Thursday, May 13, 2004

Something to hold on to!

They don’t have to award the thing for over four months yet, but at least they’ll have something to hand over when the time comes. Officials of the World Cup of Hockey, taking place this September revealed the first edition of the championship trophy, designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry.

The Trophy which features a pillar motif was greeted by silence by the gathered crowd who tried to make sense out of something that is not a traditional trophy design by any means.

Looking kind of like a flower vase encased in plastic tubes the trophy doesn’t look anything like a Stanley, Grey or Memorial cup, trophies that ring of tradition. Gehry described his trophy as representing ice and hockey, the ice apparently the plastic tubes which apparently catches the light the same way that ice does. The bowl apparently the hockey portion of the trophy, though it wasn’t particularly clear what the connection was.

The names of the winning players will be engraved on the top which can be removed and taken on tour. The trophy has been described as an engineering feat, and will be on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto until it’s awarded at the tournament.

Gehry who normally designs buildings is a huge hockey fan, formerly from Canada he lives in California now and is considered one of the top architects in the world. His trophy is his first attempt at designing sports hardware, an unorthodox piece it none the less will certainly garner its fair share of attention. And like any piece of art, beauty will be in the eye of the holder. Whichever team wins the trophy at the end of the World Cup will probably find many fine points about the tumbler.

And with a bowl at top it will fulfill that one major requirement of any fine trophy, the ability to sip champagne, a few sips and it should all come into perspective for the winning team.

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