sounds good. nice you picked up Niek and my tip on that.
I wish them well. they are still within the Belgium federation though a bit rogue – a rumor – don’t know the validity of that.
I wonder why our Belgium counterparts in the IMSHoF did not consider them? OK… perhaps because it is not a marathon.
I swam the event myself some years back. I think it was the 90th year.
Brugge is a large historic city. Quite am important place in Flanders. Brugge is a small town (100-250 inhabitants). The swim is in the same canal as the former Flanders Marathon that starts in Sluis and swims well into Belgium (quite near Damme) and back.
The history of the event is quite long and has some very well known swimmers from BEL (of course) UK and NED as winners. They swim from Damme to Brugge traditionally. That is 4,5 km. Las app 20 years they added the 5km that starts north of 500m Damme. The 4,5km is still the event for non-federation swimmers and triathletes. A lot of bets at the local bars result in a large contingent of amateur swimmers.
The swim is for male and female, breaststroke and freestyle. That is usual in the lowlands (Belgium and The Netherlands). The still attract quite a crowd.
In my archives I have a few pictures. The event website has a few more, I think. Perhaps my TOWC one of my counterparts in Belgium can give you more recent info. That would be Jozef (Jef) Hufkens (jozef.hufkens@pandora.be). I have high regards of him. He has international experience as open water judge. I do not know if he is on the FINA officials list, but I know he is often in function at the at the IJsselmeerzwemmarathon. He is a fine referee, I have seen in function at several Belgium events (the Willebroek 5, 10 and 15km events – the major swim – in my opinion in Belgium)
Concluding: Brugge is quite a nice event. loosely organized. Not quite to up to the usual Belgium standard (the instance I swam), and certainly not to the Dutch standard. Though fun to swim.
Kind reagards,
Richard
PS Jef will receive this message (CC-box). He is not part of the Brugge organization. I know he can be trusted not to share the info with the organizers.
Van: Steven Munatones [mailto:steve@pan-pacific-partners.com]
Verzonden: zondag 10 oktober 2010 19:24
Aan: Richard Broer
Onderwerp: Damme-Brugge Open Water Swim
Do you know the race organizers of the Damme-Brugge Open Water Swim (http://www.dailynewsofopenwaterswimm.wpengine.com/2010/08/100-year-of-fresh-open-water-swimming.html)?
Because this swim celebrated its 100th year anniversary this year, I would like to nominate the organizers for an award: the 2010 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year.
I want a little more information about this event.
Thank you very much in advance.
Steven Munatones
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