Sports in Ghent & East Flanders

GHENT: SPORTSCITY OF FLANDERS
The Flemish government nominated Ghent as the first Sports City of 2011, due to its excellent sports facilities, such as the Top Sports Hall – a regular venue of European and World Championships – and the Eddy Merckx Cycling Centre, the location of the European Road Cycling Championship in 2009.
Ghent is also a valued organiser of large-scale events. For instance, in 1998 the city of Ghent hosted the draw for the European Soccer Championship of 2000. In 2007 around 120,000 fans witnessed the arrival of the second stage of the Tour de France.
Attracting about 45,000 visitors a year, the Six Days of Ghent is an indoor track competition annually held at the velodrome Het Kuipke, in one of the city’s parks.
The Omloop Het Nieuwsblad one-day race, the opening classic of the Belgian cycling calendar, traditionally starts in Ghent.
The city was also the venue of the water skiing world championship in 2009.
And Ghent is now ready to welcome the athletes in preparation of the Olympics and Paralympics in London.

Interesting to know is that the Belgian Olympic delegation in Beijing (China) consisted of no less than 12 Ghent athletes, out of a total of 98.

SPORTS PROVINCE EAST FLANDERS
Investing in sports is investing in health. That is why the provincial government wants to mobilise as many sportspeople as possible. Through adapted sports and movement activities for all ages, muscled sports accommodations and a lending service for sports equipment. In short, an active sports policy that moves everyone!
The province of East Flanders wants to stimulate sports for everyone and to make as many as possible people adopt a healthy, active and sporty way of life, as well as contribute to a complementary and sound top-level sports policy particularly focused on the development of talent.
By means of a sports infrastructure policy the provincial government ensures the development of its own sports infrastructure, a co-ordinating and stimulating role with regard to spatial planning and the accessibility of sports infrastructure for the widest variety of sports. The province of East Flanders relies on the various regions and builds on the natural resources which make these regions so special.
With the motto 'purely for sports', the province of East Flanders wants to profile itself as the leading sports province.

CYCLING PROVINCE EAST FLANDERS
East Flanders is the leading cycling and biking province. There is a reason why the most exciting cycling competitions are held in its territory. Every cycling fan knows the Muur, Koppenberg and Molenberg. They are all magnificent assets the provincial government likes to boast with and invest in, to ensure that not only professional cyclists can conquer these 'mountains', but also every true cycling aficionado.

EAST FLANDERS, THE CRADLE OF MAJOR CYCLING RACES
Omloop het Nieuwsblad, Tour of Flanders, Ghent-Wevelgem, they all pass East Flemish soil. Particularly, the Flemish Ardennes are a dream location for these heroic races. That is why the province of East Flanders heavily invests in these races.
In addition, the province sponsors the Tour of Belgium, Driedaagse De Panne, Eneco Tour, Nokere Koerse, Natourcriterium in Aalst and Hamme, Heusden Koers, Six Days of Ghent, Cyclocross (Bollekescross, superprestige in Gavere, Koppenbergcross).

MOUNTAINBIKE
The number of mountainbikers has exploded in recent years, resulting in a steadily increasing demand for permanent mountainbiking routes and once-only mountainbike tours. That is why the province of East Flanders wants to profile itself as a mountainbiker’s paradise by digitising all the MTB routes and developing a network.

The Tour of Flanders Centre is a unique visitor and experience centre in Oudenaarde: www.rvv.be/nl/crvv/home

HIKING PROVINCE EAST FLANDERS
The East Flanders Tourist Office has a network of over 50 loop-shaped hiking routes, uniformly signposted with beige-green hexagonal signs on wooden posts. In addition, there are about 40 thematic hiking routes: these are not signposted, but come with a handy four-colour brochure with a map, itinerary and tourist information.
In the Leie region, Meetjesland, Scheldeland, Flemish Ardennes and Waasland both beginning and veteran hikers can find a suitable hiking route.

EAST FLANDERS, PROVINCIAL SPORTS AND RECREATION PARKS
The province of East Flanders operates seven provincial parks:
- De Blakken in Wetteren, a centre for the promotion of ornamental plant cultivation
- De Boerenkreek in Sint-Jan-in-Eremo, a sports centre at the largest creek in Meetjesland
- De Gavers in Geraardsbergen, a recreational park at a 20 hectare pond
- Het Gentbos in Merelbeke, a 22 hectare natural forest
- Het Leen in Eeklo, a 260 hectare forest and arboretum
- Puyenbroeck in Wachtebeke, a 500 hectare recreational park with the Provincial Sports Centre and the Puyenbroeck Golf Course
- De Roomakker in Tielrode, a 12 hectare nature reserve with three clay quarries