(5/21/2007)
Over 3,500 madcap runners from across Indonesia and the region gathered in Bali May 18-19, 2007, to participate in Pan Indo Hash 2007.
What is the Hash?
Founded in the 1930's in Singapore, the Hash House Harriers is an international association of cross country runners now boasting more than 300,000 members in over 1,000 clubs worldwide. Each of the clubs meets once a week at a different locality near their homes to undertake scenic runs followed by convivial sessions of earnest beer drinking.
The Bali Hash House Harriers (Bali HHH ) was founded on May 16, 1977 by an English eccentric, Victor Mason who, 30 years later, still lives in Bali and is a regular participant in the Bali runs.
Pan Indo Hash
The popularity of hashing in Indonesia was aptly demonstrated by the very strong turnout for the Bali event, a "dry run" for a Bali bid to host for a 2010 Interhash event that draws runners from around the world.
Did we say "dry run"?
Anyone acquainted with Hash House traditions knows a run is anything but "dry". Each of the many runs organized along river valleys and Bali's picturesque rice fields is followed by gatherings at the finish line where copious quantities of Bir Bintang are consumed in practice sessions for further imbibing at the evenings social gatherings that follow.
The Pan Indo Hash 2007 event was formally opened by Bali's Governor and the Mayor of Denpasar.
An International Event
Among the 3,500 runners coming to Bali were 89 hash clubs from Indonesia, 9 from Malaysia and hundreds of Hashers from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Holland, the U.S.A., United Kingdom and Kenya.
The Bali event was headquartered at the Inna Grand Bali Beach Hotel in Sanur where a final nights social gathering was held on Saturday, May 19, 2007.
The Bali event was a warm up for the Pan Asia Hash scheduled for Medan, North Sumatra on August 3-4, 2007 where an expected 4,000 runners are expected.
Over 4,000 runners are expected in Perth, Australia in March 2008 where they will attend the World Interhash. In Perth, Bali will once again renew its bid to host the succeeding World Interhash 2010 where an estimated 10,000 Hashers from around the world are expected to attend.
The latest Bali Hash event was clearly a "run away" success with Bir Bintang managing - just barely to provide sufficient brew to keep the thousands of runners well fueled.
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