18-05-2010-
The athletics track (9 lanes) in the Louis II Stadium and the area immediately surrounding it (the 2 long jumps, the throwing area, the discus cage and the steeplechase water jump) are to undergo renovation work.
The work will focus on the resurfacing of the areas concerned: the first few centimetres of the upper layer of the track will be scraped off, then replaced by rubber resin, cast in one jointless block. This is made possible due to the physico-chemical compatibility between the new and old resin. The track will be faster and therefore conducive to new records, including at the next Herculis athletics meeting - Diamond League on Thursday 22nd July 2010.
The colour of the new track, tartan red, is the same as the old one, which dates back to 2001.Only the half-moons and lane n° 9 (the extreme outer lane) will be of a different colour: a sand tone instead of white. Lane n° 9, which is not used during competitions, will be given a more flexible surface, favourable for warm-up and cool-down sessions, in particular for athletes who are starting to train again after injury.
The repair work will also provide an opportunity to carry out other ancillary work:
- testing the water resistance of the expansion joints under the track;
- repairing the small concrete wall surrounding the track and supporting the railings around the peripheral ditch;
- installing electronic timing devices below the track to obtain the running times achieved by athletes;
- the sustainability and conformity of the track, in particular within the framework of the Diamond League.
Guaranteed 10 years, once the work has been finished the new track will be certified a class 1 track by a specialised laboratory on 12th July 2010, with the aim of obtaining IAAF certification.
The main contractors involved in this project are CONICA MEGDE for the resurfacing work and PARCS ET SPORTS for the structural work. The latter is also responsible for maintaining the turf.
The work amounts to 480,000 euros including all taxes.
Work schedule
- 14th April to 28th May: preparatory work during which the athletics track can still be used, as the physical tests for the Baccalaureate finish on 28th May.
- 31st May to 12th July: resurfacing of the track and the surrounding area, which will be closed during the work.
- 22nd July: Herculis Meeting – Diamond League |