Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Ghent’s Gentbrugge hosted the first Grand Prix Gentbrugge (250 m race) with 57 participants, including Jesse Vandenbulcke; winners were Lisander Cardyn (adults) and Linus (U15). It opened the Gentbrugge Leeft festival.
Ghent’s Gentbrugge neighbourhood hosted the first Grand Prix Gentbrugge, known as “the shortest time trial in the world.” The race took place on a course of just under 250 meters. Organisers built a starting podium on the church square in Gentbrugge. Around 14 children and 43 adults competed, including former Belgian champion Jesse Vandenbulcke.
The organisers had to close registration at 60 participants. Tim Van Steendam, one of the event coordinators, explained,
“We had to close registrations at 60. You can’t start that early on a Friday evening, and we also have to take the sunset into account.”
What are the winners and key events of the Gentbrugge Leeft Festival in Ghent?
The competition featured live commentary. In the adult category, Lisander Cardyn from Sint-Amandsberg won with a time of 27.52 seconds. In the under-15 category, Linus finished first in 30 seconds.
“I just prepared, as usual, a phone call with the organisers, after which I wrote down a sheet of paper with all the information. And the rest I just improvised,”
Schotte laughed.
The Grand Prix Gentbrugge also marked the official start of the 3-day neighbourhood festival, Gentbrugge Leeft. Tim Van Steendam, one of the coordinators, said,
“It’s mainly the sense of community that drives us to organise this.”
The neighbourhood committee includes a wide range of people, from the local florist to writers and other residents.
“We’ve been organising this for about five years now, and we’ve noticed that the neighbourhood has grown much closer together since then,”
Tim added. This year’s program is filled with activities for all ages. It includes a flea market, a barbecue, and live music.
“In previous years, the participants had to pull a truck that got heavier each time, but this year it will be a competition with real strength tests,”
Says Tim.
One of the most popular events of the festival is the traditional John Massis Cup, which looks to find the ultimate powerhouse in Gentbrugge. This year, the competition will follow a new format.
Tim Van Steendam explained,
“The qualifying rounds start on Saturday, where participants must stack beer barrels and tilt a heavy tractor tire. The three strongest men and women will return on Sunday. Then they’ll get to bend steel, a true tribute to our John Massis, the legendary powerhouse who is buried nearby.”
The Gentbrugge Leeft festival started in 2018 to bring the neighbourhood of Gentbrugge in Ghent closer together. The event is organised by a local committee of residents and small business owners.
Over the years, the festival has grown and added new activities such as flea markets, barbecues, live music, and sports competitions. A popular highlight is the John Massis Cup, named after the famous Belgian strongman from the 1970s who is buried nearby.
