Cluysen - Ter Donck Regatta
Encyclopedia
Cluysen - Ter Donck is now a hamlet
along the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal
,
but for almost a century, there was a huge and very important international sporting event at that place.
of the Belgian
town
Evergem
, just next to the famous historical City of Ghent
.
On Ascension Day traditionally quite a lot of people walked barefoot in the dew before sunrise, and then enjoyed the first rays of spring sun in these rural areas at that time.
, by a combination of a Sailing Regatta, during the morning.
The audience from working class
to aristocrats
populated both banks of the canal.
It was organised by Royal Club Nautique de Gand
and it was happening on the Belgian
- Dutch
Ghent-Terneuzen Canal
.
, an international rowing contest in the eight men class at the famous Henley Royal Regatta
, in England.
Immediately, the sport of rowing became extremely popular in Ghent
. On their return to the European continent, the Belgian winning team was received with the highest honor. King Leopold II granted permission for the clubs to add the title "Royal" to their club name immediately. They also decided to add additional funds to the biggest Belgian rowing regatta of Cluysen - Ter Donck.
Until then, no English
Rowing teams ever visited a foreign rowing regatta.
After the defeats in Henley they left the Albion
for the Belgian Cluysen - Ter Donck to offer an appropriate reply to the clubs of Ghent.
An (originally in French language) press article from those years says:
The audience is moving en masse to Cluysen: The company Ghent-Terneuzen made a series of special trains, a special service of steamboats will be organized on this occasion, and when the weather is favorable, everything Ghent has of automobiles, horse carriages, wagons and bicycles will be put in motion to make the beautiful promenade of Ghent Ter Donck. It is not unusual to see twenty- to twenty-five thousand people to Cluysen Ter Donck on the day of Ascension.
, the European Rowing Championships
were held at Cluysen - Terdonck (the highest rowing level, together with the Olympic rowing regatta, in those years).
The construction of the Municipal Watersportbaan for the European Rowing Championships of 1956 was a last upsurge of old glory. During at least 15 years Ghent fell further and further away and the International Regatta of Oostende took over as annual place for Belgian rowers to be.
Today, the annual International Open Belgian Rowing Championships on the Watersportbaan in Ghent are still named May – regatta by British and Irish rowing adepts.
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
along the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal
Ghent-Terneuzen Canal
The Ghent-Terneuzen Canal , also known as the "Sea Canal" is a canal linking Ghent in Belgium to the port of Terneuzen on the Westerschelde estuary in the Netherlands, thereby providing the former with better access to the sea.-History:The canal was constructed between 1823 and 1827 on the...
,
but for almost a century, there was a huge and very important international sporting event at that place.
History
Ter Donck was part of Cluysen, today Kluizen is a DistrictDistrict
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
of the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
Evergem
Evergem
Evergem is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Belzele, Doornzele, Ertvelde, Evergem proper, Kerkbrugge-Langerbrugge, Kluizen, Rieme, Sleidinge and Wippelgem. On January 1, 2006 Evergem had a total population of 32,244...
, just next to the famous historical City of Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
.
On Ascension Day traditionally quite a lot of people walked barefoot in the dew before sunrise, and then enjoyed the first rays of spring sun in these rural areas at that time.
Ghent May Regatta and Bootjesvaring
From 1888, there was also the Bootjesvaring or May - RegattaMay - Regatta
May Regatta is a Belgian international Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron rowing regatta. The race is known under this name since the beginning of the 20th century...
, by a combination of a Sailing Regatta, during the morning.
The audience from working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
to aristocrats
Aristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
populated both banks of the canal.
It was organised by Royal Club Nautique de Gand
Royal Club Nautique de Gand
Royal Club Nautique de Gand...
and it was happening on the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
- Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
Ghent-Terneuzen Canal
Ghent-Terneuzen Canal
The Ghent-Terneuzen Canal , also known as the "Sea Canal" is a canal linking Ghent in Belgium to the port of Terneuzen on the Westerschelde estuary in the Netherlands, thereby providing the former with better access to the sea.-History:The canal was constructed between 1823 and 1827 on the...
.
Belgian challenge for the leading British
From 1906 to 1909, Ghent rowing associations won, as the first foreign teams, the Grand Challenge CupGrand Challenge Cup
The Grand Challenge Cup is a rowing competition for men's eights. It is the oldest and most prestigious event at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from all eligible rowing clubs...
, an international rowing contest in the eight men class at the famous Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
, in England.
Immediately, the sport of rowing became extremely popular in Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
. On their return to the European continent, the Belgian winning team was received with the highest honor. King Leopold II granted permission for the clubs to add the title "Royal" to their club name immediately. They also decided to add additional funds to the biggest Belgian rowing regatta of Cluysen - Ter Donck.
Until then, no English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
Rowing teams ever visited a foreign rowing regatta.
After the defeats in Henley they left the Albion
Albion
Albion is the oldest known name of the island of Great Britain. Today, it is still sometimes used poetically to refer to the island or England in particular. It is also the basis of the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland, Alba...
for the Belgian Cluysen - Ter Donck to offer an appropriate reply to the clubs of Ghent.
An (originally in French language) press article from those years says:
The audience is moving en masse to Cluysen: The company Ghent-Terneuzen made a series of special trains, a special service of steamboats will be organized on this occasion, and when the weather is favorable, everything Ghent has of automobiles, horse carriages, wagons and bicycles will be put in motion to make the beautiful promenade of Ghent Ter Donck. It is not unusual to see twenty- to twenty-five thousand people to Cluysen Ter Donck on the day of Ascension.
European Rowing Championships during the Expo World's Fair
In 1913, during the World Expo of GhentExposition universelle et internationale (1913)
The Exposition universelle et internationale of 1913 was a World's Fair held in Ghent from 6 April to October.-Background:A number of buildings were completed for the occasion. Notably, Gent-Sint-Pieters railway station was completed in 1912 in time for the exposition, and was situated opposite the...
, the European Rowing Championships
European Rowing Championships
The European Rowing Championships is an international Rowing regatta organised by FISA .The first event was held in 1893 and as of 1962 was replaced by the World Rowing Championships, which then became an annual event from 1974...
were held at Cluysen - Terdonck (the highest rowing level, together with the Olympic rowing regatta, in those years).
The latest edition of 1957
After the Second World War, the petrochemical industry expanded very strongly in the sea channel zone.The construction of the Municipal Watersportbaan for the European Rowing Championships of 1956 was a last upsurge of old glory. During at least 15 years Ghent fell further and further away and the International Regatta of Oostende took over as annual place for Belgian rowers to be.
Today, the annual International Open Belgian Rowing Championships on the Watersportbaan in Ghent are still named May – regatta by British and Irish rowing adepts.
Sources
- / KRSG Website Dutch
- KRCG Website / Dutch
- Thames Challenge Cup 2001
- Video Thames Challenge Cup Winner 2001
- http://www.logisticsworld.com/seaports.asp?query=Belgium&mode=smart