“Quand Lomme Court”, the Lille event of the Easter weekend

Monday, April 10, while some hunt for eggs in their garden, some 1,500 people gathered at the Stade des Ormes de Lomme, in the North, for an event as sporting as it is family-friendly. From 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., from 3 to 81 years old, and under mild weather, events ranging from 500 meters to 10 km were contested.

Around the café-croissant stand, where participants and spectators throng, I meet Christian Montay in the premises of the rugby club located under the bleachers of the Ormes stadium. He is the president of the Association of Sports Clubs in the city. It has been organizing “Quand Lomme Court” since 2009. But he specifies that this event has existed since 1998. It is therefore the 24^th edition, if we take into account the break due to the Covid. “It was an initiative of the city’s athletics club, but since the Lomme sports clubs formed an association in 2009, it is the association that organizes all the sporting events in Lomme” explains the manager. Initially, these were two high-level races open to members of the French Athletics Federation. But, the association, by taking over the organization, wishes to set up a new policy, based on the concept of “sport-health”. “The objective is not complicated, we want to combine license races with amateur courses so that people can do sport at least for a morning” indicates Christian Montay.

A “leisure” version for amateurs

Multiple activities are then proposed to meet this objective: hiking, Nordic walking, couple running, or even baby hiking. This year, two novelties, the 5 km and the 10 km are offered a “leisure” version for amateurs who also want to compete in this emblematic event. I attend the arrival of Lisa, who has just completed the 5 km leisure. Out of breath, but with a certain pride, she specifies that she has been dismissed from the athletics club of Villeneuve d’Ascq for six years. “I have always participated in “Quand Lomme Court” for my club, so this year, when I saw that there was an “amateur” version, I told myself that for once, I would race for myself,” she said. Behind the young woman, a shy little head looks at me curiously, it’s Nahuel, Lisa’s son. From the height of his seven and a half years, he participates in the baby hike. This 500 meter race starts at 11.45 am, it is the last event of the morning, it is open to 2 to 15 year olds. “I’m totally ready, I trained with mum,” he says proudly. Lisa continues: “Yes, as it’s the first time I’ve been there as an amateur, it was an opportunity to take her and introduce her to racing. We are in a friendly moment, super nice, he finds his friends from school or from the swimming club. Me, I’m with my friends from the athletics club, or parents from school, and then it’s also an opportunity to meet new people. And indeed, the atmosphere is there to accompany the sporting performances: music groups, dance groups, and runners with sometimes surprising looks. Sports outfits mingle with colorful wigs, mascot costumes, and a tiger prowls the course.

The winner of the 10 km in less than 30 minutes

In ideal weather, without rain and shaded, Auxence Denise, a member of the Lille athletics club, is the big favorite in the 10 km “competition race”. Unsurprisingly, he won with a nice time of 29’47. However, he does not equal the men’s record of 28’52 set in 2007 by Ndayisenga.J. On the women’s side, Agnès Barbisio’s 2010 record, 32’24, will not be beaten this year. It is Marie Martinez of RC Arras who arrives in first position with 37’07.