An event of enormous reputation and history.

The handball sportsclub De Hunze was founded in 1955. Six years later contacts were laid with the German club TV Cloppenburg, situated just across the border. That resulted in the first tournament, which was played on a training ground belonging to the local soccer club. Two playing grounds were marked by plastic tape, the forester donated wood, which the club collected by horse truck and the goals were build. By 1965 the tournament was already held on four fields and two German clubs participatied. This visiting players stayed the night with members and family of the orginasation club and Saterday evening a pleasant party was held in the village pub.

Many of the contacts laid in the very beginning still exist. Every year families from Gasselternijveen visit their German friends and clubs they first met in 1961. The players from those days are now the grandparents who com to the tournemant with their grandchildren. Indeed, also a lot of lasting relations started at het tournament!

The grounds of the local soccer club still host the tournament, and nowaday the organisation can accommodate 18 sports fields. There is ample space for camping both in own tents or in group tents which can be hired form the organisation. Every year the tournament is fully booked both on Saterdays for the youngsters and Sunday for the adults. This is not surprising since besides the sportive elements ther are plenty social activities, with the Friday night disco and the Sateruday night party/ball with a live "top 40" performance.

The eight board members of the organising committee are of course unable to organise such an event just by themselves, and are rightley proud of the enormous effort carried out bij the many volunteers every year. Without their help it woulb be inpossible to hold an event of this magnitude for both the Dutch and Foreign handball enthusiasts.