“It’s a missed shot, a humiliation, thank you ma’am”… The announcer is merciless, to the delight of the spectators. Alongside them, under the basketball hoop culminating at 3 m high, thousands of pieces of ceramic pile up and form a curious heap. On closer inspection, you can make out blue borders on the breaks, first names and drawings of traditional characters, characteristic of the famous winged bowls that tourists passing through Brittany snatch up.
“We are told all year round that objects should not be broken. There is a transgressive side to seeing them fart. It pleases a lot or it disturbs, especially the children, ”smiles Florian Le Teuff, Deputy Mayor of Nantes in charge of Breton issues and official organizer of the “breton basket bowl”.
This wacky event is undoubtedly one of the most popular disciplines of the second edition of the Brittany Games, which promote traditional Breton sports and games in Nantes for ten days. Except that the basket bowl has nothing historical. “It’s a pure invention, inaugurated during the first Games in Brittany last year, says Stéphane Briand, one of the organizers. The main objective is to create a gap with the other disciplines and, of course, to laugh. “Mission successful. Because the laughter is permanent in the face of the spectacle of the fifty candidates who struggle every nightwith more or less success, to find the basket.
“We all hope to see the world record fall”
In total, some 3,000 genuine bowls from the famous pottery of Pornic will end up in pieces. “These are bowls that were withdrawn from sale due to defects. They were going to end up in the recycling center,” reassures Florian Le Teuff. “It’s a great initiative, it’s original, good spirit, accessible to everyone”, appreciates Jérémy, who participated, Friday evening, for the second time. “It’s exceptional to have this kind of game, it lets off steam,” adds Adrien, another candidate.
The rules are simple: the first throw is made at a distance of 3 meters. If successful, the second takes place at 5 meters. And in case of new success, you have to try directly for the “world record”. A large part of the public is there for that. “That’s what makes the charm of the event. We all hope to see the record fall, ”says Adrien who, Friday evening, managed to push the mark from 14 m to 14.10 m, to cheers. “Having a world record in your name is not trivial after all,” he appreciates.
Unfortunately for the 30-year-old from Nantes, another competitor will do even better a quarter of an hour later, setting the record at 14.50m. “It’s the new international record for Breton basketball,” shouts the announcer at the microphone. It must be said that Lionel, the winner, is trained: he has come back to try his luck “every day” since the start of the Brittany Games.
“The best technique is to take the bowl from below and make a good pendulum movement. The rest is luck, ”says the forty-year-old, also from Nantes. His attempt at 15 m will fail. Too bad, this supporter of Breton reunification and defender of Diwan schools remained, Friday evening, the only record holder. Honor which grants him the privilege of being offered a bowl, intact this time. “I hope the record will hold until Sunday,” he laughs.