Epson Red Sea 2008 Competition Webcast

Since the "Eilat Shoot Out" competition had officially ended yesterday night, and photographers were requested to submit their final images by 10 o’clock this morning, today was a relatively relaxed day in the Manta diving center. Participants finally had a "day off" to catch up some sleep, to carry some small talks and other essential activities which were placed somewhere in the bottom of their priorities list during the three days of the competition. Most of these photographers chose not to enter the water today, although there were a few who decided to take the opportunity and conduct a relaxed camera-free dive in the Red Sea, viewing the underwater environment perhaps for the first time through their own eyes and not through the lens.

For those that did not feel like resting, today’s schedule offered quite a few attractions, including a unique underwater photography session conducted by Kurt Amsler, one of the judges in the competition and a professional underwater photographer, a lecture conducted by Oren Fleisher, the general manager of Epson Israel and more. However, the main attraction of the day turned out to be a Cypress party which was carried out in the afternoon at the Manta diving center. The event included a live show playing happy music, traditional Cypress snacks and of course the traditional Cypress Anis called "Uzo". According to Dudu Vered, the general manager of the Isrotel Red Sea Sports Club, more than 20 liters of Uzo were consumed during this party, which might explain the large number of people on the dance floor (and their very innovative dancing style...). The party was so happy and delightful that even when Aya Grunman, the general manager of the Isrotel Yam Suf hotel, arrived at the diving center especially in order to ask for the volume to be lowered, she eventually found herself drinking and dancing, surrendering to the irresistible charm of the Epson Red Sea mood.

Almost everyone around took part in this wild party. Well, everyone but the judges. While the party was reaching its pick, the judges were busy coping with the extremely difficult task of deciding upon the winning images in the different categories of the competition. Based on my acquaintance with the judges, missing the party was probably especially hard for Alberto Muro Peliconi, our Italian judge who constantly seeks for a reason to fool around. No worries guys, Alberto wouldn’t dare to miss such an event, and somehow he found a way to join the party towards the end of the evening, immediately becoming a main attraction.

Although for a moment there it seemed as if the tension had dropped, tomorrow it is definitely going to increase again, BIG TIME! Tomorrow evening the winning ceremony is going to take place at the Isrotel Yam Suf hotel, and we will finally find out who are those lucky fellows taking some very valuable prizes back home. This year, aside from announcing the winners and handing out prizes, we have some other special surprises planned for you. So stay tuned with us or even better, go Google for a quick and cheap flight to Eilat, Israel, and witness this all in live!

• More images

• Our World Underwater 2010 Announces the Winners
• Beneath the Sea 2010 Announces the Winners
• “Aphrodite” – The Cyprus Experience Competition
• Epson Red Sea 2008 - World of Underwater Images