Midsomer Norton Judo Club have recently returned from Ambares et Lagrave in France, where they took part in their annual twinning exchange with their twinned French club, AS Ambares Judo-Jujitsu – an exchange that has now been going on for 35 years.

Twenty-one members from the club went on the four-day trip, where they stayed with host families and participated in various activities. As always, everyone had a fantastic time.

On the day of arrival, the club’s members had a welcoming lunch, before taking part in a joint-training session with their French counterparts, instructed by AS Ambares Judo-Jujitsu’s Hervé Branger, and followed by a disco in the evening.

Morning on day two saw the club’s members visit the Dune du Pyla, the tallest sand dune in Europe, followed by lunch at a restaurant in the oyster port of La Teste. In the afternoon, they visited a treetop adventure park where the members zip-wired from trees.

Day three started with a visit to Bordeaux to see the sights, do some shopping and have lunch, followed by some bowling in the afternoon. In the evening, both clubs took part in a randori challenge, where members of each club competed against each other. After the challenge, members from both clubs exchanged gifts. This was followed by the presentation of the twinning trophy between Midsomer Norton Judo Club’s Mark Comer and AS Ambares’ Gilles Poeydaban. The twinning trophy is traditionally passed between the clubs every year.

The final day saw a mini game of baseball take place in the morning, followed by some lunch before the English visitors headed to the airport to return home.

The club would like to thank everyone that took part in the exchange and those that help organise the trip, especially Mark Comer. 2019 will see the French club visit England for the continuation of the twinning and the friendship between the two clubs, which grows stronger every year.

Midsomer Norton Judo Club welcomes people of all ages and abilities. For anyone interested in taking up judo, or for more information on the club, please contact the club via Facebook or call Colin Taylor on: 01761 419703.