The ten participants in the third edition of the Botanica Cup were divided into two categories: juniors and seniors. In addition to the Netherlands and host country Hungary, there were also participants from Croatia, Estonia, Romania, Spain, Slovakia, and even Mexico. During the competition, the participants received three challenging assignments: a hand-tied bouquet with the theme Summer Storm & Sunshine, a free composition with mandatory use of a black iron frame and lighting, and a (pre-prepared at home) body decoration, where the flowers remained a surprise.
'For me it was a huge challenge, because this competition looked a little different than the WorldSkills competitions. For example, a new way of distributing flowers among the participants was tested,' says Gerrit. 'For each assignment we had three blocks of ten minutes and a budget to purchase flowers, 90 percent of which had to be used. Also, the frame for the third assignment had to fly with us from the Netherlands, which meant that it had to be both sturdy and fit in a suitcase.'
'During the competition, I already felt that I was doing well'
'During the competition, I already felt that I was doing well, but I did not expect to take first place in all categories. This gives me a lot of energy and the feeling that the training is paying off. Now a few more days to enjoy the carnival in Hungary and then back to the Netherlands to continue training, because WorldSkills is getting closer and closer.'
WorldSkills Lyon 2024 will be held from September 10-15 in Lyon, France.
More info: www.worldskillsnetherlands.nl
