The Luzarches Highland Games (update): Keeping it in the family

• Category B winner: Greg WALKER, 20.
• Category B runner-up:  his brother Dale WALKER, 22.
• Category A winner : his uncle Bruce AITKEN.

For the Walker family, the 2012 edition of the Luzarches Autumn Highland Games turned out to be a doddle.

It was Uncle Bruce who set the pace by walking away with the Category A title.

Uncle Bruce

No stranger to Bressuire where he competed in the 2005 and 2007 Games, Bruce – 1.93m and 118 kilos – was World Champion in 2004 and still holds the 16-pound hammer world record with a throw of 47.76m.

But then for someone who hails from Stonehaven such Highland games prowess is only to be expected.

Having said that, Bruce even beat Pieter Karst BOUMA, individual winner in the Bressuire Games in June this year, and Jimmy Van de WALLE, the Belgian who managed to win the competition in Luzarches in 2011 without actually winning a single event. See ….

A walkover for the Walker brothers

Inspired by Uncle Bruce, Greg and Dale WALKER staged a walkover in the Category B section by taking 1^st and 2^nd places respectively, with Greg, 20, a little ahead of his older brother, Dale, 22.

Mind you, if the competition was a hike in Yorkshire, my bet is that Dale WALKER would win….

Third and fourth places were taken by the German competitors, Alexandre WENDLING, 37, and Bastian SCHWAN.

Homage to Stephen AITKEN

The Aitken-Walker family’s splendid achievement provided a fitting homage to Stephen AITKEN, Bruce’s brother who died this year at the age of 45.

A decathlon athlete and Highland Games champion, Stephen is sadly missed in the Highland Games circuit. The family victories and the tribute paid to Stephen stood out as one of the most moving moments of the official ceremony.

Bruce AITKEN's thanks

Hi Alain,

Thank you for sending this on to me, I had a great day at Luzarches and to come away with the win was even more special.

Things are still raw for me regarding the loss of my brother Stephen but things are made easier when you have the support of your friends of which I regard the Highland Games community as  being.

Thank you,

Bruce

The Bockers go international

For the Bressuire Bockers, Luzarches was the occasion to compete on an international level.

With Amine AMROUN competing in Category A, the best Bressuire performance came from Sébastien PIZON who finished fifth after putting up a worthy show.

He was followed by Mickael VERGNAULT in 7^th place and Philippe MIGNET in 8^th place. Cédric PICARD, the latest Bocker recruit, finished 10th.

To all of them – Well done!

And to Sébastien many thanks for the photos and information on the Luzarches competition.

Photos: Pierre GIRET, Julien FAGNON

All the results

 HG_Luz_2_2012_Resultats_Palmares_OK

Many thanks to Franck POUHET (Mr Computer) and Eric ALAGILLE (Mr Speaker and Competitor)

Many thanks to Mary PINET (Mrs Translater) for her English adaptation of my previous chronicle in French

Alain

Dave WEBSTER's word

Hi Alain,

Thank you for keeping me informed. This is appreciated. Highland Games history is important to me.

Best wishes,

David 

COMING SOON ON THE BLOG:

More photos on the Luzarches Highland Games

COMING NEXT:

"Une affaire de famille", The French version of "Keeping it up in the family"

Comments

[Buvez bien!]

Hi,

We're looking for a contact for the organisers of the 2013 Highland Games at Bressuire - are you able to help, perhaps?

Many thanks!