70th anniversary of MN Belgium – trip report

In July ’18 a big anniversary party took place in the city of Visé to celebrate the 70th anniversary of  of the first Belgian Hebertist Federation, the FBEPMN, founded in 1948. The happening with over 100 participants went international welcoming guests from Nantes (France), Alicante (Spain),  Cologne and Munich (Germany).

We were welcomed by friendly guest families and enjoyed a brilliant weekend full of training and fun!

On the first day the organizers prepared for us an unique hebertiste rescue game in the woods of the Sport’nat center in Esneux. In small teams of all ages we had to run, carry, and climb a lot to safe lives and earn points!
After lunch we continued with a parcours in natural landscape around the city of Esneux, where we had to find our way  through woods and fields and complete Hebertisme tasks in its full sense. As Hebertisme includes not only the natural method, but arts, crafts, intellectual, nutritional and other components, we climbed rocks, solved pantomimes,  proved our archery skills and knowledge of Hebertisme and its history.

The next day we all drove to the Sport’nat Center in Visé, that had a stadium full of obstacles and equipment and where we met the members of all other centers.  The opening speech was followed by an amazing chorus performance, where the new president of Sport’nat, Philppe Compere, was singing too!

The afternoon was full of competition in the sense of MN – the Parcours Chronométrés and the Ball Barr Tournament.

In the Parcours Chronométrés, or the timed obstacle  course, the goal is to compete with oneself and set higher goals by comparing with the standards and with the others. The parcours included several rounds at the stadium and over 20 obstacles that covered all nine disciplines. The parcours are color-coded in five colors to suite everyone from a child to senior athletes of 60+. We were impressed by the high standards of the red course, the most difficult one, in the high pole jump and in the long jump!  Even the eldest members run the obstacle course!  

The first Ball-Barr tournament of the twenty-first was held at the anniversary party and brought together several randomly mixed teams of all nationalities and ages. The heterogeneity of the groups promoted the mutual aid and cooperation within teams.Once again we left home fully touched by the wholehearted hospitality of our Belgian friends and – as always – totally impressed by the incredible fitness of its senior athletes!

We thank all the organizers and participants for the unforgettable experience!

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