Gerrit Kluivers Memorial
25 to 35 km orienteering run through difficult terrain.
2026: July 24

Fred Charles and Vincent Faillard, 3 times winners of the GKM
(Fred also won the Mixed classification 2 times together with Marie-Anne Marquiz)

In 1997 I was a spectator at AVRO's 'Survival of the fittest' in Tigne. 3 teams from the Voshaar participated in that competition. During the final party I decided (under light pressure from Stef Beunk) that I could also organize something like this.

A year later, the 1st competition was organized in Charavines in France; 'Le Tour du Lac'. Seven Voshaar teams battled for the title over 2 days in sweltering France. After an exciting battle, the match was won by Willy te Selle and Wim Helmink. When Gerrit Kluivers died in December '98, his name was linked to the competition. In the years that followed, the field of participants grew. The first 2 matches were dominated by the team 'Tukker Terror' of Winfried Bats and Patrick Ros. Those were the years of the Mega obstacle at 'de Molen' (200 meters monkey hanging), swimming across the lake and DJ 'I like to move it' Eric. Deadlines were not adhered to, which resulted in the hurdles and finish times being shone (with the car's headlights) late into the evening. From 2003, the French teams entered. The pace of those men and women was looked at with amazement. A certain Jacky Boisset appeared at the start with his brother Sylvain under the name 'Les Dejantes' for their 1st Adventure race ( nowadays he is two-time world champion AR ). The French teams did not know 'our' way of signing up CPs. The winged statement 'they run very fast….om' was born. They had also never seen rope obstacles. After a few more editions, the French understood that system of entry (and knew what ropes were) and the team La Clusaz TSL of Fred Charles and Vincent 'le sanglier' Faillard crushed the competition 3 editions (with dozens of international teams) on queue. In those years, this team also won the Patagonia Expedition race, the Bimbache extreme and 'Le TransMassif', among other things, twice. So world class. There were also strong ladies at the start. What about Sandrine Beranger together with her buddy Denis Merlin. Sandrine was the winner of the 'Diagonales des fous' in La Reunion and 2 times 3rd in the Raid en France. In 2008 Allard Dericks and Hoite Cannegieter of team Salomon NL won the GKM. After a solo competition in 2009 in which Gwen Masson Schaefer (International for the French Kayak Team) took the title, the structure of the GKM has changed. Nowadays it is no longer an Adventure race, but an Orientation course.

In the 'big years' the GKM consisted of 4 competition days including the parts; Orientation, walking, mountain biking, swimming, archery, lumberjack, rope obstacles, bike & run, night orientation, kayaking, whitewater kayaking, hydrospeed, rock climbing and dinghy rowing. A 100 km course was no exception.

More photos at: www.facebook.com/VoshaarOutdoorAndEducation

Results
1998: W. Te Selle – W. Helmink
1999: W. Bats – P. Ros
2000: W. Bats – P. Ros
2001: D. Jeninga – J. vd Markt
2002: W. Ormel – R. te Grotenhuis
2003: W. Bats – M. Jans
2004: E. Rovekamp – Visser
2005: F. Charles – V. Faillard (F)
2006: F. Charles – V. Faillard (F)
2007: F. Charles – V. Faillard (F)
2008: H. Cannegieter – A. Dericks
2009: G. Masson Schaefer (F)
2010: Boecks – Marien (B)
2011: J. vd Berg – Lubbelinkhof – Lemstra
2012: Lohuis – Lubbelinkhof
2013: H. Klinkers – A. de Deugd
2014: J. Van den Berg – R. Beeren
2015: The Vos – van der Wielen
2016: S. Bussink – Pentecost
2017: Simons – the Lepper
2018: S. Van Dalen – D. van der Schreur
2019: C. Kluivers – J. Berg
2020: S. Somboek – J, Andrea
2021: C. Kluivers – C. Ternest (NL-B)
2022: Vos – van de Heiden (NL-B)
2023: J. Koudstaal – K. Kluivers
2024: C. Kluivers – G. Drijfwoud
2025: C. Kluivers – D. Roos