Driving a tram around Luxembourg may look relatively straightforward, but what about stopping it within centimetres of a target, knocking down bowling pins, or even scoring a few points at basketball?
That was the challenge facing Luxembourg's Myriam Mekhfi and Rodolphe Toussaint at the 12th European TramDriver Championship in Warsaw on 19 September. The Luxtram duo were making their first appearance at the European championship, with Luxembourg competing for the fourth time.
They eventually finished 23rd out of 26 teams, scoring 3,805 points across eight disciplines and 52 runs. And the challenges were certainly not your everyday tram journey.
Competitors had to demonstrate smooth stop-and-go driving, control their speed at 25km/h, brake precisely at a target, negotiate lateral-distance tests, and even take part in tram bowling and basketball.
One challenge required drivers to make a perfect stop using the tram's second door, while another saw them reverse the vehicle while following whistle commands.
The overall title went to Prague (Czechia), with Vendula Tmejová and Zdeněk Rychtář scoring 6,000 points. Oradea (Romania) finished second and Sofia (Bulgaria) third.
For Luxembourg, the result was a step away from its best performance. The country finished fourth in 2019 and also produced the competition's best individual driver that year.
Mekhfi has been with Luxtram for six years, while Toussaint has worked for the company for three and a half years. Both were competing on the European stage for the first time.
The championship attracted thousands of spectators in Warsaw, while around 85,000 people watched the event online around the world.
So, while Luxembourg may not have brought home the trophy this time, its tram drivers can at least claim to have survived an event where tram bowling is considered a legitimate competitive discipline – something you are unlikely to find on the journey from Kirchberg to the city centre.
Watch Luxembourg's first run at the games here:
