YOUR FORUM FOR PLAY, SPORTS UND LEISURE AREAS
Those who let their gaze wander to the horizon on the sports ground of the UWI Cave Hill Campus on Barbados are greeted by not just one, but two impressive sights: the sparkling blue waters of the Caribbean Sea and the blue and yellow synthetic athletic track on which the students of the UWI and various top athletes of the Caribbean state have trained and practised since the beginning of 2013. The colour selection was based on the blue and yellow national flag of Barbados. The synthetic tracks for all the track-and-field facilities have been produced by sports flooring manufacturer BSW.
Aside from the 400-metre circular track of the Regupol AG type, the new training complex comprises a steeplechase water jump, facilities for javelin, discus and hammer throwing as well as long jump, triple jump and pole vault facilities. A special feature of the running track is the fact that both straights of the track can be used for the sprints of the 100 and 110-metre hurdles as the straights were designed as home straights on both sides. The reason for it is the wind changing its direction on the track directly situated by the sea, depending on whether it is in the morning or in the evening. The weather conditions and the tropical climate on Barbados, however, do not have any influence on the physical properties of the Regupol flooring as the properties of the prefabricated Regupol elastic layer remain almost constant even with extreme temperatures such as high heat or below the freezing point.
The construction of the blue Regupol synthetic running track, reflecting the colours of Hertha BSC football club, at the Berlin Olympic Stadium has triggered a real trend for running tracks in blue and other colours. Being the pioneer of this trend, BSW installs running tracks all over the world that do not feature a traditional red surface. Besides, when the running track on the UWI Cave Hill Campus was built, BSW provided on-site advice and support to the university with the planning of the entire track-and-field facility including the substructure by consulting an experienced civil engineer. The company’s range of services also includes these consulting tasks. (www.berleburger.de)
