At the end of January 2026 I made a long journey to referee at the Belgian Open in Visé.
Another international event, always interesting to see how our friends on the continent do things.
https://judo-inside.com/event/18340/2026_International_Belgian_Open_Vise/judo-results
Friday - 400 mile drive
Somehow I ended up being the nominated driver, which was to add its own challenge as I'd not driven anywhere on the right previously so that was going to be an adventure. Particularly as I'd have another 2 referees in the car with me.
Setting of around 8am we started out on our 400 mile drive, via the Channel Tunnel, by the time we arrived I was knackered. Trying to navigate the small streets in Visé was a challenge.
So a relaxed meal and a beer then an earlyish night.
Saturday - mens competition
On Saturday I was refereeeing the mens competition in Visé. Convention in big Judo events is to run the preliminary rounds then the medal contests are fought off in one block. The referees that are involved in the medal block tend to be the senior refs who have had a good day, it's a sort of recognition from the lead referees that you've had a good day if you are chosen to be involved in the refereee team for the medal matches.
Someone thought I had a good day as I had several contests as a judge in the medal matches but also got to be the referee for a bronze medal match. That was a (pleasant) surprise.
It could have gone better - had an ippon downgraded to waza-ari. I reviewed the video afterwards and yep, I got it wrong. That's why we have a mjority of 3 system for scoring in Judo I guess.
To the end of the contest one player was ahead by that waza-ari with not long left on the clock. Then player 2 launches an attack and I award ippon (full contest ending score), which would be a dramatic change of the result. The winning player jumped up cheering with tears in his eyes, only for the judges to ask for a pause while they review the action.
I had to ask players to remain calm as the judges reviewed the action (video replay). One player thinks he has just snuck the win in the last seconds, the other is gutted. Judges are reviewing score there is a chance they could change score and the whole contest changes again.
After what felt like an age they finally agreed with me and the score stood. That was a big relief after the earlier over-rule.
And so at around 1830 I finally finished my ref duties for the day.
Then it was back to the hotel and a meal laid on by the organisors for all the referees.
Sunday - womens competition
On sunday I was based at the next town, Herstal.
A more reasonable finish time today, approaching 1700hrs.
I was involved in a medal match again but on as a judge this time. Probably for the best because the cold that had started yesterday was firmly taking hold by the afternoon on sunday!
Then a 90 minute drive to Antwerpe after the event with the aim if saving an hour on the drive back to blighty. Managed to get away with only once messing up the side of road I was driving on, when the junction markings in the dark confused. Thankfully there was no traffic coming the other way - if there was I don't think I'd have made that mistake as it's harder to get wrong when it would mean driving towards lights in the dark!
Monday - 400 mile drive home
Another long drive home, already tired but must concentrate on the roads and signs, not just the navigation but the different style of driving of the locals. Who seems to take any braking gap between cars as an invitation to slide into that lane.
What was nice was people seemed much more disciplined about moving right after overtaking. Which meant the motorways seemed to flow so much more smoothly than at home where people create rollong roadblocks by refusing to move back to slower lanes.
Another one in the bag
So another European trip to referee. That's number 4, and most probably the highest level of event I'm ever likely to do (impossible for me to get higher ref badge that would open door to higher level events, I'm too old apparently!).
It's also unlikely I'll get another invite to got ref abroad for a good while as there are a lot of UK referees would love to go and there are only so many invites the UK get for referees.
No tie this time. During my other trips to Venray and Bremen I managed to secure ties from various other countries. The Belgian refs I was working with didn't seem to keen to swap. So Belgian tie remains a blank in my collection!
Somehow I also managed to neglect to take any photos of the event or the ref team I was working with.
Even so, I got a medal match! So a good result all in.