Zeskamp 1968 comprised 9 teams

Teams for Zeskamp 1968:

Aalten, Middelburg (Walcheren), Sliedrecht (Netherlands)
Halle, Veurne, Zelzate (Belgium)

All six teams played in all six Domestic Heats. The six teams comprised three from Netherlands and three from the Flemish provinces of Belgium, with each city hosting one competition. Qualification from the heats to the Semi-Final was on aggregate points scored, with the bottom placed team from each country being eliminated. The top placed team from each country in the Semi-Final went forward to the Zeskamp Final. The Semi-Final and Final were both staged in neutral cities, the former in Belgium, and the latter in the Netherlands.

The teams in these events wore kits displaying the initial of their town rather than of their country. However, to retain consistency in our reporting of all international competitions, JSFnetGB has elected to display national codes in preference to those actually shown on screen.

NL

Zeskamp 1968

Heat 2

Event Staged: Saturday 25th May 1968
Venue: Grote Markt (Great Market), Middelburg (Walcheren), Zeeland, Netherlands

European Transmissions (Local Timings):
BRT (B): Saturday 25th May 1968, 8.45-9.55pm (Live)
Nederland 1 (NL): Saturday 25th May 1968, 8.45-9.55pm (Live)

Weather Conditions: Heavy Rain Showers with Dry Intervals

Teams: Halle (B) v. Veurne (B) v. Zelzate (B) v.
Aalten (NL) v. Middelburg (Walcheren) (NL) v. Sliedrecht (NL)

Team Members included:
Halle (B) - Pierre Deneef (Team 'Thinker'), Jean Jacmin (Team Captain, non-playing), Christiane Amerijckx, Mariette Devalckeneer, Felix Hauwaert, Guillaume Heyvaert, Gustaaf Roelants;
Aalten (NL) - Hans Prinsen (Team Coach), Bert Hoogendijk (Team Captain, non-playing), Rien Lensink and H. Smit (Team 'Thinkers'), Anja Beskers, Rose Beyer, Gerry Buttner, Marianne van der Drift, Ab Ebbers, Jan Frenken, Alex Fukking, Anneke Grijzen, Gerrit Heusinkveld, Joop Neerhof, Alex Ormel, Bert Ormel, Dick Schoppers, Jan Willem Somsen, Ada Veldhuis, Bert Veldhuis, Willy ter Vrugt, Hans Wensink;
Middelburg (Walcheren) (NL) - W.Z.C. Hinderks (Team Captain, non-playing), H. Ulrich (Team ‘Thinker’), G. Abbring, P. Abbring, J.J. Bostelaar, B.P. Bouwens, W.L. Bouwens, A. Coppejans, P.C. Flipse, A. de Jong, W. Kaljouw, H.A.J. van Lennep, R. Maljers, E.M. Meliefste, M.A. Mondeel, E. de Poorter, A. Scheers, H.B. Scheers, W.C. Schoonen, T. Vogelenzang, P.J. de Voogd, I.M. de Vos, Cees Willeboordse, H.M. Willemsen, P. Zwartepoorte;
Sliedrecht (NL) - H. Boelen (Team 'Thinker'), H. Hofman (Team Captain, non-playing), C.A. van der Stel (Reserve Team Captain, non-playing), J. van Andel, S. Baardman, M. Bakker, J. Breedveld, W. Hol, J. Knol, L. Koppelaar, T. Koppelaar, D. Nieuwenhuizen, K.E.A. Schmidt, J. Stam, J.E. Vennis, F. Vlot, W.A. Vroege.

Games included: Threading the Hosepipe, The Ski Slalom, The Blind Water Carriers, Tug of War, Game of Questions;
Rode Draad: The Removal Men.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

League Aggregate

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd
2nd
4th
5th

6th

 B • Halle ●
 NL • Aalten
 NL • Middelburg (Walcheren)
 NL • Sliedrecht
 B • Veurne
 B • Zelzate

36
33
33
28
18
15

47
57
56
43
37
39

The Host Town

Middelburg (Walcheren), Netherlands

Middelburg is a city with a population of around 48,000 inhabitants in the province of Zeeland. It is located 44km (27 miles) west of Bergen-op-Zoom, 130kms (81 miles) south-west of Amsterdam and 48km (30 miles) north of the Belgian city of Gent, on the former island of Walcheren at the mouth of the Scheldt estuary. The building of polders - low-lying tracts of land enclosed by embankments known as dykes - and a dam across the Oosterschelde have connected it to the (also former) island of Zuid-Beveland, which in turn has been connected to the Noord Brabant mainland.

The city of Middelburg dates back possibly to the late 8th century or early 9th century, with it first being mentioned as one of three fortified towns erected on Walcheren to guard against Viking raids. It was granted city rights in 1217 and during the Middle Ages, it became an important trading centre for commerce between England and the rising cities of Flanders. The city continued to gain in power and prestige during the 13th and 14th centuries. Following the Eighty Years' War (1568-1648), the northern provinces of the original Low Countries won their independence from their former Spanish Habsburg rulers and formed The Netherlands, a Protestant state. Later, in the 17th century, which became known as the Dutch Golden Age (Gouden Eeuw), Middelburg became the second-most important centre (after Amsterdam) for the Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie).

On 17th May 1940, during the early phases of World War II (1939-1945), a third of the old city centre was bombed by the German Luftwaffe, to compel the surrender of the Dutch Army forces in Zeeland. At the end of the hostilities, as much as possible of the destroyed part of the old city centre was rebuilt and restored along pre-War lines. The city's archives, however, had been incinerated during the German bombardment.

Modern Middelburg has preserved and regained much of its historic and picturesque character, with many lavish 17th and 18th century merchant houses and storehouses standing along the canals. The old city moats are still there, as is one of the city gates, the Koepoort Gate. However, part of the 18th century moat and defence works were demolished in the 19th century to make way for a commercial canal that crosses Walcheren from Vlissingen to Veere. The medieval abbey is still in use today, as a museum and as the seat of the provincial government.

A well-known citizen of Middelburg was the admiral and explorer, Jacob Roggeveen (1659-1729), whose birth and death occurred in the city. Roggeveen discovered Easter Island (Rapa Nui) in the South Pacific on Easter Sunday, 6th April 1722. Further discoveries on the same journey included islands of the Tuamotu group, now part of French Polynesia.

The Visiting Towns

Halle (B) is located 95km (59 miles) south-east of Middelburg (Walcheren).

Veurne (B) is located 82km (51 miles) south-west of Middelburg (Walcheren).

Zelzate (B) is located 37km (23 miles) south-east of Middelburg (Walcheren).

Aalten (NL) is located 210km (130 miles) north-east of Middelburg (Walcheren).

Sliedrecht (NL) is located 88km (55 miles) north-west of Middelburg (Walcheren).

The Venue

Grote Markt (Great Market)

The games were played in the central market square in Middelburg. The square itself is home to the former Stadhuis (City Hall), built in the Gothic-style around 1455.

Following a fire in 1940, which completely gutted the building, it was used as a meat market and exhibition hall. Since 2004, the building functions as a university building of the small liberal arts college Roosevelt Academy. The ground floor is still used to conduct weddings and civil ceremonies.

The Games in Detail

Rode Draad - The Removal Men

The Rode Draad (Fil Rouge) required the teams to carry a boxed litter around the streets of Middelburg. To ensure that teams abided by the rules, six referees on bicycles followed them around the town. After returning to the square, the teams had to dress in 17th century Dutch royalty costumes and repeat the course. However, if any part of their costumes came loose and fell off (e.g. hats or wigs) they had to stop and retrieve them before continuing. On the third circuit, the litter was created into a primitive sedan-chair and the teams had to transport a female member of the team around the same course.

Made in B/W • This programme may exist in Belgian/Dutch archives

B

Zeskamp 1968

Heat 3

Event Staged: Saturday 8th June 1968
Venue: Grote Markt (Great Market), Zelzate, Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium

European Transmissions (Local Timings):
BRT (B): Saturday 8th June 1968, 8.45-9.55pm (Live)
Nederland 2 (NL): Saturday 8th June 1968, 8.45-9.55pm (Live)

Weather Conditions: Sunny and Dry

Teams: Halle (B) v. Veurne (B) v. Zelzate (B) v.
Aalten (NL) v. Middelburg (Walcheren) (NL) v. Sliedrecht (NL)

Team Members included:
Halle (B) - Pierre Deneef (Team 'Thinker'), Jean Jacmin (Team Captain, non-playing), Christiane Amerijckx, Mariette Devalckeneer, Felix Hauwaert, Guillaume Heyvaert, Gustaaf Roelants;
Aalten (NL) - Hans Prinsen (Team Coach), Bert Hoogendijk (Team Captain, non-playing), Rien Lensink and H. Smit (Team 'Thinkers'), Anja Beskers, Rose Beyer, Gerry Buttner, Marianne van der Drift, Ab Ebbers, Jan Frenken, Alex Fukking, Anneke Grijzen, Gerrit Heusinkveld, Joop Neerhof, Alex Ormel, Bert Ormel, Dick Schoppers, Jan Willem Somsen, Ada Veldhuis, Bert Veldhuis, Willy ter Vrugt, Hans Wensink;
Middelburg (Walcheren) (NL) - W.Z.C. Hinderks (Team Captain, non-playing), H. Ulrich (Team ‘Thinker’), G. Abbring, P. Abbring, J.J. Bostelaar, B.P. Bouwens, W.L. Bouwens, A. Coppejans, P.C. Flipse, A. de Jong, W. Kaljouw, H.A.J. van Lennep, R. Maljers, E.M. Meliefste, M.A. Mondeel, E. de Poorter, A. Scheers, H.B. Scheers, W.C. Schoonen, T. Vogelenzang, P.J. de Voogd, I.M. de Vos, Cees Willeboordse, H.M. Willemsen, P. Zwartepoorte;
Sliedrecht (NL) - H. Boelen (Team 'Thinker'), H. Hofman (Team Captain, non-playing), C.A. van der Stel (Reserve Team Captain, non-playing), J. van Andel, S. Baardman, M. Bakker, J. Breedveld, W. Hol, J. Knol, L. Koppelaar, T. Koppelaar, D. Nieuwenhuizen, K.E.A. Schmidt, J. Stam, J.E. Vennis, F. Vlot, W.A. Vroege.

Games included: The Pail Bearers, Game of Questions.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

League Aggregate

1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th

6th

 B • Zelzate ●
 B • Halle
 NL • Aalten
 NL • Sliedrecht
 NL • Middelburg (Walcheren)
 B • Veurne

31
30
28
22
24
19

70
77
85
65
80
56

The Host Town

Zelzate, Belgium

Zelzate is a town with a population of around 12,000 inhabitants in the néerlandophonic (Dutch-speaking) province of Oost-Vlaanderen. It is located 17km (11 miles) north of Gent, 40km (25 miles) east of Brugge, 40km west of Antwerpen and just 2km (1¼ miles) south of the Netherlands border town of Rosier. It is quite a unique town as it has no parishes or other individual villages within its borders.

The town is divided into two distinct halves, separated by the Gent-Terneuzen Canal. There is a concrete drawbridge and a tunnel connecting the two sides. Zelzate is known for the nearby polluting industry, which makes it the village with the lowest air quality in the country.

The Visiting Towns

Halle (B) is located 60km (37 miles) south-east of Zelzate.

Veurne (B) is located 80km (50 miles) south-west of Zelzate.

Aalten (NL) is located 208km (129 miles) north-east of Zelzate.

Middelburg (Walcheren) (NL) is located 37km (23 miles) north-west of Zelzate.

Sliedrecht (NL) is located 96km (60 miles) north-west of Zelzate
.

The Venue

Grote Markt (Great Market)

The games were played in the market square in the centre of the town. The square is home to the neo-Gothic St. Laurentius Church, which was designed by Gent architect, Edmond de Perre-Montigny (1826-1895) and inaugurated in 1879. This church replaced its much smaller predecessor which was located on the present cemetery. The old church had been rebuilt several times due to the fact that it was never tailored for the increasing populations created by industrialization.

During the German invasion in May 1940, the Belgian army dynamited the tower as a precaution, but the debris from the roof of the church ended up in the vaults after the floor collapsed. It was not until 1952 that the damage was repaired. The neo-Gothic tower however, was not rebuilt, but was replaced by one in a new modern-style. The concept and bright brick colour of the tower is in sharp contrast to the 19th century nave and aisles.

Made in B/W • This programme may exist in Belgian/Dutch archives
('introduction to Zelzate' filmed section definitely survives in Dutch archives)

NL

Zeskamp 1968

Heat 4

Event Staged: Saturday 22nd June 1968
Venue: Marktplein (Market Square), Aalten, Gelderland, Netherlands

European Transmissions (Local Timings):
BRT (B): Saturday 22nd June 1968, 8.45-9.55pm (Live)
Nederland 1 (NL): Saturday 22nd June 1968, 8.45-9.55pm (Live)

Weather Conditions: Warm and Dry

Teams: Halle (B) v. Veurne (B) v. Zelzate (B) v.
Aalten (NL) v. Middelburg (Walcheren) (NL) v. Sliedrecht (NL)

Team Members included:
Halle (B) - Pierre Deneef (Team 'Thinker'), Jean Jacmin (Team Captain, non-playing), Christiane Amerijckx, Mariette Devalckeneer, Felix Hauwaert, Guillaume Heyvaert, Gustaaf Roelants;
Aalten (NL) - Hans Prinsen (Team Coach), Bert Hoogendijk (Team Captain, non-playing), Rien Lensink and H. Smit (Team 'Thinkers'), Anja Beskers, Rose Beyer, Gerry Buttner, Marianne van der Drift, Ab Ebbers, Jan Frenken, Alex Fukking, Anneke Grijzen, Gerrit Heusinkveld, Joop Neerhof, Alex Ormel, Bert Ormel, Dick Schoppers, Jan Willem Somsen, Ada Veldhuis, Bert Veldhuis, Willy ter Vrugt, Hans Wensink;
Middelburg (Walcheren) (NL) - W.Z.C. Hinderks (Team Captain, non-playing), H. Ulrich (Team ‘Thinker’), G. Abbring, P. Abbring, J.J. Bostelaar, B.P. Bouwens, W.L. Bouwens, A. Coppejans, P.C. Flipse, A. de Jong, W. Kaljouw, H.A.J. van Lennep, R. Maljers, E.M. Meliefste, M.A. Mondeel, E. de Poorter, A. Scheers, H.B. Scheers, W.C. Schoonen, T. Vogelenzang, P.J. de Voogd, I.M. de Vos, Cees Willeboordse, H.M. Willemsen, P. Zwartepoorte;
Sliedrecht (NL) - H. Boelen (Team 'Thinker'), H. Hofman (Team Captain, non-playing), C.A. van der Stel (Reserve Team Captain, non-playing), J. van Andel, S. Baardman, M. Bakker, J. Breedveld, W. Hol, J. Knol, L. Koppelaar, T. Koppelaar, D. Nieuwenhuizen, K.E.A. Schmidt, J. Stam, J.E. Vennis, F. Vlot, W.A. Vroege.

Games included: The Water Trolley Push, The Stilt Walkers, Game of Questions.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

League Aggregate

Final
Scoreboard:

1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th

6th

 NL • Aalten ●
 B • Zelzate
 B • Halle
 NL • Sliedrecht
 NL • Middelburg (Walcheren)
 B • Veurne

35
30
28
21
19
18

120
100
105
86
99
74

The Host Town

Aalten, Netherlands

Aalten is a town and a municipality with a population of around 28,000 inhabitants in the province of Gelderland. It is located 125km (78 miles) south-east of Amsterdam, 144km (89 miles) south of Groningen, 144km east of Rotterdam and 5km (3 miles) north of the German border. The municipality also includes the former villages of Bredevoort and Dinxperlo.

The origins of the town of Aalten began in the second half of the 8th century when Charlemagne invaded the region. Every community in the conquered territories were forced to make a so-called ‘hoofdhof’ (religious area) for the foundation of a church. The old fortified town of Bredevoort has been part of the municipality since 1818. During the Middle Ages, the town was the residence of borgmannen (castlemen), who were responsible for defending the former castle of Bredevoort.

Dinxperlo was first mentioned in 1260, and it is likely that for many centuries before the first farms were founded, the village ran in a north-easterly direction on a strip of high ground. The name of the village is probably derived from dingspel (justice court or area) and loo (wood). It is assumed that in the Middle Ages there was a court in the woods here. At the end of World War II (1939-1945), the village of Dinxperlo was almost completely destroyed during its liberation. An interesting fact about the village is that it has the smallest church in the Netherlands, De Rietstap.

Located on the German border, Aalten is one of the Region Achterhoek partnership comprising eight municipalities. They perform tasks in the field of economic development, spatial development, transport, environment and waste, cross-border cooperation and care and welfare. Along with Aalten, the other participating municipalities are Berkelland, Bronckhorst, Doetinchem, Montferland, Oost Gelre, Old IJsselstreek and Winterswijk.

Notable inhabitants of Aalten include Scottish-born Angus Young, guitarist of Australian rock band AC/DC, and Robert Gesink, a professional road bicycle racer.

The Visiting Towns

Halle (B) is located 210km (130 miles) south-west of Aalten.

Veurne (B) is located 287km (178 miles) south-west of Aalten.

Zelzate (B) is located 208km (129 miles) south-west of Aalten.

Middelburg (Walcheren) (NL) is located 210km (130 miles) south-west of Aalten.

Sliedrecht (NL) is located 125km (78 miles) west of Aalten.

The Venue

Marktplein (Market Square)

The games were played in the small market place in the middle of the town.

Very little information can be researched about the square, but what is known is that it lies to the north of the old church of St. Helena.

Made in B/W • This programme may exist in Belgian/Dutch archives
(sections definitely survive in Zo Was Zeskamp in Dutch archives)

B

Zeskamp 1968

Heat 5

Event Staged: Saturday 6th July 1968
Venue: Veurne, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium

European Transmissions (Local Timings):
BRT (B): Saturday 6th July 1968, 8.45-9.55pm (Live)
Nederland 1 (NL): Monday 8th July 1968, 8.45-9.55pm

Teams: Halle (B) v. Veurne (B) v. Zelzate (B) v.
Aalten (NL) v. Middelburg (Walcheren) (NL) v. Sliedrecht (NL)

Team Members included:
Halle (B) - Pierre Deneef (Team 'Thinker'), Jean Jacmin (Team Captain, non-playing), Christiane Amerijckx, Mariette Devalckeneer, Felix Hauwaert, Guillaume Heyvaert, Gustaaf Roelants;
Aalten (NL) - Hans Prinsen (Team Coach), Bert Hoogendijk (Team Captain, non-playing), Rien Lensink and H. Smit (Team 'Thinkers'), Anja Beskers, Rose Beyer, Gerry Buttner, Marianne van der Drift, Ab Ebbers, Jan Frenken, Alex Fukking, Anneke Grijzen, Gerrit Heusinkveld, Joop Neerhof, Alex Ormel, Bert Ormel, Dick Schoppers, Jan Willem Somsen, Ada Veldhuis, Bert Veldhuis, Willy ter Vrugt, Hans Wensink;
Middelburg (Walcheren) (NL) - W.Z.C. Hinderks (Team Captain, non-playing), H. Ulrich (Team ‘Thinker’), G. Abbring, P. Abbring, J.J. Bostelaar, B.P. Bouwens, W.L. Bouwens, A. Coppejans, P.C. Flipse, A. de Jong, W. Kaljouw, H.A.J. van Lennep, R. Maljers, E.M. Meliefste, M.A. Mondeel, E. de Poorter, A. Scheers, H.B. Scheers, W.C. Schoonen, T. Vogelenzang, P.J. de Voogd, I.M. de Vos, Cees Willeboordse, H.M. Willemsen, P. Zwartepoorte;
Sliedrecht (NL) - H. Boelen (Team 'Thinker'), H. Hofman (Team Captain, non-playing), C.A. van der Stel (Reserve Team Captain, non-playing), J. van Andel, S. Baardman, M. Bakker, J. Breedveld, W. Hol, J. Knol, L. Koppelaar, T. Koppelaar, D. Nieuwenhuizen, K.E.A. Schmidt, J. Stam, J.E. Vennis, F. Vlot, W.A. Vroege.

Games: The Runners, The Trampolines, The Weighing Scales, The Balloon, Grand Prix Rallycross, Game of Questions.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

League Aggregate

1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th

5th

 NL • Sliedrecht ●
 B • Zelzate
 NL • Aalten
 NL • Middelburg (Walcheren)
 B • Halle
 B • Veurne

32
30
29
25
22
22

118
130
149
124
127
96

The Host Town

Veurne, Belgium

Veurne is a municipality with a population of around 12,000 inhabitants in the néerlandophonic (Dutch-speaking) province of West-Vlaanderen, the only Belgian province with a coastline. It is located 29km (18 miles) north-west of Ieper, 53km (33 miles) south-west of Knokke and 10km (6 miles) west of the French border. It was originally a stand-alone village, but in 1971, it was merged with the villages and communities of Avekapelle, Booitshoeke, Bulskamp, Eggewaartskapelle, Steenkerke and Zoutenaaie. At the same time, the nearby four communities of De Moeren, Houtem, Vinkem and Wulveringem were merged together to create the town of Beauvoorde. In 1977, these four former municipalities were then attached to Veurne.

As early as the 9th century Veurne was a fortified town, which was walled in the 14th century. During the 17th century, Vauban fortifications (fortified buildings) were added and in 1715 it became a member of the Barrièretractaat (The Barrier Treaty). However, all the fortifications were dismantled by Emperor Joseph II (1741-1790) in 1783, after he had unilaterally terminated the treaty.

From the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 until World War I (1914-1918), the town enjoyed a century of quiet and prosperity. In 1830, it was the first town to welcome Belgium’s new king, Leopold I (1790-1865) in his country. The railway through the town was ordered by Robert Stephenson (1803-1859) as a passageway to Dunkerque and on to England. In October 1914, King Albert I of Belgium (1875-1934), wanting to stay on Belgian territory during World War I, set up his army headquarters at Veurne.

Today, Veurne is a small provincial town which is increasingly becoming a tourist base for visitors to Flanders and the west coast of Belgium and offers a number of tourist attractions. The annual Boeteprocessie (procession of the penitents) takes place on the last Sunday of each July. This unique event includes hooded penitents carrying crosses and other participants, who recreate the Passion of Christ.

Saint Walburga is a Gothic-style church, which arose from a 9th century chapel, and has a 14th century chapter. It is an example of a grand conceived idea which remained unfinished, with the remainder of the building being completed in the early part of the 20th century. The church of Saint Nicholas is also in the Gothic-style and dates from the 12th century, but the original building was destroyed by fire during the following century. It was rebuilt in the 15th century in the same style with an impetus to construct a western tower, but was never fully completed. Whilst unfinished, the tower was used to store gunpowder and later converted into a rainwater tank. The church was finally completed in the early part of the 20th century using plans of architect Van Ascche of Gent. The clock tower (‘t Bomtje) containing the carillon dates from 1379.

The Visiting Towns

Halle (B) is located 116km (72 miles) south-east of Veurne.

Zelzate (B) is located 80km (50 miles) north-east of Veurne.

Aalten (NL) is located 287km (178 miles) north-east of Veurne.

Middelburg (Walcheren) (NL) is located 82km (51 miles) north-east of Veurne.

Sliedrecht (NL) is located 167km (104 miles) north-east of Veurne.

The Venue

The venue for this event is unconfirmed.

Made in B/W • This programme may exist in Belgian/Dutch archives
('introduction to Veurne' filmed section definitely survives in Dutch archives)

NL

Zeskamp 1968

Heat 6

Event Staged: Saturday 20th July 1968
Venue: Bonkelaarplein, Sliedrecht, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands

European Transmissions (Local Timings):
BRT (B): Saturday 20th July 1968, 8.45-9.55pm (Live)
Nederland 1 (NL): Saturday 20th July 1968, 8.45-9.55pm (Live)

Weather Conditions: Warm and Dry

Teams: Halle (B) v. Veurne (B) v. Zelzate (B) v.
Aalten (NL) v. Middelburg (Walcheren) (NL) v. Sliedrecht (NL)

Team Members included:
Halle (B) - Pierre Deneef (Team 'Thinker'), Jean Jacmin (Team Captain, non-playing), Christiane Amerijckx, Mariette Devalckeneer, Felix Hauwaert, Guillaume Heyvaert, Gustaaf Roelants;
Aalten (NL) - Hans Prinsen (Team Coach), Bert Hoogendijk (Team Captain, non-playing), Rien Lensink and H. Smit (Team 'Thinkers'), Anja Beskers, Rose Beyer, Gerry Buttner, Marianne van der Drift, Ab Ebbers, Jan Frenken, Alex Fukking, Anneke Grijzen, Gerrit Heusinkveld, Joop Neerhof, Alex Ormel, Bert Ormel, Dick Schoppers, Jan Willem Somsen, Ada Veldhuis, Bert Veldhuis, Willy ter Vrugt, Hans Wensink;
Middelburg (Walcheren) (NL) - W.Z.C. Hinderks (Team Captain, non-playing), H. Ulrich (Team ‘Thinker’), G. Abbring, P. Abbring, J.J. Bostelaar, B.P. Bouwens, W.L. Bouwens, A. Coppejans, P.C. Flipse, A. de Jong, W. Kaljouw, H.A.J. van Lennep, R. Maljers, E.M. Meliefste, M.A. Mondeel, E. de Poorter, A. Scheers, H.B. Scheers, W.C. Schoonen, T. Vogelenzang, P.J. de Voogd, I.M. de Vos, Cees Willeboordse, H.M. Willemsen, P. Zwartepoorte;
Sliedrecht (NL) - H. Boelen (Team 'Thinker'), H. Hofman (Team Captain, non-playing), C.A. van der Stel (Reserve Team Captain, non-playing), J. van Andel, S. Baardman, M. Bakker, J. Breedveld, W. Hol, J. Knol, L. Koppelaar, T. Koppelaar, D. Nieuwenhuizen, K.E.A. Schmidt, J. Stam, J.E. Vennis, F. Vlot, W.A. Vroege.

Games included: The Ladder Slalom, The Army Assault Course, Game of Questions;
Rode Draad: The Bicycle Walkers.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

League Aggregate

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th

6th

 NL • Aalten ● ●
 NL • Sliedrecht ●
 B • Zelzate ●
 NL • Middelburg (Walcheren)
 B • Veurne
 B • Halle ●

39
35
28
23
21
20

188
153
158
147
117
147

The Host Town

Sliedrecht, Netherlands

Sliedrecht is a town with a population of around 24,000 inhabitants in the province of Zuid-Holland. It is located 24km (15 miles) south-west of Rotterdam, 27km (17 miles) north of Breda, 61km (38 miles) south of Amsterdam and 72km (45 miles) west of Nijmegen, and lies on the 14.8km (9 miles) long Beneden-Merwede, one of the country’s most navigated rivers.

The town, covering an area of 14km² (5.4 miles²), is the birthplace of the dredging industry and was known in the 19th century as the ‘dredging village’. Situated in the harbour area at 204 Molendijk, is the Nationaal Baggermuseum (National Dredging Museum) featuring all things associated with dredging and salvaging. Contained within the museum are historical and modern examples of dredging vessels which are complemented by a fantastic collection of old prints, photographs, drawings and objects which have been unearthed such as pipe bowls and cannonballs.

The museum cinema offers access to a wide collection of movies of dredging from the building of the Afsluitdijk across the Zuiderzee between 1927 and 1933, to Dubai and the construction of the Palm Islands complex which began in 2001.

Sliedrecht was the location of the first IKEA store in the Netherlands, which opened in 1978. Unfortunately, it no longer exists after closing its doors for the final time in 2006.

The Visiting Towns

Halle (B) is located 127km (79 miles) south of Sliedrecht.

Veurne (B) is located 167km (104 miles) south-west of Sliedrecht.

Zelzate (B) is located 96km (60 miles) south-east of Sliedrecht.

Aalten (NL) is located 125km (78 miles) east of Sliedrecht.

Middelburg (Walcheren) (NL) is located 88km (55 miles) south-east of Sliedrecht.

The Venue

Bonkelaarplein

The games were played in Bonkelaarplein, a shopping precinct in the centre of the town.

Many of the shops and apartments located in the precinct could clearly be seen during the programme.

Additional Information

After the final results were announced, the four semi-finalists (the two highest aggregate scoring teams from both countries) were revealed as Halle and Zelzate from Belgium and Aalten and Sliedrecht from the Netherlands.

Although it had no bearing on the qualification process, the final aggregate score for Middelburg was revealed incorrectly as 143 at the end of the programme. The scoreboard image shown below has been amended to take this error into account.

Made in B/W • This programme may exist in Belgian/Dutch archives

B

Zeskamp 1968

Semi-Final

Event Staged: Saturday 3rd August 1968
Venue: Grote Markt (Great Market), Brugge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium

European Transmissions (Local Timings):
BRT (B): Saturday 3rd August 1968, 8.45-10.05pm (Live)
Nederland 2 (NL): Saturday 3rd August 1968, 8.45-10.05pm (Live)

Teams: Halle (B) v. Zelzate (B) v.
Aalten (NL) v. Sliedrecht (NL)

Team Members included:
Halle (B) - Pierre Deneef (Team 'Thinker'), Jean Jacmin (Team Captain, non-playing), Christiane Amerijckx, Mariette Devalckeneer, Felix Hauwaert, Guillaume Heyvaert, Gustaaf Roelants;
Aalten (NL) - Hans Prinsen (Team Coach), Bert Hoogendijk (Team Captain, non-playing), Rien Lensink and H. Smit (Team 'Thinkers'), Anja Beskers, Rose Beyer, Gerry Buttner, Marianne van der Drift, Ab Ebbers, Jan Frenken, Alex Fukking, Anneke Grijzen, Gerrit Heusinkveld, Joop Neerhof, Alex Ormel, Bert Ormel, Dick Schoppers, Jan Willem Somsen, Ada Veldhuis, Bert Veldhuis, Willy ter Vrugt, Hans Wensink;
Sliedrecht (NL) - H. Boelen (Team 'Thinker'), H. Hofman (Team Captain, non-playing), C.A. van der Stel (Reserve Team Captain, non-playing), J. van Andel, S. Baardman, M. Bakker, J. Breedveld, W. Hol, J. Knol, L. Koppelaar, T. Koppelaar, D. Nieuwenhuizen, K.E.A. Schmidt, J. Stam, J.E. Vennis, F. Vlot, W.A. Vroege.

Games included: Game of Questions.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

1st
2nd
3rd
4th

 NL • Aalten ●
 B • Halle ●
 B • Zelzate
 NL • Sliedrecht

26
25
20
17

The Host Town

Brugge, Belgium

Brugge has a population of around 125,000 inhabitants and is the capital and largest city in the néerlandophonic (Dutch-speaking) province of West-Vlaanderen, the only Belgian province with a coastline. It is located 16km (10 miles) south of Knokke-Heist, 21km (13 miles) east of Oostende, 38km (24 miles) north-west of Gent and 44km (27 miles) north of Kortrijk.

The area covered by the city is oval in shape and is known locally as the 'egg'. It is covered by a network of canals and, along with a few other canal-based northern cities such as Amsterdam and Stockholm, it is sometimes referred to as The Venice of the North. Brugge has a significant economic importance thanks to its port and was once the chief commercial city in the world. Its name has had several incantations over the centuries probably deriving from the Dutch word Brug meaning bridge and received its charter on 27th July 1128.

Since about 1050, gradual silting had caused the city to lose its direct access to the sea. However this access was re-established after the Zwin inlet was formed by a storm that broke through the Flemish coast in 1134. This created a tidal channel that reached some 15km (9¼ miles) inland and was also connected, through another channel, to the mouth of the River Scheldt further north-east. The new waterway offered access to the sea to the inland city of Brugge, which consequently rose to become one of the foremost medieval port cities of Europe. However, from the late 13th century' onwards, the channel was affected by progressive silting once more, which ultimately caused the waterway to become unusable and cut off the harbour of Brugge from the sea.

From 1200 to 1400, Brugge was the economic capital of Europe, north of the Alps. The Brugge fair was established in 1200 and contacts with Britain were the first to develop, particularly related to wool. This was followed by other regions such as northern Europe, the German countries, and the Mediterranean. The growing prosperity of the city was reflected in the construction of public buildings, such as the imposing belfry in the Grote Markt, and Brugge was quickly established as an economic capital. The palace of the Van der Buerse family became the monetary centre, giving its name to the concept of the Bourse (stock exchange) in 1309.

From the late 15th century', Brugge gradually entered a period of stagnation. The Flemish regions were integrated into the Habsburg Empire, and the discovery of America displaced economic interests from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. Brugge continued dealing with the textile industry and retained its Spanish connections, but its role in maritime trade was soon replaced by that of Antwerpen. From 1600 to 1800, as a result of the construction of canal systems, Brugge re-established its maritime connection, but only at a modest level. Building activities continued however, and a ban of 1616 on the use of wood in building façades led to renovations in more substantial materials. The population of Brugge remained relatively small all through this period and the need to extend beyond the medieval city walls only arose much later. During the 1650s, the city was the base for Charles II of England (1630-1685) and his court in exile.

The historic centre of Brugge has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. Many of its medieval buildings are notable, including the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (Church of Our Lady), whose brick spire reaches 122.3m (401ft 3in), making it the second highest brick tower in the world, beaten only by Martinskerk (St. Martin’s Church) in Landshut, Germany at 130.6m (428ft 5½in).

Brugge is known for its decorative lace and its beers and many are named after the city, such as Brugge Blond, Brugge Tripel, Brugse Straffe Hendrik and Brugse Zot. However, only Brugse Zot and Brugse Straffe Hendrik are still brewed in the city itself, in the Halve Maan Brouwerij (Half Moon Brewery).

The city has featured in many films and television productions over the years including the 1959 film, The Nun's Story, directed by Fred Zinnemann (1907-1997) and starring Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993), Peter Finch (1916-1977) and Edith Evans (1888-1976), In Bruges, a 2008 black comedy from British director Martin McDonagh, starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, and Floris, a 1969 Dutch television action series, written by Gerard Soeteman and starring Dutch actor Rutger Hauer (1944-2019).

The Visiting Towns

Halle (B) is located 88km (55 miles) south-east of Brugge.

Zelzate (B) is located 40km (25 miles) east of Brugge.

Aalten (NL) is located 246km (153 miles) north-east of Brugge.

Sliedrecht (NL) is located 127km (79 miles) north-east of Brugge.

The Venue

Grote Markt

The games were played at the market square which is located in the heart of the city and covers an area of about one hectare. Some historical highlights around the square include the Provincial Court (originally the Waterhall), which in 1787 was demolished and replaced by a classicist building that served as provincial court from 1850. Following a fire in 1878, it was rebuilt in a neo-Gothic style in 1887.

The square also houses the Craenenburg, a historic building from which the Counts of Flanders, with the lords and ladies of their Court, used to watch the tournaments and pageants for which Brugge was celebrated. However the Craenenburg, once the most magnificent private residence in the market square, lost every trace of its original splendour many years ago, and is now an unattractive hostelry and the headquarters of a smoking club. In the centre of the market stands the statue of Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck, a butcher and a weaver who led Brugge in a violent uprising against Philip IV of France (1268-1314) in May 1302.

However, the most famous landmark in the square is the 13th century' belfry, which has a narrow, steep staircase of 366 steps, accessible by the public, leading to the top of the 83m (272ft 3½in) high building, which leans about a metre of the perpendicular to the east. At the end of the 19th century', the tower housed a municipal carillon comprising 48 bells. Today, the bells number 47 and together weigh a total of about 27,500kg (541cwt or 60,627lb) with individual bells ranging in weight from 0.9kg (2lb) to 4989.5kg (11,000lb). The city still employs a full-time carillonneur, who gives free concerts on Sundays, holidays and market days.

Made in B/W • This programme may exist in Belgian/Dutch archives
('introduction to Brugge' filmed section definitely survives in Dutch archives)

NL

Zeskamp 1968

Final

Event Staged: Saturday 17th August 1968
Venue: Hanzehal, Zutphen, Gelderland, Netherlands

European Transmissions (Local Timings):
BRT (B): Saturday 17th August 1968, 8.45-9.55pm (Live)
Nederland 1 (NL): Saturday 17th August 1968, 8.45-9.55pm (Live)

Weather Conditions: Not applicable as event staged indoors

Teams: Halle (B) v. Aalten (NL)

Team Members included:
Halle (B) - Pierre Deneef (Team 'Thinker'), Jean Jacmin (Team Captain, non-playing), Christiane Amerijckx, Mariette Devalckeneer, Felix Hauwaert, Guillaume Heyvaert, Gustaaf Roelants;
Aalten (NL) - Hans Prinsen (Team Coach), Bert Hoogendijk (Team Captain, non-playing), Rien Lensink and H. Smit (Team 'Thinkers'), Anja Beskers, Rose Beyer, Gerry Buttner, Marianne van der Drift, Ab Ebbers, Jan Frenken, Alex Fukking, Anneke Grijzen, Gerrit Heusinkveld, Joop Neerhof, Alex Ormel, Bert Ormel, Dick Schoppers, Jan Willem Somsen, Ada Veldhuis, Bert Veldhuis, Willy ter Vrugt, Hans Wensink.

Games included: The Wooden Horse Obstacle Race, Transporting the Boxes, The Great Bicycle Dash, The Postal Delivery Van Push, The Poolside Waiters and Game of Questions;
Rode Draad: Cycling to the Top.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points
(Tiebreak):

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd

 NL • Aalten ● ●
 B • Halle ●

12 (14)
12 (12)

Final score not
shown on screen

Aalten qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières 1970 at Groningen, Netherlands:
staged on Wednesday 19th August 1970

The Host Town

Zutphen, Netherlands

Zutphen is a city with a population of around 51,000 inhabitants in the province of Gelderland. It is located 27km (17 miles) north-east of Arnhem, 42km (26 miles) south of Zwolle, 48km (30 miles) west of Enschede and 116km (72 miles) east of Leiden, on the east bank of the River IJssel at the point where it is joined by the River Berkel. The name of the city derives from zuid-veen (south fen).

First mentioned in the 11th century, Zutphen was a royal residence for a number of years with a pfalz (palace) being built, together with a large chapter church, the predecessor of the present St. Walburgis. The counts of Zutphen acquired a lot of power, until their line became extinct in the 12th century. After the death of her father and her brother, Ermgard, the heiress of Zutphen married Gerard II, count of Guelders, in 1116. Their son, Henry I (1117-1182), was the first to wear both titles of Guelders and Zutphen. The settlement received city rights between 1191 and 1196, making it one of the oldest cities in the country. This allowed it to self-govern and have a judicial court. Only Utrecht and Deventer preceded it in receiving these rights.

The largest and oldest church of the city is St. Walburgis, which originally dates from the 11th century. The present Gothic building contains monuments of the former counts of Zutphen, a 14th century candelabrum, a 16th century elaborate copper font and a monument to the Van Heeckeren family dating from 1700. The old city centre survived World War II (1939-1945) almost in its entirety, though some parts of it were lost, especially the area around the railway station, in the northern part of the city centre, known as the Nieuwstad.

The Visiting Towns

Halle (B) is located 207km (129 miles) south-west of Zutphen.

Aalten (NL) is located 35km (22 miles) south-east of Zutphen.

The Venue

Hanzehal

The games for this Zeskamp Final were played at the newly-opened Hanzehal. Completed in May 1968, the hall provided a covered arena for many sports and activities, trade fairs, shows and other ‘different’ events.

The building was seen as a success and functioned well until the entire building was destroyed by fire on a foggy night in 1981. With the city in shock and due to its earlier success, the local council of Zutphen decided that it should be rebuilt immediately, and within 12 months of the fire, the current Hanzehal was opened.

With an area of 3,700m² (39,826ft²), it is the largest sports-only hall in Netherlands. Technically, the Hanzehal comprises three halls but they can be used separately or together depending on the needs of the event. It is located in Fanny-Blankers-Koenweg, a street named after female Dutch athlete, Francina ‘Fanny’ Blankers-Koen (1918-2004), who is best-known for winning four gold medals at 1948 Summer Olympic Games staged in London. She accomplished this as a 30-year-old mother of two, during a time when many disregarded women's athletics. Her background and performances earned her the nickname ‘the Flying Housewife’. Ironically, she was the most successful athlete at the Games that year.

Reunions

Aalten

More than forty years after their success in this Zeskamp final, some of the surviving members of the victorious Aalten team - Alex Ormel, Wim Somsen, Dick Schoppers and Gerrit Heusinkveld - were reunited in Apeldoorn on Saturday 21st May 2011. The team's coach, 83-year-old Hans Prinsen, had also been invited to the reunion but demurred due to his age; he was nonetheless fully informed afterwards of how the get together went.

The four men first had some catching up to do - discussing their private lives, careers, hobbies and the like - after which they shared their memories of their exploits in Zeskamp (Aalten had also gone on to appear in the 1970 series of Jeux Sans Frontières and the 1971 Christmas special). Their recollections of the events were helped by the availability of newspaper clippings, photographic materials and DVDs.

They reflected on the individual matches in Aalten, Sliedrecht, Middelburg, Zelzate (though they appeared to misremember the venue as Brugge), Veurne, Halle, and of course the Final in Zutphen. The four men were once again impressed by, among other things, the impact of the success of the Zeskamp team in Aalten.

The four attendees also discussed their present activities and were in 2011 still very much active, despite their ages. Due to a persistent injury, Dick (then 67) was no longer active in the sports field but still regularly took long nature walks. Alex (64) was still active as an endurance athlete, especially running and even participated in a 100km race in Winschoten in 1983 with a wonderful time of 8 hours 16 minutes! He also professed to being passionate about cycling and had also done a few half triathlons. Wim (64) was also still a passionate endurance athlete in the field of skating in particular. In 2010 he participated in a 200km race on the Weissensee and was rewarded with an excellent ranking among the "seniors". In the summer, he kept himself active with cycling and in the autumn with rollerblading in preparation for the skating season.

Additional Information

This Zeskamp Final was decided on a tie-break game, won by Dutch team Aalten, taking the scores to 14-12.

Aalten's result ultimately gained them a qualification place in the Dutch team line-up for Jeux Sans Frontières 1970. They went on to compete at Groningen, Netherlands, two years and two days after their 1968 victory.

Made in B/W • This programme may exist in Belgian/Dutch archives
('introduction to Zutphen' filmed section definitely survives in Dutch archives)