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10th ITER Games

More than just sport

11 Sep 2023 - Shira Tabachnikoff
This year, the ITER Games were more than just a sports tournament; they were a celebration. The edition held on Saturday 9 September marked the tenth time that ITER employees and contractors, their families, and local sportsmen and women came together for a day of fun and recreation.
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Kayaking on the Verdon River is one of the highlights of the annual ITER Games.
The ITER Games were the brainchild of the former director of ASSYSTEM, Bernard Blanc, together with Mayor Claude Cheilan of Vinon-sur-Verdon, France, and the former director of Agence Iter France, Jérôme Pamela. They came up with the tournament as a way to unite all those who worked on the ITER Project for one special day of festivities and sports, and to raise awareness about the local associations available to ITER staff in order to encourage more integration with the local community.

They launched the Games 12 years ago (some editions were cancelled due to Covid). Cyrille Hours, a former ITER contractor who now works for the Region, added a festive, communal lunch to celebrate participants and winners when he joined the organization team during the second edition.

The latest edition of the ITER Games surpassed all previous participation records, with more than 700 enrolled. Sports such as trail running, mountain biking, tennis and kayaking on the Verdon River were popular once again, but it is at the soccer tournament where the drama and competition come to a head. The champions this year—Team 04—were a melting pot of staff from the ITER Organization, contractors, and staff from the Domestic Agencies, so in the end ... fusion always wins!

Nothing could be more Provençal than playing the game of petanque on the village square in Vinon-sur-Verdon on a hot Saturday afternoon. Sometimes a tape measure is needed for hotly contested points.
Playing tennis at the ITER Games is a way to meet partners for regular singles or doubles play.
Drama and competition came to a head at the soccer competition. Team 04 was the winner this year.
Lunch is served under the plane trees that line the village square.
There was plenty to do for younger children ... for example a shoes-off turn in the bouncy castle.
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