Courtesy and written by Julia Galan of SwimSpire.
The Luxembourg Euro Meet is revving up for its 19th edition from the 27th-29th of January, 2017. Hosted at the 10-lane, 50 meter Piscine D’Coque Aquatic Center in the heart of Luxembourg City, the Euro Meet is an elite international event that has attracted swimming stars from around the world since 1999. Thus far, the 2017 competition has already confirmed the attendance of Olympians Adam Peaty, Camille Lacourt, Marco Koch and Laszlo Cseh, with more to follow.
Euro Meet 2016: Interview with SC Eschborn (Germany) from Swimspire on Vimeo.
The Euro Meet does not merely display the performances of the world-class swimmers, however. One of the unique aspects of this competition lies in the fact that these elite-level athletes will share the pool deck with Junior and Youth age group categories, a feature introduced by Euro Meet founder Nory Kruchten. Although these swimmers may be as young as 13, the strict time standards of the meet ensure that any junior swimmers participating are still the best of the best in their own age rankings.
Euro Meet 2016: Interview with Team Energy Standard from Swimspire on Vimeo.
Offering a fast 50-meter venue, the Euro Meet offers the added bonus of over €20,000 in prize money, awarded to the top 3 male and female swimmers in each Open category race. The top 3 male and female swimmers in each race for the Junior and Youth categories are awarded custom-made medals. Prize money is also awarded for Meet, European and World records, and to the top 3 teams at the competition.
Euro Meet 2016 – Interview with Coach Ingolf Bender, Luxembourg National Team from Swimspire on Vimeo.
Now in its 19th year, the Euro Meet has achieved a distinctly global reach while still preserving its European and Luxembourgish roots. It attracts over 700 swimmers from 25 nations each year, who are drawn to the competition for its top-notch organization, welcoming atmosphere, high-level racing, and three-day championship format. The state of the art 10-lane, 50-meter pool with an additional 6-lane 50 meter pool for training and warmup purposes, and spectator seating for 650 people, is another clear draw. Russian-Ukrainian team Energy Standard’s team manager Ksenia Getmanskaya enthused, “….the organization is very high-level and we are very pleased to come to the Euro Meet every year!” Adds Hungarian elite coach Ivan Petrov, “I think this is the best competition in Europe. The pool is very fast, the three-day format is thoughtful, and the organization is extremely good.”
Euro Meet 2016: Interview with Jessica and Sandra Steiger (VFL Gladbeck, Germany) from Swimspire on Vimeo.
The growing popularity of the Euro Meet has helped fulfill the main dream of founder Nory Kruchten, immediate past president of LEN and Honorary Member of FINA, for the competition: “…[M]y dream in 1999, shared by a few friends on the Luxembourg Swimming Federation, was to attract as many swimmers and achieve as many top performances as possible in our beautiful pool in the Kirchberg District of Luxembourg City.” Adds Euro Meet Director Gil Kandel, “…the Euro Meet has two main goals: First, to host an international swimming event in Luxembourg that will promote swimming and the Luxembourg Swimming Federation to a wider international audience. And second, to give the Luxembourg swimmers the opportunity to compete against world class swimmers in front of their home crowd and in a pool that they know well.”
Euro Meet 2016 Interview with Christian Hansmann from Swimspire on Vimeo.
Such an incredible competition requires an extensive organizing team, and the committee and volunteers working behind the scenes each year help produce a masterpiece of a competition that offers a timely and fast event with a simultaneously warm and friendly welcome to all who attend. Luxembourg Swimming Federation President Marco Stacchiotti, meet director Gil Kandel, and meet manager Christian Hansmann headed the organization, supported by the Luxembourg Swimming Federation members and volunteers from around the country. The Euro Meet even extends its international atmosphere to the organizing committee, with press officer Georges Kiehl, who hails from France, managing the media aspects of the Euro Meet, while Finnish speaker Jussi Salminen serves as the speaker, infusing the competition with dynamism and enthusiasm. Jacky Ribeiro of Megatek France manages the electronic timing and scoreboard provided during the competition, and several of the FINA-listed officials are also internationally-based. Behind the principal members of the organizing committee stands an army of sponsors, such as Cactus Supermarkets, SEO, Loterie Nationale and Baloîse Assurances, as well as staff, and volunteers, each playing their own key role in making the Euro Meet a successful event. We were genuinely impressed by the coordination between all of the groups during the competition, attesting to the professionalism of the organizing committee and their love for the Euro Meet.
Euro Meet 2016 Interview with Marco Stacchiotti and Gil Kandel from Swimspire on Vimeo.
A high-quality organization, record-breaking performances, and a unique mission all come together to make the Euro Meet an event that is not to be missed this January, whether as a swimmer or as a spectator. FLNS President and LEN bureau member Marco Stacchiotti, Meet Director Gil Kandel, and the entire Euro Meet organizing committee are looking forward to welcoming all participants, teams, and spectators to the Piscine d’Coque from January 27th-29th, 2017! Registration ends on January 16th, so there is still time to enter the meet. For more information and to register, please check out the website at www.euromeet.lu
See you there!