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Farewell to two CERN club giants

Freddy Streun, co-founder of the CERN Ski club, and Norman Eatough, founder of the CERN Croquet club, are retiring from their club activities after decades of tireless service

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Freddy Streun and Norman Eatough
Freddy Streun (left) and Norman Eatough (right) (Image: CERN)

The multinational nature of CERN is such that, since the Organization’s early days, members of our community have added their own national sports to the wide-ranging activities coordinated by the CERN clubs. Freddy Streun, the Swiss co-founder of the Ski club, and Norman Eatough, hailing from the United Kingdom and founder of the Croquet club, perfectly embody this facet of the CERN “melting pot”. After decades of event planning, organising, sweat and, above all, good fun with colleagues, they are both retiring from their respective clubs.  

At 95, you can still find Freddy Streun on the slopes – he was an active instructor until he was 93 years old! And while this long-time ski enthusiast is leaving the CERN Ski club, advancing years have nothing to do with it: he’s just leaving the region. In 1963, he sat on the club’s founding committee and became its President in 1965. Since then, he has helped to steer the club from various positions, including as Vice-President, as it grew in membership and scope over the decades, offering everything from outings to competitions and lessons. Freddy was instrumental in organising these events each winter, and his expertise and vivacity will be sorely missed.

In 40 years as Croquet club President, Norman Eatough has left a distinctively British mark on CERN. After founding the club in 1982 with a small band of fellow Britons, Norman oversaw its steady expansion and diversification. Under his leadership, the club contributed to the formation of the Swiss Croquet Association, which led to similar clubs being created in Sion and Zurich. Now, at 89, Norman has handed over the Presidency to David Underhill during a club meeting in which he was presented with a statuette depicting a croquet mallet and a plaque commemorating his 40 years in charge.

We wish Norman and Freddy long and happy retirements and hope to see them around at CERN!