Filming for the third season of High Tides has officially begun This season promises to deliver another intense storyline filled with drama not only along the Belgian coast but also in the snow will be joined by new faces to be revealed at a later date The third season of High Tides is produced by Anthony van Biervliet directed by Anthony Schatteman Dingie produces the series for Netflix and VRT with support from the City of Knokke-Heist and the Belgian Federal Government’s Tax Shelter initiative High Tides Season 3 is expected to be released in 2026 on Netflix This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Race leader prevails in crash-marred finale Lorena Wiebes wins stage 1 of the Baloise Ladies Tour 2024(Image credit: Getty Images)Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) in the leader's jersey(Image credit: Getty Images)The peloton on stage 2(Image credit: Getty Images)The peloton on stage 2(Image credit: Getty Images)Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) won her second stage win in as many days at the Baloise Ladies Tour extending her lead in the overall classification Wiebes launched her sprint from 300 metres to go and never looked back winning the slightly uphill sprint ahead of Team dsm-firmenich PostNL teammates Charlotte Kool and Rachele Barbieri in Knokke-Heist Wiebes extended her lead in the overall classification ahead of three Team dsm-firmenich PostNL riders; 12 seconds ahead of Kool as the race heads into stage 2's 126km race in Zulte on Friday The first road race stage of the Baloise Ladies Tour was a 113.8km race from Breskens to Knokke-Heist The pan-flat course opened with a 48km race toward the finishing circuits where the peloton completed two and a half loops before an expected bunch sprint in Knokke-Heist The field remained intact as they entered the ciruit where they raced about half a lap before passing through the finish line with two full laps remaining Sara Fiorin (UAE Development Team) launched a solo attack and pushed her lead out to 30 seconds with 35km to go while SD Worx-Protime led the peloton for their overall race leader Fiorin looked over her shoulder five kilometres later to see the peloton charging toward her from behind and she was caught inside 30km from the line marshalled their respective teams at the front of the field setting a fast pace into the closing kilometres of the race Pfeiffer Georgi (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL) who started the day in fourth overall with just five seconds behind Wiebes sprinted for the time bonuses available as the field passed through the finish line for the last lap A crash in the peloton saw Silje Bader (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL) go down but she was up and on her bike quickly and chasing to get back into the race but SD Worx-Protime left nothing to chance dragging back every rider who tried to gain time on the field Lotto Dstny's Audrey De Keersmaeker finally broke the elastic band with a searing attack with 22km out followed by Julie Sap (Fenix-Deceuninck Development) and Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset (Team Coop-Repsol) gaining 20 seconds De Keersmaeker and Sap were reabsorbed into the field Ytterhus Haugset desperately tried to stay out front There were two crashes in the peloton; the first with 7.2km out and a second crash saw several riders go down inside three kilometres out Lotto Dstny and EF Education-Cannondale were the first teams to start their lead-outs into the final kilometre with Team dsm-firmenich PostNL moving to the front through the last corner and into the run-in to the finish line none could contest the sprint against Wiebes as she secured her second stage win Results powered by FirstCycling Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006 Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023 Astrid Mestdach serves as the councillor for urban planning As part of the “Empowering Legal Leaders: Navigating risks and seizing new opportunities” roundtable organised by the Paperjam Club on Tuesday 22 October who serves as the councillor for urban planning What are the emerging risks in the tourism industry that Knokke-Heist is addressing and how are you adapting to these challenges Astrid Mestdach: “One of the biggest risks for Knokke-Heist is the seasonality people typically associate our municipality with nice weather or summer while it is very important for our local economy to spread visitors over time That is why we focus on sustainable tourism all year round just outside the summer in order to extend the season.” This winter there will be numerous winter activities to experience We also focus on all-weather infrastructure: we bring interesting exhibitions all year round there is a real entertainment gallery (The Smiles) with bowling and karting the Zwin Nature Park organises activities in all seasons.. Our marketing campaigns also run all year round Because we attract not only Belgians and Luxembourgers their holiday periods fall at different times.” What measures does Knokke-Heist take to ensure effective information governance particularly regarding tourist data and contracts we naturally attach great importance to data protection and work in accordance with the GDPR legislation to guarantee the privacy of our visitors.” “Data is very important to us to improve our operations how long they stay here and how much they spend we work with the data from GSM signals that we receive from telecom operators and with payment card data we work together with an external partner who supplies us with the data The combination of data sometimes provides surprising insights after a number of years a Luxembourger spends the most on average per payment card That is why we continue to focus on advertisements and campaigns for the Luxembourg market We also discovered that when it is busy in Knokke-Heist because the ‘big spenders’ prefer to stay away.” we handle this data very carefully and it is anonymised and aggregated We also have data from our second home owners and that data would be very popular with advertisers But of course we will never pass on that data we do use it ourselves to deliver our KH Magazine to their home address but only if they indicate that they want to receive it.” we are very careful with our customer data and we follow the legal framework In our organization we have a DPO (data protection officer) who monitors compliance with privacy legislation and is very actively involved in this.” How is Knokke-Heist integrating modern technologies to improve its legal and administrative operations in the tourism sector “Knokke-Heist is certainly taking the necessary steps in this regard we are already working with certain software applications that simplify our administrative processes We also notice that many of these applications integrate AI within their systems which allows us to work and act more efficiently We recently started using a new CMS system for a website and you can clearly see how AI is already automatically integrated into that application.” we ourselves are already using tools such as the secure version of Chat GPT and Copilot to help us with data analysis and interpretation So we are certainly fully engaged in all these developments and are keeping a close eye on everything We are also experimenting and looking specifically at what can help us But we are also curious about what the coming years will bring.” the seventh edition of Knokke Hippique will be on the international showjumping calendar And this year promises to be an extra special edition The organisation is proud to announce that they have added a Nations Cup to the programme there is once again a Nations Cup on the Belgian show jumping calendar which will take place in Knokke-Heist for the first time The event starts with the two-week Summer Circuit and ends with a third and final show week which includes both the Nations Cup and the 5-star Rolex Grand Prix Barozzi Veiga – in collaboration with Tab Architects and Mosbach Paysagiste – has con the competition to renovate and enlarge the casino of Knokke-Heist a municipality in the Belgian province of West Flanders The new culture and leisure center includes an event space The objective is to restore the building in coherence with the new additions The project comprises a built-up area of 43,000 square meters and 42,000 of landscaped zones will be reconstructed in accordance with the qualities of the original design of the Belgian architect Leon Stynen (1899-1990) the new extension will reinforce the existing architecture with a fomal language that respects the north side creating symmetry between the new art gallery and the hall that harbors René Magritte’s mural there arent any match using your search terms Fabrizio Barozzi born in Rovereto (Italy) in 1976 He currently lives and works in Barcelona.He graduated as an architect in 2003 by the University Institute of Architecture in Venezia was born in 1973 and studied architecture at the School of Architecture of Navarre he worked as an assistant and planner in Patxi Mangado practices in 1997-2001 he worked as a designer of Guillermo Vázquez Consuegra where he worked on a number of projects awarded In 2004 he settled in EBV Architects with Fabrizio Barozzi Projects currently teaches 3rd year at UIC.EBV Architects is an architectural firm located in Barcelona and founded by Fabrizio Barozzi (Trento The experience accumulated over the years in collaboration with renowned architects has allowed prestige EBV start a professional career where independent research plays a major role The study EBV and has been awarded with many awards nationally and internationally.  Archive Competitions A 26-year-old man from Knokke-Heist (West Flanders) died unexpectedly while on holiday in Panama last weekend local police are assuming his death is suspicious after which his body will be transferred to Belgium The 26-year-old businessman was on holiday in Panama with his brother and friends he was found dead in his hotel bed the next day his father and brother have confirmed big brother or as he was known to many Uncle Trio or the Chairman was found dead in his hotel bed in the hotel where we were staying in Panama ‘Given his youthful age and good physical condition the authorities are treating this as a suspicious death,’ the family says ‘An autopsy will take place on Monday and Tuesday Maxim will then be repatriated to Belgium during the week Thanks again to everyone for their support.’ The Belgian foreign office has also confirmed the death Officials are following up the case via the local embassy Proposed offshore island to protect a haunt of Sinatra and Dietrich would be its ruin It is known affectionately as Belgium’s answer to St Tropez – a town once frequented by Frank Sinatra and Marlene Dietrich and which has inspired the pop art of Keith Haring and surrealism of René Magritte who painted the walls of the town’s casino in an attempt to limit the damage to the Belgian coast from rising sea levels has announced plans for an artificial island of 40 hectares (99 acres) 1.2 kilometres from the sandy beach been slow to respond to climate change and its coast has suffered severe damage during recent storms the plan will create a calm channel of water in front of its beach that travel in and out of the port of Zeebrugge “We would be an industrial harbour with a kind of open sewer in front of us,” Lippens said It would be the end of tourism in Knokke-Heist That is why we are fighting for our lives.” said the municipality’s tourism revenues of €700m a year would be halved should the plans be approved The 77-year-old has hired specialist lawyers to fight his corner The threat of rising waters is not unappreciated by the authorities in Knokke-Heist and popular with artists since the Belgian painters James Ensor and Alfred Verwee captured its vistas on canvas in the early 19th century The sea is expected to rise by 30cm by 2050 and 80cm by the end of the century Storm Dieter brought waves around two metres high crashing onto the front About €17m was invested in a rebuilding programme which included the replacement of 1.2m cubic metres of sand Not everyone agrees. Cathy Coudyser, who sits for the Flemish nationalist party, the N-VA, in the Flemish parliament and on the city council, said Lippens, a member of the Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams party, was playing politics before an October election. She told the Belgian daily Het Nieuwsblad: “We have explained to Mayor Lippens the plan several times. Still, he continues to send wrong information to the world without blinking, including on the website of the municipality. “Doing nothing is not an option for Knokke,” she added. “The coast in Knokke is a weak zone, which is severely affected by a violent storm, probably with a lot of damage and heavy flooding. “Several other options have been studied, such as raising the sea dyke. But then the apartments would disappear behind a concrete wall. That seems to us a much worse solution.” The Flemish government has already released €8m for the island, which is part of its 2020-26 coastal management plans. This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025. The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media. ​CategoriesCategoriesEnglishCULTURE, TOURISMZoute Grand Prix kicks off hopes to break record of 400,000 visitors3 October 2024 This year's edition of the Zoute Grand Prix will take place from Thursday to Sunday on the beach of Knokke-Heist an exhibition and an auction of unique cars the event for classic and exclusive cars will take place in an 11,000 square metre beach pavilion That will house the eighty or so cars that will be auctioned on Sunday afternoon during the Zoute Sale by Bonhams The pavilion will also host the Drivers' Club where all the participants of the rally and the GT Tour will meet a 'car boulevard' has been set up on the seafront where everyone will be able to see thirty special cars displayed according to three different themes where electric cars will be on display,' says CEO Koen Van Hout The Zoute Grand Prix kicked off on Thursday with the 'scrutineering' of the cars taking part in the Zoute Rally these cars will appear at the start of the rally A 1951 Ferrari 340 America Touring Berlinetta is up for sale and is expected to fetch between 3 and 4 million euros Organisers are already expecting large crowds this weekend "We are very pleased with ticket sales and see that they are soaring thanks to the beautiful weather We hope to break last year's record of 400,000 visitors," says Van Hout #FlandersNewsService | © ​ BELGA PHOTO and VIDEO MAAIKE TIJSSENS Copy linkGet updates in your mailboxYour email addressSubscribeBy clicking "Subscribe" I confirm I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy rapid and high-quality information 24 hours a day from Belgium and abroad to all Belgian media not to mention entertainment and lifestyle our journalists and press photographers produce hundreds of photos and news stories Since the end of March 2022 English has been added as a language businesses and various organisations that need reliable information Belga News Agency also offers a comprehensive range of corporate services to meet all their communication needs www.belganewsagency.eu The slightly uphill drag to the line favoured the Belgian three stages in the UAE Tour and two in the AlUla Tour so far this year It was a tactical battle for the stage win and Merlier took advantage of Philipsen's reluctance to start the sprint "I felt it was the right moment," Merlier said "We didn't have a lot of speed because of the headwind I knew we had everything under control in the final kilometres I deliberately stayed in the wheels after the last turn." Merlier said he wasn't on his best form after racing the Giro d'Italia and was surprised to win the stage especially against the fresher riders here," Merlier said "I've done this stage quite a few times before and I've never won a stage in the Tour of Belgium before Stage 1 winner Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X) managed to keep a narrow lead in the general classification after coming seventh on the stage and snatching one of the intermediate sprint bonuses "I was a little too tired to sprint but I still have one second lead," Wærenskjold said "When I came into the finish it was a little hard so I didn't have the best legs the sprinters were highly motivated to contest stage 2 of the 2024 Tour of Belgium an 184.2-kilometre stage from Merelbeke to Knokke-Heist The mostly flat stage had some climbs and cobbles familiar to riders from Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Nokere Koerse but these obstacles were largely limited to the first half of the stage It took almost an hour for the day's breakaway to be established the WorldTour teams kept the gap to an easy-to-close level Seven riders from lower-ranked teams made up the move with Ward Vanhoof (Flanders-Baloise) Gianni Marchand (Tarteletto Isorex) and Max Kroonen (Volkerwessels) getting a maximum of 1:45 and the race was all back together with 75km to go Dries De Bondt (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) won the sprint in Damme with 48km to go The peloton hit the closing circuits all together Visma-Lease a Bike and Soudal-Quickstep fighting for control Philipsen found himself with Olav Kooij on his wheel and delayed his jump while Merlier took advantage of the delay to sprint away to the stage win Results powered by FirstCycling In several seaside resorts, the construction of beach bars has already started. Officially today is the first day work can commence. In popular Blankenberge and up-market Knokke-Heist the builders are already hard at work. There they hope the beach bars will be ready to open within 2 weeks. During the warm, sunny days of the recent half-term break, they would have come in handy, but operators had to wait for the official start of the beach bar building season. Even though it was bitterly cold with a nasty northerly rolling in from a grey North Sea, in Blankenberge they immediately rolled up their sleeves and put grease to their elbows. ‘People are always happy when they see us again,’ explains Jarne De Fauw, manager of the Lilo Beach. ‘They wave from the promenade and wish us good luck.’ ‘Winter has lasted long enough. And this is ideal weather to build our beach bars. Last year, we had to do this in the rain. Dry weather makes a big difference for us!’ Most hope to open in as little as two weeks. ‘Today we are mainly busy putting up the fences and marking everything out properly,’ says Dean Dekempe of Sun Beach. ‘And of course, we’re shovelling a lot of sand.’ Blankenberge boasts 13 beach bars or similar establishments, which puts it in 2nd place in terms of the number of beach bars. Without a doubt, the front runner is Knokke-Heist. There, there are no fewer than 24 beach bars. ‘The sun put in an appearance at the start to the construction of our beach bars, children's parks and the first beach cabins in Knokke-Heist,’ says alderman Bert De Brabandere.  ‘We can already start to dream of a wonderful summer.’ In the other coastal resorts too, beach bars will gradually appear on the beach. Nine are planned in Ostend, eight in Middelkerke. Zeebrugge, De Haan, Bredene and Nieuwpoort each have 3, Koksijde 2 and De Panne only 1 beach bar. ​CategoriesCategoriesEnglishCULTURE, TOURISMCartoon Festival in Knokke-Heist takes a closer look at human existence6 July 2024 The 63rd edition of the Cartoon Festival starts in Knokke-Heist on Saturday with the theme Choose Life, featuring art by Belgian and international cartoonists at three locations. Curator Christophe Floré chose Pieter De Poortere as guest curator and his creation Boerke as a source of inspiration this year. In the thematic exhibition Choose Life, everything revolves around the question: how do we shape our lives? Is it fate, or do our choices play a crucial role? The cartoonists were inspired by the many aspects of the human existence for this exhibition that "explores the mix of unrest and humour in a world that seems to be becoming increasingly absurd". © PHOTO CARTOON FESTIVAL 2024This year the festival has entered into a creative collaboration with Opera Ballet Vlaanderen (OBV) OBV has put cartoons in the spotlight for its upcoming productions Festival visitors will be immersed in a "listening shower" in Ravelingen Hall will host a live drawing battle between De Poortere The artists will be given numerous assignments to be judged by the audience ​ in real-time Koudekerke Park hosts an open-air gallery featuring the best 100 cartoons from Belgian newspapers magazines and social media from the last year Cartoonists from 70 countries submitted more than 2,000 cartoons for the Golden Hat Competition the oldest cartoon competition in the world In addition to these exhibitions are signing sessions The free exhibition runs until 1 September EXPRMNTL is the most important event that has ever been organised for experimental cinema This amazing festival (five editions between 1949 and 1974) organized in Knokke-le-Zoute in an empty casino between Christmas and New Year was a key place for experimental film in the critical period of its development and actually almost the only meeting point for avant-garde filmmakers for years the place where experimental movements connected But EXPRMNTL was way more than that: it remains a fascinating experience in the history of underground culture its founder and director (who was also the director of the Royal Belgian Film Archive) said : ‘The greatness of Knokke lies in its bringing face to face meetings; it is that which gives Knokke its true interest’ to provoke unexpected meetings (with also had an important social and political aspect) happenings happened and scandals broke out: this is where Underground film came to Europe where Jean-Luc Godard saw Jack Smith’s Flaming Creatures secretly shown in a hotel room; where Yoko Ono did a naked performance with Jean-Jacques Lebel; where German students of the Students for a Democratic Society (including Holger Meins future member of the Rote Armee Fraktion) demonstrated against experimental cinema talks and live performances will discuss the history and importance of the festival and will try to bring back some of its spirit Screening of the following films:The Big Shave (Martin Scorsese 6’)Self Obliteration (Jud Yalkut & Yayoi Kusama 11’)Continuous Sound and Image Moments (Jeffrey Shaw 12’)Il mostro verde (Tonino de Bernardi & Paolo Menzio 11′)VW Vitesses-Women (Claudine Eizykman 36’)Le Vampire de la Cinémathèque (Roland Lethem 24’)Alternated with:– talks and discussions with Jud Yalkut Tjebbe Van Tijen and Theo Botschuijver (former members of the Event Structure Research Group / Sigma Projects) and more.– the screening of EXPRMNTL rare footage and documents including Jud Yalkut’s never seen before 8mm footage from EXPRMNTL 4 (1967) documents about Movie Movie (an expanded cinema performance with a big dynamic inflatable structure created for the festival in 1967 by the Event Structure Research Group / Sigma Projects also involving the band Musica Elettronica Viva) and more.– live performances by Charlemagne Palestine (USA) and two live soundtracks by Stellar Om Source (NL) and Danielle Lemaire (NL) on Le Vampire de la Cinémathèque (Roland Lethem A free-form fucked-up film commissioned by the Glasgow music festival INSTAL Based on Super8 recordings of live performances Join a group of curious and connected film enthusiasts new insights and inspiration accessible to everyone Posted by | Jun 18, 2024 | , , | is launching its inaugural beach club in Knokke the brand will transform Yssis Beach into a tranquil haven adorned in turquoise and orange reflecting the colors of their popular Ritual of Karma line THE DETAILS  The club will also offer branded goodies such as The Ritual of Karma beach tennis rackets and a sunscreen distributor known for their lotus flower and white tea scent including sun products like after-sun lotion and cooling after-sun shower cream expressed his personal affinity for Knokke citing it as the ideal location for the brand’s summer venture “Knokke is a beach town that I personally love It’s one of the reasons why Rituals will be there this summer” Contact UsSubscribePrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyTerms & Conditions Copyright © 2025 Global Cosmetics Media Limited AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTSlide 1 of 12,A six-bedroom villa in the Zoute neighborhood of Knokke-Heist a resort on the North Sea near the border of Holland Share full articleA Six-Bedroom Villa in Knokke-Heist BelgiumThis three-story house in the Zoute neighborhood is on the market for about $3.5 million A court has convicted the worldclass Belgian actor Jean-Claude Van Damme on charges of drink-driving in the Flemish seaside resort of Knokke-Heist A year ago Van Damme was visiting with his son when he lost control of his steering wheel The actor currently resides in Hong Kong and was not present at the West Flemish police court He was sentenced in absentia to a driving ban of 2 months and 8 days and was fined €1,920 Van Damme lost control of the wheel in Knokke-Heist The tree fell over and damaged a parked car But both he and his son appeared to have had too much to drink Van Damme’s son Nicolas was convicted of similar offences in neighbouring Zeebrugge and Heist on 17 March taking place in the Belgian municipality of Knokke-Heist on 11 October (though sadly not during the traditional Zoute Grand Prix which has been postponed to 2021 because of the coronavirus) comprises a small but high-quality selection of classic and modern cars pitched at the wealthier and more discerning collectors.  Spearheading the auction is the BMW 507 Series II that was delivered new to His Royal Highness Prince Constantine II of Greece in 1959 It’s one of just 252 of the Albrecht Graf Goertz-designed drop-tops built and has been in its present ownership for over 30 years Eligible for the world’s greatest events including the Mille Miglia and the Tour Auto the BMW has an attached pre-sale estimate of 1.9–2.3m euros.  Sharing the heights of the catalogue is a concours-standard matching-numbers 1963 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso (est 1.6–1.8m euros) and a rare triple-black 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster (700,000–900,000 euros) we’re rather taken with the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 that was ordered new by King Baudouin of Belgium How good does the Grand Tourer look finished in Imperial Crimson over beige Connolly hide It’s estimated at 250,000–300,000 euros.  Bonhams is offering examples of both the first- and second-generation Ford GT an all-black European model originally delivered to the former team manager of Scuderia Filipinetti and in as-new condition is expected to garner 300,000–400,000 euros a one-owner grey car with just 1,500km on the clock is expected to sell for 700,000–1m euros.  Archive Architecture Anyone being in the coastal municipality of Knokke-Heist in Belgium around Remembrance Day might think that they are in Canada as thousands of red maple leaf flags will be flowing throughout the area The initiative was spearheaded by two Belgian brothers who wanted to commemorate the sacrifices made by the men of the Canadian Third Infantry Division during World War Two — of which the Stormont Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders were part of We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentFred and Danny Jones are also curators of the For Freedom Museum of Knokke-Heist — a coastal municipality that borders the Netherlands the residents of Knokke-Heist have commemorated their liberation by Canadian soldiers a Canadian Liberation March was inaugurated The annual pilgrimage saw over 4,000 participants follow the path Canadians took in Oct Your weekday digest of the top stories from our newsrooms in Cornwall By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of Eastern Ontario Midday Roundup will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The pilgrimage as well as other Remembrance Day ceremonies have fallen victim to COVID-19 however — but that sure didn’t deter the Jones’ brothers no town in the world will boast more Canadian flags than Knokke-Heist a token of respect and gratitude towards the people of Canada,” said Danny is very proud in the way that we all honour the sacrifices Canadians made during WW2 — he even calls our hometown Maple Leaf City.” The two curators first encouraged the Knokke-Heist population to hang out the Canadian flag along the fronts of their home back in 2012 more than 1,000 flags have been bought by our civilians in honour of the 1,000 Canadians who sacrificed their life for our liberation,” said Danny In an attempt to further honour the sacrifices made by Canadians the two brothers opened their very own museum in 2009 It depicts the Battle of The Scheldt Pocket — codenamed Operation Switchback The museum is home to more than 100 mannequins The Battle of the Sheldt is considered to be a series of military operations made by the First Canadian Army — of which the Canadian Third Infantry Division was part of These operations took place in the north of Belgium and in the south west of the Netherlands The area’s liberation led to the opening up of Antwerp which assisted with supplying the Allies in north-west Europe The First Canadian Army was not only made up of Canadians It also possessed Polish and British units attached to it fracine@postmedia.com transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. 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By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy The Championship of Knokke-Heist was a real thriller With absolute top riders and equally fantastic horses competing in the 1.50m class the game was on The competition that was ridden over two rounds had 38 horse-and-rider combinations in the first round of the five-star challenge Only six of those managed to cross the finish line with zero faults on the scoreboard But with fifteen riders allowed to return in the second round – carrying over their penalties from the first round – the competition was lifted to an even higher level Eight pairs entered the sunny Zoute Plage with four faults on their list Of these combinations Jos Verlooy (BEL) and Jacobien Dwerse Hagen (a-Vite x Querlybet Her) climbed the rankings the most With a very sharply ridden round and a great final line the duo earned an overall sixth position in 4/0 – 38,30 starting his second round with Sterrehof’s Edinus (Padinus x Columbus) with just one time fault He knew that riding a clear round would keep him in the top five of the Championship and chose to the ride a quick but not too risky round Earning an eventual fifth place in 1/0 – 43,70 American top rider Mclain Ward was the first rider to start his second round with a clean slate He gave a majestic performance with his very careful jumping mount Contagious (Contagio x For Keeps) The pair made the task set by course builder Uliano Vezzani (ITA) almost look easy They finished the second round with a big leap over the final oxer and finished in what would be the second-fastest time in 0/0 – 37,67 the runner-up smiled while he referred to the winner who was last to go and not winning today only means there is another chance to have a go at it tomorrow.” Willem Greve (NED) had his eye on the prize with Highway M TN (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x Chellano) earning oeh’s and ah’s after a sharp rollback to the Rolex vertical and a sprint towards the last Audi oxer the pair finished in fourth place in 0/0 – 38,76 Gregory Wathelet (BEL) and Faut-Il des 7 Vallons (Comme IL Faut 5 x Double Espoir) also made a great effort to earn the Championship title With only 0,20 seconds over Mclain Ward's time they slotted into third place in 0/0 – 37,87.  Eduardo Pereira de Menez (BRA) was the final rider of the class and meant business right from the start Knowing the task at hand he stuck to his original plan and with his magnificent jumping stallion H5 Elvaro (Calvaro F.C x Heartbreake) snatched the win from Mclain Ward by stopping the timer half a second faster “The credits really go to the organization of this show and to my horse the winner commented after the prize giving ceremony.  “I know that when I make no mistakes myself I have a good chance with this horse to do well In both rounds everything went like I planned it That does not guarantee a win but that is a great bonus of course With my team we have altogether 25 horses here It is great that they can jump over three arenas at all levels And then to end the day with a class like this and even become winner of the Championship is excellent.” © 2025 World of Showjumping - All rights reserved Powered by Artionet - Generated with IceCube2.Net Old Cars WeeklyPublished Oct 10 2023 2:35 PM PDTShare this storyAn enthusiastic crowd at the Bonhams|Cars Zoute Sale 2023 Belgium – One of Bonhams|Cars biggest sale on its international calendar brought exceptional results at the Zoute Sale in Knokke-Heist this year's auction garnered incredible attention boasting the highest registrations on record for any Bonhams|Cars auction at more than 1,400 and over 3,500 people in the room eagerly bidding live to culminate in the final sale result of over €27 million and achieved 87% sell-through rate and 96% by value Bonhams|Cars debuted a new 7,000 square meter pavilion with its new branding to accommodate the impressive collection on offer and the influx of crowds arriving daily Over 30,000 car enthusiasts from Northern Europe and beyond were welcomed over the three days of previews and from afar bidders online reached new heights the sale was led by Bonhams|Cars Managing Director Maarten Ten Holder and supported by Chairman Emeritus Malcolm Barber who managed to spot the many bids in the room amongst the large crowd buyers hailed from 21 countries reaching as far as Europe Thrilling the room was the matching-numbers and Ferrari Classiche certified Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta TdF This rare car in an elegant gold exterior campaigned for 37 years by the late Plinio Haas and was fully restored to the highest standards by the best names in the business Everyone’s eyes were on this lot when it came up and with multiple bids it sold to its new North American custodian for €4.83 million Many paddles were raised for the iconic 1929 Bugatti Type 37 Grand Prix The hypercar’s striking color scheme and top speed will surely turn heads for its new owner who took it home for €1 million Also securing strong results for supercars was a 2014 Porsche 918 Spyder going for €1.2 million against its estimate of €600,000-900,000 The Orange Collection – eight Aston Martins from the same era in a bespoke tangerine orange with matching orange interior – sparked international attention The enthusiasm continued during the live bidding with many people actively participating both in the room All eight cars reached impressive results and achieved €750,000 all in Remarkable models once in the hands of notable individuals included a 1970 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 "Daytona" Berlinetta in previous ownership by French singer Christophe likely many fans in the room of the late singer Also offered in the sale was a 1998 Aston Martin DB7 Volante Alfred Dunhill Edition formerly owned by Jennifer Lopez and featured in her “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” music video The ultimate car for the beach town of Knokke-Heist surprised the crowd with competitive bidding for this special model Another unique model was the 1997 SAAB EX Protype made as a 50th anniversary tribute to SAAB Next up for Bonhams|Cars is Golden Age of Motoring in London on November 3 followed by On The Grid during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as the official auction partner of the Formula 1 Paddock Club™ on November 25 About Bonhams|Cars - Bonhams|Cars uniquely offers a choice of live online and private platforms for buying and selling collector cars—platforms characterized by levels of trust and transparency born of over three decades of experience as the premier automotive auction house Through prestigious live auctions around the world and our recently introduced Private Sales service Bonhams|Cars makes it simple for buyers and sellers to find the platform that best meets their needs Bonhams|Cars host 17 live auctions annually participates in all the significant concours around the world and presents unique selling opportunities at international events such as the 2023 Formula 1® Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as the official auction partner of the Formula 1 Paddock Club™ The Quail on the Monterey Peninsula in California Rhode Island and The Zoute Concours d'Elégance in Belgium With dedicated motoring departments in London Bonhams|Cars has a world-class team with expertise in all divisions from vintage cars to racing motorsport and automobilia to motorcycles For more information, please visit BonhamsCars.com If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and get a FREE complimentary digital issue download of our print magazine © 2025 Active Interest Media All rights reserved Old Cars WeeklyPublished Sep 13 2023 4:02 PM PDTShare this story1959 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta ‘Tour de France’ Right: The 250GT at 1960 Coupe des Alpes (Spinedi/Briffault) Bonhams|CarsBonhams|Cars - Headlining the Bonhams|Cars Zoute Sale is the elegant Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta TdF – recognized by the title ‘Tour de France’ for its dominance in the French car-racing marathon during a coveted time in racing history The matching numbers 250 TdF campaigned for 37 years by the late Plinio Haas has been fully restored to the highest standards by the best names in the business and ready to perform at prestigious competitions This beautiful golden-colored example will be offered for sale during the Zoute Grand Prix – one of Europe’s most prestigious car events – in the coastal Belgium town of Knokke-Heist on October 8 The 100-lot sale is expected to achieve in excess of €25 million which will be the most valuable sale for the Bonhams|Cars decennial anniversary The 77th Ferrari TdF was the very last example built by Scaglietti and chassis 1401GT features open headlights and is a ‘single vent’ model with alloy coachwork from the Modenese coachbuilder to a Pininfarina design Chassis 1401GT competed at races such as the Gran Premio della Lotteria in Monza Garessio-Colle San Bernado hill climb (1st place) the Mitholz-Kandersteg hill climb in Switzerland In 2016 the car went through restoration to the highest standard in Maranello where the original engine was reunited with chassis 1401GT The car was painted in Oro Chiaro (Light Gold) as back in 1959 and the interior was re-trimmed in maroon leather In 2018 it was issued its Ferrari Classiche Certificate of Authenticity – the famous ‘Red Book’ – and since then the car has been displayed at the 10th Annual Zoute Concours d'Élégance held at Knokke-le-Zoute Belgium in 2019 and ‘Ferrari 75 Years’ exhibition held at the Autoworld Museum A 1956 Bentley S1 Continental once owned by influential fashion photographer This is one of only 24 left-hand drive examples and features a special interior This exclusive car comes with Newton’s autobiography which details the story of acquiring his “beloved Bentley” and driving it home which he described as “a state of complete euphoria.” which was delivered new to England and is a matching numbers engine example that has been upgraded with the desirable disc-brakes This model was an immediate hit with the 1950s 'jet set' including royalty A recorded 0-100km/h time of 7.0 seconds and a top speed of 200km/h made the 300 SL Roadster one of the fastest convertibles of its day A 1929 Bugatti Type 37 Grand Prix is a highly original and well-known example The Type 37 is one of Bugatti’s most iconic and recognizable racing cars This unique model has a great continuous ownership history that includes artist René Durey and aviator/engineer Louis Blériot Bonhams|Cars uniquely offers a choice of live For more information, please visit BonhamsCars.com Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker a small coastal town in Belgium is adorned with thousands of Canadian flags Even though it’s thousands of miles away pays homage to Canada every year because the 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade liberated it on Nov Knokke-Heist was one of the last towns liberated in Belgium To pay gratitude to the Canadian soldiers who liberated them from the Nazi occupation every year Located near the North Sea and bordering the Netherlands Knokke-Heist was occupied by German forces at the beginning of the Second World War Allied Forces launched a mission to free access to the port of Antwerp the First Canadian Army led a series of military operations that became known as the Battle of the Scheldt It was during this Battle that the town of Knokke-Heist was liberated To honour the soldiers who lost their lives in liberating their town the people of Knokke-Heist decorate their homes with Canadian flags during Canada Week and his Council encourage the inhabitants to decorate their homes with the Canadian Maple Leaf Flags “This is in honour and gratitude for The Fallen Liberators young men between the age of 17 to 30 years all peacefully buried at the Canadian War Cemetery in Adegem It breaks one’s heart when you stand in front of their graves to salute them,” stated Danny and Fred Jones The men are sons of a British Second World War veteran “No town in the world is decorated with more Maple Leaf Flags than Knokke-Heist during the Canada Week that is why our Mayor Piet Degroote is so proud to name Knokke-Heist visit Knokke-Heist during this time every year Canada Week will culminate in the 48th Canadian Liberation March It is all organized by the local historical society “Cnocke is Hier,” the For Freedom Museum the For Freedom Museum highlights the Battle of Scheldt and Operation Switchback The museum displays more than 120 mannequins dressed in military outfits and depicts 19 war scenes involving Canadian soldiers the museum celebrated its 100,000th visitor in August “The For Freedom Museum has a long-lasting relation with Canada and was honoured in 2017 with the Governor General David Johnston’s Medallion at Essex farm Cemetery wrote his famous poem ‘In Flanders Fields the poppies blow,'” stated the release In 2012 the Jones’ brothers encouraged the Knokke-Heist population to hang the Canadian flag along the fronts of their home “Since then over 1,000 flags have been bought by our civilians in honour of the 1,000 Canadians who sacrificed their life for our liberation,” Danny shared to the Sudbury Star in 2020 Visit here for more information about the For Freedom Museum You must be logged in to post a comment amsterdam-based practice NL architects has sent us images of their competition-winning design of ‘school in knokke-heist’ an academic and multifunctional hall in the northern municipality of belgium the project pinwheels off a central ‘heart’ which will serve an active role in the daily life of the school resulting in a intuitive and efficient circulation scheme the single-storey facility benefits from a maximized surface area of glazing which facilitates abundant natural lighting and views towards the nearby farmland apertures that pucker up from the roof further allows sunlight to penetrate through to the interior surface the exterior crevices which are generated from the branching arms are utilized as parks a flexible parking/drop-off zone seeps into the school’s ground to efficiently use the plot’s area the center of the building hosts a gymnasium which can serve as a meeting place and a public place for ceremonies and festivals the heart is wrapped by a corridor which acts as an internal arcade that distributes the circulation around the building featuring a thick wall for building in dressing rooms and storage space this space also contains amoeba-shaped cavities which provides a number of private nooks for studying and playing the classrooms are conceived as flexible spaces and lack a fixed arrangement the window sills are extended to provide informal seating opportunities for a more interactive environment for learning extended window sill serving as working surface (top row from left to right) primary school nursery school (bottom row from left to right) theater/restaurant client: gemeente knokke-heist architects: pieter bannenberg kamiel klaasse project leader: sarah moller design team: michael schoner and gen yamamoto with shuichiro mitomo luca kaptein roodnat (cover drawing) structural engineer: ABT antwerpen- ABT belgie climate and energy consultant: CENERGIE cvba cost consultant: bremen bouwadviseurs bv AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style Camille Van Puymbroeck is a Belgian freelance journalist with a big interest in anything lifestyle and ecology-related Nothing makes her more happy than visiting a former Soviet building Her work has previously been published in Metro Luxury cosmetic brand Rituals is bringing its first beach club to the Belgian seaside town of Knokke The Dutch company will be setting up camp for a month from 5 July and promises beachgoers a luxurious Knokke is generally known for its luxurious vibes where people come to see others and be seen which has been a staple in the European cosmetics scene since 2000 “Knokke is a beach town that I personally love” CEO at Rituals Cosmetics, explained his choice for the city “It’s a unique place where I come to relax It’s one of the reasons why Rituals will be there this summer.” Rituals will take over the famous Yssis Beach in Knokke all the equipment will be turquoise and orange to match the well-known Ritual of Karma line The Ritual of Karma products smell like lotus flower and white tea and do offer a wide range of sun products including an after-sun lotion and a cooling after-sun shower cream its beach club will be the perfect place to enjoy the sun to play some beach volley or simply to be seen the beach club will also offer a selection of branded goodies including The Ritual of Karma beach tennis rackets Rituals-themed tapas and a sunscreen distributor In case you simply can’t wait for 5 July, during the month of June, Rituals’ beach club is in the Netherlands, at Tijn Akersloot, in Zandvoort you’ll be able to get a taste of what the Knokke Rituals beach club will look and feel like Essential cookies enable basic functions and are necessary for the proper function of the website Statistics cookies collect information anonymously This information helps us to understand how our visitors use our website Netflix announced the start of production for the second season of the beloved series High Tides and adventures from familiar faces such as Pommelien Thijs The returning cast will be joined by new faces High Tides is a production by Dingie for Netflix and VRT in collaboration with Dutch FilmWorks and with the support of the City of Knokke-Heist and the Tax Shelter measure of the Federal Government Overlooking the vast North Sea and sitting on the white sandy shores of Knokke-Heist beach in Belgium is a two-storey ephemeral hotel named Tender2 by Belgian designers Royal Botania Despite the fact it could pass as a large shipping container from afar the hotel is a lesson in complete luxury and seclusion 24/7 butler service and indulgent breakfasts from chocolatier Patrick Roger and evening meals are prepared by Michelin star chef Laury Zioui of Belgium restaurant L'eveil des sens contemporary furniture provided by Royal Botania featuring some of the brand's most recognisable products including its commended sheltered hammocks here's hoping the hotel relocates somewhere equally spectacular as Knokke-Heist next summer Website VIEW GOOGLE MAPS escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox Jan De Nul dredged as much as 500,000 m³ of sand to elevate the beach of Knokke-Heist on behalf of Agentschap Maritieme Dienstverlening en Kust (MDK) JDN’s trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) Pedro Álvares Cabral – sailing on 100% second-generation biofuel – carried out the sustainable dredging and beach replenishment works along the Belgian coast This reduced the vessel’s CO2 emissions by 80% to 90% Jan De Nul raised the beach by pumping ashore a large quantity of sand the company kept the shape of the coastline intact in a natural way The site office is highly energy-efficient because of its green energy supply “We are currently investing heavily in a renewal of our huts for all sites only eco-site huts will be part of our infrastructure,” said JDN The CO2 emissions achieved on this project are 88% lower than the reference footprint Daily news and in-depth stories in your inbox On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced sanctions against a network of companies associated with Belgian businessman Hans De Geetere, which supplied Russia with electronics for military equipment, circumventing sanctions. This information is detailed in the statement from the U.S Hans De Geetere has been involved in the illegal export of military technology from the U.S semiconductor devices that are currently a priority for Moscow along with individuals associated with him Hans De Geetere and his network attempted to transport electronics to Russia through Hong Kong and Turkey. De Geetere operates Belgium-based Knokke Heist Support Corporation Management (Knokke Heist) Cyprus-based Eriner Limited (Eriner) Cyprus-based The Mother Ark Ltd (The Mother Ark) and Netherlands-based European Trading Technology B.V. (European Trading Technology) Among the goods that the Belgian businessman tried to send to Russia were integrated circuits of the same model found in Russian-made drones in Ukraine A total of nine legal entities and five individuals are involved in the illegal electronics supply scheme including Russians Vladimir Kulemekov and Sergey Skvortsov Sanctions have been imposed against all of them by the United States The United States regularly announces sanctions against those who facilitate Russia's military-industrial complex Part of the Magritte mural in the town's casino Princess Delphine of Belgium drives a BMW 507 roadster ahead of a classic Porsche 911 Classic cars line up at the start of the rally Static displays include the Mercedes Vision One-Eleven concept The rally took place across the wealthy beachside community The rally also ventured out into the surrounding countryside 1959 Ferrari 250 GT ‘Tour de France’ Once owned by Swiss racing driver Plinio Haas the 1959 Ferrari went for a total of €4.83m A 1960s Maserati Mistral leads a Porsche 356 Amy Serafin takes to the well-heeled streets of Knokke-Heist to experience the Zoute Grand Prix its annual cavalcade of classic car-related events So you want to be an Instagram star? Consider investing in a vintage Fiat 500 Jolly beach car. An adorable sky-blue model from 1959, with wicker seats and an open roof, went up for auction at this year’s Zoute Sale in Knokke-Heist, Belgium The beach community known as Knokke Le Zoute was having one of the year’s busiest weekends and lifestyle festival in early October that includes a BonhamsCars auction of vintage and classic cars an exhibition of new top-of-the-line contemporary cars The Fiat Jolly had competition for attention – seemingly every other car on the road that weekend was a collector’s item and the quiet atmosphere was punctuated by the muscular growl of revving engines A particularly excited group gathered to photograph a Bugatti Chiron with German plates explained that an alert about the car had gone out on social media ‘You don’t see many like this,’ he said But fine cars are never an unusual sight here; even a young woman working in the hotel lobby pulled out her phone to show off her family’s two Porsches Commonly referred to as Belgium’s Saint-Tropez Knokke-Heist was settled at the beginning of the 20th century by three families who catered to British tourists by building a golf course and white villas with red tile roofs.  ‘I didn’t know how to spell Knokke,’ said Volz ‘Now I’ve had about five solo exhibitions here.’ Female drivers were definitely a minority in the Zoute Rally which attracted 250 historic cars and typically has a waiting list took the wheel of a red 1963 Jaguar E-Type she smiled: ‘Because it’s my car.’ we had to beg to sell cars in Knokke,’ said Filip Static displays include the Mercedes Vision One-Eleven concept Product expert Ed Drake said that the car’s bespoke road sound (to alert pedestrians to its presence) was recorded by an orchestra imitating the sound of a Rolls-Royce accelerating Tucked away among the collector cars was the new Rimac Nevera the young Croatian brand’s first commercial automobile which has set the record as the world’s fastest electric production car: 0-100 km/h in 1.81 seconds Brand manager Bernard Van Bellingen said they sold one car this year – a special version for €2.4 million – and that the year’s second sale ‘will arrive’ were on display in the Zoute Gallery pavilion All of them hit the block on Sunday at BonhamsCars’ tenth annual Zoute Sale which has quickly become one of the world’s most important auctions of rare collection cars poured by servers in Magritte-inspired bowler hats.  Several cars (notably supercars and hypercars), sold for close to one million euros or more, receiving audience applause each time they hit the milestone. An immaculate 2014 Porsche 918 Spyder with less than 400km on the odometer doubled its bottom estimate to reach €1.2 million ‘Who woulda thought?’ said the auctioneer but this car ended up being a steal at just over €40,000 The star of the sale was a stunning beige 1959 Ferrari 250 GT ‘Tour de France’ with all original parts owned for 37 years by Swiss racing driver Plinio Haas pushing the day’s total sales to more than €27 million it sold for an impressive €155,250 to a bidder from the United Arab Emirates Zoute Grand Prix, ZouteGrandPrix.be, Cars.Bonhams.com The interior was designed by Grain Designoffice tactile mix of natural materials and colours the Belgian interior architect agency perfectly captured the soul of the North Sea Think organically shaped benches made of prefabricated stamped concrete a floor in which shell fragments were subtly incorporated a broadloom storm carpet by Pierre Frey and details in weathered brass and copper A special feature is the entrance with reception desk in Belgian bluestone a ceiling from which dune grass grows and lighting reminiscent of the setting sun If we wanted to catch the essence of the interior of the new Dunas restaurant in a nutshell we would start telling you about the prefabricated rammed concrete benches with soft cushions in organic shapes It looks like the wind has blown and shaped them against the wall undulating movements in the walls and ceiling European larch pine and details in weathered brass and copper make you think about ships that have weathered a storm or two It is clear that Grain Designoffice took its inspiration from the North Sea for the design of restaurant Dunas the entire interior reads like an exercise in translating the surroundings into the interior With Dunas' location on the boundary between water and shore From stormy deep blues and greys to greens and beiges reminiscent of soft summer days A great example is Verilin's transparent sand-coloured curtains with blue colour dégradé but at the same time manages to surprise with some unexpected twists A concrete back wall curves around a cluster of benches creating a sense of intimacy and security while dining It stands in stark contrast to the open bar in the centre of the restaurant that serves not only guests but also passers-by who pop in for a quick aperitif Puzzle of organisation and concept​In the room It clarifies the balance between open and closed spaces between high and low seating comfort and between soft and rough textures The short walkways between the kitchen and the hall are also a grateful element in the restaurant's practical layout The acoustic plastering of the ceiling benefits the restaurant experience both aesthetically and functionally of aesthetics and the flow of a restaurant is one that the team at Grain Designoffice enjoys solving the entire space was topped with a cosmopolitan sauce The playlist and the DJ booth with a vintage light by Hans-Agne Jakobsson is the icing on the cake The result is a restaurant that not only indulges in culinary delights but also serves a unique everlasting experience Whoever enters the restaurant is led through the sober and restrained entrance hall into the new spatial experience of Dunas you notice the reception desk in Belgian bluestone and a luminous ceiling from which dune grass grows ​ The whole is flanked by a circular lighting fixture the team developed themselves the colour of the lamp indirectly emits changes with the passing of the day; from warm white in the morning to orange-red in the evening Grain Designoffice's statement is fully expressed With acoustic plastering from ceiling to floor an artistic wall-to-wall carpet by Pierre Frey a chandelier by Haberdashery that shines like the sun on the waves and a table made by Grain with lake poles as legs you almost literally step into the North Sea but you will have a warm heart for this exceptional place on the Belgian coast Restaurant Dunas opened its doors in November 2022 You can join chef Fran Mertens there for casual fine dining in a gourmet setting Belgian interior architecture firm Grain Designoffice was founded in 2016 by Sander Bullynck and Nick De Moor The duo's realisations range from residential homes over interior architecture for property developments to hospitality projects Their portfolio is characterised by the powerful combination of textures and volumes by the captivating contrast between roughness and refinement and by the timeless simplicity that Bullynck and De Moor always manage to achieve they find the challenge of seamlessly reconciling aesthetics and practical flow and derive satisfaction from conceptual thinking The results are hospitality projects that excel in experience and remain memorable thanks to their unique and special atmosphere List of materials and designer brandsRammed concrete (by Enjoy Concrete) Bluestone (Van Den Weghe)Acoustic plastering on ceiling (by Aardig Gedacht) Bespoke floor with shells (by Aardig Gedacht) Cast brass / bronze (door Fo le Fer / Atelier Tourain) - tablet at bar handles front door & private diningOnyx natural stone for the washbasins (Van Den Weghe)Weathered copper (by Fo le Fer) Fitted carpet in private dining (by Pierre Frey) Chandelier in private dining (Haberdashery)Textile (Verilin)Benches (by Collett & Victor) Furniture by RR interieur (Gubi & Baxter) Three German World War II bunkers have been unearthed on the coast of Belgium Situated just a few feet below the surface these bunkers had the capacity to house up to 10 soldiers The bunkers were found in Heist-Willem's Park located on the coast of Belgium near the border with the Netherlands the park's territory was used as a German position to accommodate heavy artillery batteries known as Freya and Augusta Advanced bunkers were also present for observing ships in the English Channel Some of these structures were repurposed by the German army during World War II and further fortified as part of the Atlantic Wall—a coastal defense system built between 1942 and 1944 along the coastline of continental Europe The bunkers were discovered by the Nature and Forest Agency during a restoration project called LIFE DUNIAS One of the discovered bunkers (photo: Municipality of Knokke-Heist) Excavations just a few feet deep revealed three Gruppenunterstand Type VF2a bunkers This type was designed to accommodate a Gruppe (the smallest German unit consisting of 10 soldiers) who operated advanced radar positions The bunkers have external dimensions of 6 by 7 meters and are covered with a 1-meter thick reinforced concrete roof The project also uncovered traces of brick trenches and a large quantity of debris containing items such as crockery "These ruins illustrate the previous attempts to completely erase the park’s war history The lighter structures were demolished and reduced to rubble while heavier bunkers were covered with a layer of soil and hidden as if they had never existed," said a representative of the LIFE DUNIAS project British architect Steve Marnoch and his Belgian collaborator Dimitri van Hauwaert have won the contract to design a new golf course at Knokke on the coast of Belgium which is already home to Royal Zoute Golf Club ranked as one of continental Europe’s top courses has been mooted as a potential site for more golf for many years Plans are now being submitted for a massive new development on this famous piece of Belgian coastline Count Leopold Lippens selected Marnoch and van Hauwaert to design the new facilities As part of a major recreational development The master plan for the golf course complex and the improvements for Knokke-Heist are now being shown as part of a public exhibition in Knokke and featured in a book entitled Horizon 8300 The development of a second golf complex in Knokke-Heist is part of the further development of the tourist/recreational infrastructure Each nine hole loop has been given an individual character with the eastern course focusing on the theme of water windswept links and the westerly course will be partly integrated into a proposed 35 ha public woodland on the outskirts of the city The complex will also include practice area driving range and new clubhouse and parking A new congress hotel will be developed to create a direct link to the new golf course in cooperation with the community of Knokke-Heist Marnoch says the overriding character of the new complex will be in a natural rolling links style As part of the overall Knokke-Heist improvements the Zeno Project in the Zwin Dunes and Polders will aim to protect endangered species and biotypes with construction expected to start in 2012 Belgium's Wout van Aert takes the silver medal and Remco Evenepoel bronze and breaking Belgian hearts as their hopes for a victory in their home world championships faded into second and third place at the finish.  Though van Aert had set the fastest time at both intermediate time checks, it was Ganna who measured his effort to perfection. The duo proved to be a notch or two above the rest of the field, as an enormous 40 seconds populated the gap between Van Aert and his compatriot Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) my condition has improved a lot after a short camp at altitude,” Ganna said at the finish “I did the European Championships but my legs didn’t feel very good and I didn’t know if I could arrive at the Worlds in good shape But today when I woke up I had good feeling in the legs and to defend this jersey for me is very important I hope to honour it again for another year.” Ganna also heaped praise upon his Belgian rivals Van Aert and Evenepoel saying that “we are all good guys and in the end we have good respect Winning in your home country is amazing but sorry today I woke up with a dream to win and when I started my race I wanted to win and it's fantastic to keep this jersey again Thank you to the guys for motivating me to improve and I’m really happy.” On the start line of the men’s elite time trial in the 2021 UCI Road World Championships four riders were billed to contend for the title: the European time-trial champion Stefan Küng (Switzerland) the defending world champion Filippo Ganna (Italy) and home favourites Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) and Wout van Aert (Belgium) But four cannot fit onto the three-stepped podium and a flat 43.3km course on an unusually still day beginning along the seafront of Knokke-Heist and travelling inland to central Bruges wearing the jersey of the Italian national time trial champion having beaten his compatriot Ganna earlier in the year was the second rider to start and first to finish automatically setting the first best time of 50:53.23 His benchmark would be short-lived for by the time Sobrero had finished the course multiple riders had recorded faster times than him at the first checkpoint.  Dan Bigham (Great Britain) was the first to surpass Sobrero’s time at the finish completing the course 55 seconds faster than the Italian before Max Walscheid (Germany) shaved another 17 seconds off the fastest time Showing the time gains available on the latter parts of the course who had completed the first 13.8km 1.5 seconds slower than Walscheid set a new best time at the finish by a full 28 seconds Bisseger’s effort was obliterated by Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) who arrived in Bruges just under a minute later having completed the course 42 seconds faster than Bisseger The fallibility of Evenepoel’s time was first indicated by Kasper Asgreen (Denmark) who passed through the first checkpoint 6.98 seconds faster than the Belgian In a breathless start to each of their time-trials Kung beat Asgreen’s time by 4 seconds then van Aert went 17 seconds faster than Kung As the favourites flew towards the second time check Asgreen and Kung both faded on the course’s middle third while van Aert seemingly began to assert his authority over the field arriving at the second time check 30 seconds faster than his younger compatriot Only Ganna was able to maintain van Aert’s pace stopping the clock at the second time check less than a second slower than the Belgian the Belgian fans on the roadside attempted to influence its outcome imploring van Aert to pedal a little faster while playfully urging Ganna to slow down Ganna proved too strong and completed the course five seconds faster than van Aert punching the air as he crossed the finish line Issy Ronald has just graduated from the London School of Economics where she studied for an undergraduate and masters degree in History and International Relations Since doing an internship at Procycling magazine she has written reports for races like the Tour of Britain recaps of the general classification at the Grand Tours and some features for Cyclingnews going to the theatre and watching a probably unhealthy amount of live sport From the moment that FC Barcelona authorised the Penya Barcelonista Knokke-Heist in Belgium in February 2013 its members were clear that solidarity actions were going to be one of the Penya’s main activities and all 300 members have been working with that objective in mind Their first action came about in April 2013 when a charity dinner raised funds for 3 fresh water pumps for Cambodia capable of providing drinking water to five families With the support of the Trailblazer Foundation the project was put into action and in November the club president Vanderhust Daniel visited Cambodia to see the pumps in action the club continues its solidarity work and looking for ways to help the less fortunate and they have planned another charity dinner for May this year the penya stresses the importance of solidarity – a key value of the Club It only spans 40 miles but the Belgian coast is one long line of fun resorts all linked by the world’s longest tramline Desperate for crashing waves on a beautiful sandy shore – but keen to avoid a beach packed with boozy post-lockdown holidaymakers – I’ve opted for a road trip along Belgium’s North Sea coast which stretches for 40 miles between the French and Dutch borders There are 15 resorts dotted along the dunes that line the entire coast and as Belgium has been out of confinement since 8 June enjoy a traditional Belgian beer in a cosy pub-like estaminet or sit outdoors at a sunny beach cabana and the only reason to book is to ensure a table capacity having been reduced to ensure social distancing While it is easy to drive here from the UK, via the Eurotunnel or the ferry to Calais or Dunkirk, I am embarking on a different kind of road trip, jumping on the Eurostar to Brussels, followed by a local train to Ostend, where right outside the station, De Kusttram €7.50 for a day ticket) is waiting to whisk me off to my first stop this is the starting point of the world’s longest tramline which hugs the coast up to Knokke-Heist near the Dutch border After checking in at De Panne’s family-run Hotel Cajou (doubles€120 B&B), I forgo the tempting beach just across the road and head to Westhoek nature reserve on the edge of town Travel brochures describing the reserve’s dunes as a “Little Sahara” had caught my attention and on a sunny July morning I discover a landscape of peaked dunes stretching as far as the eye can see De Kusttram Photograph: AlamyDuring an hour-long ramble I meet just one man and several paths lined with thick heathland gorse and a kaleidoscope of sea lavender Walking back into town I pass the Sportstrand a kilometre-wide beach where people are racing up and down on high-speed sand yachts – basically go-carts with sails – a sport invented here in De Panne In town the weekly Saturday market is in full swing pedestrians follow one-way signs on the pavement to avoid close contact – but I don’t know about this and feel like Jacques Tati in the 1971 film Traffic until locals politely ask me to cross the road Pedestrians follow on-way signs to avoid close contact Photograph: John BruntonAt the entrance to the market friendly young volunteers in bright yellow “Summer Safe 2020” T-shirts squirt gel on our hands as we patiently line up (Recent laws made face coverings compulsory in shops and museums.) I buy provisions for a lunchtime picnic – local cheeses and home-cured ham and salami – and walk over to the beach With brightly striped windbreakers and retro bathing huts with rented sunbeds and deckchairs laid out to ensure each group has their own bubble Families are having all the usual fun: building sand castles There are signs everywhere warning people to respect distances – and of a possible €250 fine – but the police presence is minimal and three constables patrolling the boardwalk I speak to are confident they could even cope with an invasion of partying bank holidaymakers I notice that we are also being monitored from above With striped retro windbreakers and and umbrellas the coast resembles a Victorian seaside postcard Photograph: John BruntonBack at the hotel restaurant over a dinner of plump moules marinières and crispy frites “We are delighted to see people coming back especially foreigners who are discovering our coast for the first time This section of the Belgian coast is not strong on campsites, but there are some delightful B&Bs, especially in the neighbouring town of Koksijde, where I discover the romantic Loxley (doubles €125 B&B) a half-timbered 1930s cottage where owners Anne and Koen also run a bistro and bar in the garden where the beer list runs to some 300 varieties I then put on my mask (obligatory on public transport) and pick up my faithful tram again Bredene and neighbouring De Haan stand out from other Belgian resorts as neither were afflicted by the 1970s building boom of concrete holiday apartments Bredene may be the coast’s best-kept secret: there are no buildings at all along its seafront pristine beaches and a couple of casual bars – perfect for a sunset cocktail The modern town lies inland on the other side of the main road where some 28 campsites offer self-catering chalets Prices are reasonable at the friendly Veld & Duin (pitches from €20 apartments or caravans sleeping 2-6 from €550 a week in summer or €100 for two nights off-peak) run by a brother and sister team You can’t miss the campsite as it has an upturned caravan outside the entrance There are six beaches at Bredene – one used to be nudist but has been reserved for day-trippers this summer – and electronic roadside panels indicate whether beaches are empty, filling up or already at capacity. This efficient Crowd Barometer operates all along the coast and can also be checked online At the busy Jeannine tearoom, a big sign announces: “We are so happy to see you again”. It is in English because “it is the international language of tourism,” says Paul, a young masked waiter. “We are already seeing a lot of foreign travellers arriving.” Read moreIn between De Haan and chic Knokke-Heist is the retro resort of Blankenberge. With its art deco pier, surf club and kitsch amusements – including the 1933 funny-bike Lustige Velodrome – the town revels in its role as the noisy neighbour Sipping a beer at Salito Beach bar tells me: ‘‘I like to think we are a family-orientated democratic resort where everybody is welcome And while some of our neighbours are trying to discourage day-trippers that is not the spirit here in Blankenberge Just look around: on one of the sunniest days of the year there are no huge crowds a stunning wetland and bird reserve inspired by the philosophy of the UK’s Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust founder Numbers are limited and visitors must book a 30-minute time slot during which to enter As I follow the trail through the freshwater marshlands I pass numerous lookout spots equipped with high-powered telescopes for birdwatching This is a popular migratory stop-off for spoonbills as well as a dozen families of storks perched on high poles whose changing landscape ebbs and flows with the North Sea where many visitors don wellies or go barefoot across the inlet The only company here is the grazing Highland cattle and the distant worries of lockdown life seem to be from another world This trip was supported by Visit Flanders. For further information see belgiancoast.co.uk