Sports activities NOS•at the moment, 09:21
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Joost Smedema
Method 1 editor in Montreal
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Joost Smedema
Method 1 editor in Montreal
Even earlier than tonight’s qualifying, Max Verstappen is in pole place in Canada: the world champion has one of the best parking spot on the water. His automotive, a big crane, is closest to the bridge to the paddock.
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NOS/Joost Smedema
Verstappen parking zone on the rowing course
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NOS/Joost Smedema
The bridge over the 1976 Olympic rowing course
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NOS/Joost Smedema
1976 Olympic rowing course
The Canadian Grand Prix avenue circuit is situated on the Île Notre-Dame, a synthetic island within the Saint Lawrence River close to Montreal.
A bridge, made up of floating pontoons, takes the drivers, staff members and journalists from one facet to the opposite over a particular stretch of water: the 1976 Olympic rowing course.
‘We’re a part of Olympic historical past’
There isn’t any clear, seen reminder of the Montreal Video games on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. François Dumontier, director of Canadian household medication, says he must work on it. Olympic rings would not look misplaced on the tour, he thinks.
“We are actually a part of Olympic historical past,” he says from the extension of the plaza. Scaffolding has been erected on the pier, over the rowing course, the place there may be area – keep in any respect groups.
Dumontier talks concerning the relationship between Method 1 and the Montreal Video games: “Exterior of Europe, hardly any circuit has been on the Method 1 calendar for therefore lengthy,” he says proudly of the doctor- household, which was held for the primary time in 1978. led in Montreal. .”
“Drapeau was a visionary,” stated mayor Dumontier of Montreal from 1960 to 1986. He was all the time prepared for giant plans.
“In 1967, the world exhibition was held within the metropolis and for that cause the island the place we are actually, the Île Notre-Dame, was recovered. .”
‘The town continues to be paying for the Olympic roof’
Rather less than ten years later, in 1976, Montreal hosted the Olympic Video games, which introduced Drapeau to the town. It turned out to be a monetary debate, the price range was drastically exceeded.
“Particularly due to the Olympic stadium, with a roof that ought to have the ability to open and shut. However it by no means received to that time. That roof was changed thrice already, the town continues to be paying for it,” stated Dumontier.
Montreal 1976: solely 5 Dutch medals
The Dutch staff returned from Montreal with just a few medals. The harvest: twice silver and thrice bronze. One of many largest surprises got here from the bronze water polo males. Andy Hoepelman (69) was one of many gamers.
“As a result of we had been within the competitors till the tip, I wasn’t capable of see a lot of the town,” Hoepelman remembers. “We generally walked into the town from the Olympic Village, which was capable of regardless of the good safety after the drama of the Munich Video games in 1972. I bear in mind how open and enthusiastic the Canadians had been.”
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non-public archive of Andy Hoepelman
1976: The boys’s water polo bronze medalist (Hoepelman seated, third from proper)
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non-public archive of Andy Hoepelman
2014: Nico Landeweerd, Hans van Zeeland, Andy Hoepelman, Hans Smits and Gijze Stroboer on the World Masters Championships in Montreal
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ANP
1976: Jos Hermens (entrance proper) on the Montreal Olympic marathon
“On the final day we watched the marathon.” Little doubt Hoepelman noticed Jos Hermens passing there, who completed twenty fifth. Hermens (74) is now an athlete supervisor and doesn’t have one of the best reminiscences of Montreal.
“I had educated an excessive amount of and much too onerous, even with the flu that adopted me. I by no means went again to Montreal. I have never even been to Canada once more, it is probably not on the athletic calendar so why would I am going there? I’m very sort. put it out of my thoughts.”
Hoepelman was again in Montreal for the primary time a decade in the past, when he performed with a masters staff on the water polo World Cup with 4 others from the 1976 Olympic staff. – sport. And we took it once more with a silver medal this time, so a step nearer to the gold than it was then.”
After the Video games, Drapeau wished to reuse as a lot of the Olympic infrastructure as potential to forestall monetary abuse. A request to prepare an F1 race was not a nasty time. However that query got here with a pause, stated Dumontier.
“Between 1967 and 1970, the Canadian Grand Prix was held each second yr at a distinct circuit. Method 1 administration wished one everlasting spherical and the Canadian staff first considered Toronto, the place the there was already a spherical.”
Drapeau wished a tour with a begin/end in the course of the stadium for 60,000 spectators.
Francois Dumontier
“The native authorities stopped that concept. The town council did not consider that Method 1 can be something, they did not see a future within the sport.”
One of many promoters went to Drapeau. The mayor was instantly enthusiastic and shortly had a venue in thoughts: the Olympic Park.
Dumontier: “I noticed the images, he wished a circuit with a begin/end in the course of the stadium for 60,000 spectators. The FIA was not a fan of it, as a result of the V12 engines would do an excessive amount of noise in such a stadium.”
“However Drapeau had an alternative choice: the island constructed for the world exhibition. The primary sketches of the circuit are nearly equivalent to the route as we all know it at the moment. And all of the drivers are nonetheless captivated with it.”
An extended contract with Method 1
Montreal has a contract with Method 1 till 2031, an eternity in comparison with some (European) races that need to battle for his or her place on the calendar each few years.
“Now we have to be artistic, as a result of we wish to keep a part of Method 1 for even longer,” says Dumontier. The island isn’t getting larger, however with buildings like this extension on the water,” he stated, “F1 can hold coming right here for years to come back.
2024-06-08 07:21:34
#Olympic #rowing #route #Montreal #circuit #plan
