Bruno Dewaele knew Bernard Pivot was ill but the disappearance of the essential man of letters, at the age of 89, leaves the Hazebrouckois ” shocked » : « From the French spelling championship to the Dicos d’or, Bernard Pivot was part of my life for twenty years », testifies the literature teacher who won the Grail, the title of world spelling champion, in New York, in 1992.
“ When giving me the award, he took from his pocket a collection of short stories that I had self-publishedLes Allées d’Étigny. The only book he presented at the UN. Quite an extraordinary memory », recalls, mockingly, Bruno Dewaele.
Scared and amazed by the “dictionary athletes”
Bernard Pivot knew how to play with seriousness, perhaps because he was as ” amazed than frightened by the athletes of the dictionary, as it defined the spelling championsobserves Bruno Dewaele. I find his ability to have transformed dictation, known to be boring, into such a popular and fun discipline fantastic. “.
Unfair scale
The Hazebrouck champion will also remember the conditions of access to the final of the French championship, which he won in 1985: “ With four faults, I was not qualified. I had challenged the rating. He initially replied to me that the jury remained with its decision before announcing to me, immediately afterwards, that the scale was unfair. He put me on edge, played with me a little. His facetious Gone side. »
