Dates and Locations of historical Championships 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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1956
Pierre Bel, a professional juggler, discovered baton twirling through Bill Finch, who was performing with the Harlem Globetrotters in 1958 at Wembley Stadium. They became friends, and Pierre Bel, deeply passionate about this new discipline, began practicing baton twirling.

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1961–1964
Exchanged extensive correspondence with twirling instructors in the USA and Japan, including during a long tour in Asia in 1962.

 

1962
Pierre Bel met the famous Norman Crider during the ice show The Wizard of Oz at Wembley Arena in London.

After extensive practice, he incorporated elements of baton twirling into his juggling act, which focused on balls, rings, and clubs.

 

1966
Pierre Bel also met Don Sartell. They exchanged ideas extensively. At the same time, majorette clubs began to emerge across Europe, with members performing in carnivals and parades. While majorette organizations were developing, Pierre Bel remained focused on baton twirling. He taught throughout France and Europe, including his daughter Christine, who later became French National Champion in 1969 at the age of 14 in Nice, at a time when there was only one competitive division.

Don Sartell opened a new international chapter in Drum Major, in which Pierre Bel participated.

 

1971
Don Sartell invited Christine Bel to AYOP, marking the first European participation. She attended Summer Camp to learn new twirling techniques and met many famous teachers.

 

1972
Invited by Don Sartell, Pierre Bel took part in the closing show of AYOP alongside another professional twirler, Diane Shelton. He also taught juggling during the week at Notre Dame University. Pierre Bel then ended his juggling career to focus exclusively on baton twirling.Don Sartell and Pierre Bel continued their exchanges, and Pierre Bel began organizing baton twirling competitions open to everyone, using the new format based on age groups and divisions, as it was done in the USA. This initiative was a great success and was not connected to any organization.

 

1974
Pierre Bel invited the first American NBTA World Champion, Sophie Ann Schwab, for a tour of workshops throughout France.

 

1975
He organized a similar tour with Cindy Harms.

 

1976
Pierre Bel created the Baton d’Or, which was very successful. European organizations and foreign clubs joined this new competition format and later began organizing events themselves with the help of Pierre Bel.

 

1978
Don Sartell organized a European tour with 200 NBTA athletes from the USA, which included a stop in Marseille at the famous Stade Vélodrome for a large festival organized by Pierre Bel and his team 

 

1980
Pierre Bel passed away in 1980.

 

1982–1984
Following his passing, Martin Chappell, as President, contacted Christine Bel, who became Technical Director, to organize the first European competition under NBTA rules. NBTA Europe was officially created in 1984, with England, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, and Luxembourg as founding members. Belgium, the Netherlands, and Scotland joined shortly afterward, followed by countries such as South Africa, and later Eastern European countries, including Croatia, the Czech Republic, and Russia.

1985

First European Championship
The first European Championship under NBTA rules was held in 1985 in Torquay, England.