slovakian gypsy children come to the school and they have effective educational strategies to integrate them more fully and the school is an ‘open school’ where it is open additional hours and during the holidays. Recently a school project was a resounding success where they had children from 45 different European countries visit the school (www.zshnmnc.edu.sk). The young athletes therefore already knew the importance of connecting people from different countries, religions, races and beliefs.

All of us signed the town’s and school’s visitors book, and the mayor showed us the page the International Team signed last year on their visit of 7th October 2005. Petar and Mark found their names in the book from their visit to the school last year. The children ran with us through the town to much cheering and waving until the town border.

The weather felt as hot as yesterday, but it took a while for the sun to burn away the morning clouds. We passed many fields where the farmers were harvesting hay, and it certainly had that summer atmosphere.

This area also produces wine and beer, and the hops were taller than our Valentine.

The summer sunshine brought out the best in nature’s wonders.

Another 27 km and we arrived in Piest’any, a famous spa town. The mayor, Mr Remo Ciccutto greeted us and we ran with children around the town’s square.

There Misha met his sister and his dog.

We ran over the bridge crossing river Vah onto the road to Hlohovec.

We ran the route to Hlohovec and a few of us remembered last year where we had stopped to meet the local television. It was the same spot where we stopped this time to meet the local television. We entered the pedestrian precinct to be greeted by the mayor, Jan Dlhopolcek and member of the city council, Miroslav Zatko, who ran with the torch.

Many people of the town had congregated to welcome and it was heart warming to see so many people.

After the ceremony we were kindly invited to ice cream, which was a blessing as we were all so hot.

A further 20 km and we arrived in the ancient town of Trnava. With its many churches the town has obtained the nickname Small Rome.

We met Augustin Pullmann, member of the city council, and Jaroslav Lioskorsky, city representative for Department of Sport and Culture.

Many thanks must go to Mr Lioskorsky for arranging and providing our hotel accommodation, and also our evening meal.

---

Distance: 94km

Team Members:
Anete Klavina (Latvia), Daniel Schenke (Germany), Jadranka Grbic (Serbia), Jarek Werner (Poland), Mark Collinson (England), Marlen Bernhard (Germany), Ondrej Vesely (Czech Republic), Petar Mihaylov (Bulgaria), Svetlana Gorshkova (Russia), Valentine Bebik (Ukraine), Zoltan Theobald (Hungary).

Harmonemail:
You can send a message to the runners or read the messages.

< Slovakia 23 July < Iceland 23 July < Ísland 23. júlí

Slovakia 25 July Trnava - Bratislava > Iceland 25 July > Ísland 25. júlí >

Iceland 24 July