Photos of the Coupe du Monde de Boulangerie / Bakery World Cup 2008

I hope Eric snaps close-ups of the winning breads. Gorgeous!

ZOOM IN, Eric!!

Says in this article (love that pix):

[quote]The competition was designed to bring unity through the baking world. In America, the team has had the opportunity to travel and meet all calibers of bakers with all types of specialties. "It really is about bringing people (in the industry) together," Ponsford said.[/quote]

...so are forums like these. Without the pressure.

Sorry for the quality of the photos but I only had a very small camera and the light was not good. So... I did what I could.
But, Graham, you can send a real camera. I am always ok for a gift. ;-)

Whatever, you know what ?

WE WON !!!!!

French team is World Champion !!

Allons enfants de la Patrie,
Le jour de gloire est arrivé ! ...

The award winners are :
- First : France
- Second : Taiwan
- Third : Italy

The next competition is the individual Bakery World Cup (new competition) in 2010. After, there will be the Bakery World Cup by team (as usual).
I hope Australia will participate in 2012. I think it is a good way to promote good artisan bakers of Australia.

The champagne flowed.
I took some other photos of the awarded teams but I am afraid that they are worst than the lasts... :-(
Now, the exhibition is ended.
I will see if I can find other pictures or links to web sites where there are some good ones.

    Allez les Bleu!
Who was second and third?

I had something posted on my site too!
Though I rooted for the USA I definitley was hoping for France, I mean I have a dual nationality so I can get away with it?

http://www.stirthepots.com/2008/04/the-cup-no-not.html

Allons enfants de la Patrie,	Arise, children of the Motherland,
Le jour de gloire est arrivé !	The day of glory has arrived!
Contre nous de la tyrannie,	Against us, tyranny's
L'étendard sanglant est levé. (bis)	Bloody banner is raised. (repeat)
Entendez-vous dans les campagnes	Do you hear in the countryside
Mugir ces féroces soldats ?	The braying of these ferocious soldiers?
Ils viennent jusque dans nos bras	They are coming into our midst
Égorger nos fils, nos compagnes !	To cut the throats of our sons, our wives!
Aux armes, citoyens !	To arms, citizens!
Formez vos bataillons !	Form your battalions!
Marchons, marchons !	March, march!
Qu'un sang impur	May tainted blood
Abreuve nos sillons !	Water our fields!
Aux armes, citoyens !	To arms, citizens!
Formons nos bataillons !	Let us form our battalions!
Marchons, marchons !	Let us march, let us march!
Qu'un sang impur	May tainted blood
Abreuve nos sillons !	Water our fields!
Que veut cette horde d'esclaves,	What does this horde of slaves,
De traîtres, de rois conjurés ?	Traitors, and plotting kings want?
Pour qui ces ignobles entraves	For whom these vile chains
Ces fers dès longtemps préparés ? (bis)	These long-prepared irons? (repeat)
Français, pour nous, ah ! quel outrage,	Frenchmen, for us, ah! What outrage,
Quels transports il doit exciter !	What fury it must arouse!
C'est nous qu'on ose méditer	It is us they dare plan
De rendre à l'antique esclavage !	To return to the old slavery!
Aux armes, citoyens...	To arms, citizens...
Quoi ! des cohortes étrangères	What! These foreign cohorts!
Feraient la loi dans nos foyers !	They would make laws in our homes!
Quoi ! ces phalanges mercenaires	What! These mercenary phalanxes
Terrasseraient nos fiers guerriers ! (bis)	Would cut down our proud warriors! (repeat)
Grand Dieu ! par des mains enchaînées	Good Lord! By chained hands
Nos fronts sous le joug se ploieraient	Our brow would yield under the yoke
De vils despotes deviendraient	The vile despots would become
Les maîtres de nos destinées !	The masters of our destinies!
Aux armes, citoyens...	To arms, citizens...
Tremblez, tyrans et vous perfides	Tremble, tyrants and traitors
L'opprobre de tous les partis	The shame of all good men
Tremblez ! vos projets parricides	Tremble! Your parricidal schemes
Vont enfin recevoir leurs prix ! (bis)	Will receive their just reward! (repeat)
Tout est soldat pour vous combattre	Against you, we are all soldiers
S'ils tombent, nos jeunes héros,	If our young heroes fall,
La terre en produit de nouveaux,	The earth will bear new ones,
Contre vous tout prêts à se battre !	Ready to join the fight against you!
Aux armes, citoyens...	To arms, citizens...
Français, en guerriers magnanimes,	Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors,
Portez ou retenez vos coups !	Bear or hold back your blows!
Épargnez ces tristes victimes	Spare these sad victims
À regret s'armant contre nous (bis)	Who are regretfully taking up arms against us (repeat)
Mais ces despotes sanguinaires	But not these bloody despots
Mais ces complices de Bouillé	These accomplices of Bouillé
Tous ces tigres qui, sans pitié,	All these tigers who mercilessly
Déchirent le sein de leur mère !	Ripped out their mother's breast!
Aux armes, citoyens...	To arms, citizens...
Amour sacré de la Patrie,	Sacred patriotic love,
Conduis, soutiens nos bras vengeurs	Lead and support our avenging arms
Liberté, Liberté chérie,	Liberty, cherished liberty,
Combats avec tes défenseurs ! (bis)	Fight back with your defenders! (repeat)
Sous nos drapeaux que la victoire	Under our flags, let victory
Accoure à tes mâles accents,	Hurry to your manly tone,
Que nos ennemis expirants	So that our enemies, in their last breath,
Voient ton triomphe et notre gloire !	See your triumph and our glory!
Aux armes, citoyens...	To arms, citizens...
(Couplet des enfants)	(Children's Verse)
Nous entrerons dans la carrière [7]	We shall enter the career
Quand nos aînés n'y seront plus	When our elders will no longer be there
Nous y trouverons leur poussière	There we shall find their dust
Et la trace de leurs vertus (bis)	And the mark of their virtues (repeat)
Bien moins jaloux de leur survivre	Much less jealous of surviving them
Que de partager leur cercueil,	Than of sharing their coffins,
Nous aurons le sublime orgueil	We shall have the sublime pride
De les venger ou de les suivre !	Of avenging or following them!
Aux armes, citoyens...	To arms, citizens...

You were so caught up with that (wish I can hear it in french), you missed the 2nd (Taiwan........TAIWAN*????) and 3rd winner (Italy) in Eric's post. Félicitations, France!

* Very commendable I must say, considering bread isn't the staple diet. Breadbaking is really breaking boundaries.

I'm going to be spending many many hours going through the pix over and over again. Thank you! The thought of all these gorgeous breads in one place and the smells (mmm....) is making me kinda heady!