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Laying it down

From Russia's first high-technology natural pitch to rejuvenated tennis courts; a look at recently completed sport surface projects.

by Tom Walker, Leisure Media | Published in Sports Management 2014 issue 3

JOHNSONS SPORT SEED

Re-turfing of Ferencvaros pitch

Due to Hungary’s continental climate – with hot summers and bitterly cold winters – pitches there are normally turfed with grass imported from elsewhere in Europe. The Ferencváros Stadium in Budapest is no exception, with a new pitch sown with Johnsons Sports Seed J Premier Pitch.

The stadium – home to Ferencvárosi TC, Hungary’s most successful club – has become the first fibresand and seeded pitch in the country.

Premier Pitches KFT has been heavily involved in the reconstruction. The family-run business, owned by Istvan Bekefi, not only conducts pitch and stadium renovations but has now been appointed as the Hungarian distributor for UK-based Johnsons Sports Seed.

For the re-laying of the pitch, Premier Pitches used Johnsons Sports Seed J Premier Pitch and the turfing project was completed at the end of August 2014, in time for the new season.
“I have used other seed in the past,” said Bekefi, “but can comfortably say that Johnson’s is the best seed I have ever worked with. I and the whole team are very impressed with the results achieved using J Premier Pitch.”

The club is the first in Hungary to have a fibresand and seeded pitch
The club is the first in Hungary to have a fibresand and seeded pitch

REPLAY

Renewed vision

Sussex County Lawn Tennis Club (SCLTC) has had two of the club’s four artificial tennis courts restored to an ‘as new’ condition. The work, undertaken by Replay Maintenance, included a full site survey, which revealed that the artificial turf courts were of sound construction, but were suffering from the consequences of age, with contaminated materials affecting both the aesthetics and performance.

SCLTC opted for the the Replay Rejuvenation process, which restores sand-filled synthetic surfaces to an 'as new' performance and appearance, often doubling the playing life of a pitch or tennis court for a fraction of the cost of replacing the carpet. Unlike replacing the artificial surface, the Replay Rejuvenation can also be completed in days - saving facilities time and minimising loss of revenue. The system is also effective on long-pile surfaces – extracting the infill to any chosen depth.

What once was – before and after shots of the courts, showing the improvements
What once was – before and after shots of the courts, showing the improvements

SIS PITCHES

First of its kind for Spartak Moscow

SIS Pitches has completed work on the playing surface at the recently opened Otkritie Arena – the new home of Spartak Moscow. Construction work began in March, followed by the seeding of the pitch. The pitch is equipped with a fully automatic irrigation, undersoil heating and aeration systems which will be seeded on a fibre sand reinforced root zone. Otkritie Arena is the first stadium in Russia to feature these surface technologies.

SIS also supplied grow lights, all pitch covers and maintenance machinery and equipment for the surface – and will continue to maintain the pitch for at least the next 12 months. As well as being the home to Spartak, the 43,000-seat Otkritie Arena will host international matches. It will also be one of the stadia used when Russia hosts the 2018 World Cup – including one of the semi final matches.

The Spartak team training on the new Otkrytie surface ahead of their home opener against Torpedo Moscow
The Spartak team training on the new Otkrytie surface ahead of their home opener against Torpedo Moscow

O’BRIEN

Ladybridge invests in 3G

Ladybridge FC in Bolton has become the first grassroots club in the region to have its very own 3G surface. Funded nearly entirely (97 per cent) by the club, the new £220,000, full-size Astroturf 60mm pitch was installed by O’Brien on a dynamic base, consisting of a specially graded aggregate including drainage and kerbing works.

The 7,500sq m pitch has already been signed off by the FA for competitive use and club officials are looking forward to a huge increase in available hours for community use. O’brien secured the contract to deliver the pitch following a competitive tender process and completed the project in just eight weeks.

The new pitch will increase the number of hours available for Ladybridge FC and has already been approved by the FA to host competitive games
The new pitch will increase the number of hours available for Ladybridge FC and has already been approved by the FA to host competitive games
The new pitch will increase the number of hours available for Ladybridge FC and has already been approved by the FA to host competitive games
The new pitch will increase the number of hours available for Ladybridge FC and has already been approved by the FA to host competitive games

SLATTER

Pitches fit for a Queen

S&C Slatter is nearing the completion of a large-scale artificial turf project for Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate in York. The company is constructing three full-size, 3G pitches for rugby and football; a full-size water-based pitch for elite hockey; and a half-sized training pitch for rugby and football.

Using FieldTurf’s Vertex products for the football pitches and a FieldTurf Hockey Gold WB for the hockey pitch, Slatter worked with pitch design consultants Surfacing Standards on the £2m project. The base construction included bound macadam on a stone sub base, with a insitu, formed shockpad under the synthetic turf system.

According to Jason Douglass, commercial director of S&C Slatter, the scale of the project presented a challenge in terms of the sheer quantities of sub-base aggregate required – with around 15,000 tonnes of specialist material that needed to be stockpiled ahead of the works. The new pitches are part of the school's strategy of improving its sports offering – it has also invested in a new £1m equestrian centre, a new swimming pool and a £1m health club.

The project included three 3G pitches
The project included three 3G pitches

TIGERTURF

TigerTurf completes three year pitch
project at Warwick Boat club

TigerTurf UK is set to complete a three year project involving the manufacture of 10 tennis court surfaces for Warwick Boat Club (WBC). The multi-sport club, which specialises in rowing, squash, bowls and tennis, required an upgrade on its tennis surfaces to make them suitable for both recreational games, as well as elite teams.

After a competitive tender process in 2011, TigerTurf’s Advantage Pro surface was chosen and the club has staggered the court refurbishments over three years to limit downtime. Designed with shock-absorbing characteristics that reduce the risk of injury and stress to the body, the surface has been tailored so that it doesn’t shine when wet or under floodlights, and has also been tested to International Tennis Federation (ITF) standards. This culminates in a premium, all-round surface that players of all ages and experience levels can enjoy. The installation work was completed by Fosse Contracts.

Tony Baker, WBC’s tennis captain, said: “A considerable amount of research went into the specification process and some of our coaches visited a local tennis club to sample the Advantage Pro surface. Their high recommendations certainly pushed us over the line when it came to making the decision on which surface to install.

“The popularity of tennis has increased and is at record levels since having the 10 new surfaces installed. Seven of the courts are floodlit and all of them can cope in harsh weather conditions, which extends playing time all year round.”

The project included the installation of 10 tennis court surfaces for WBC
The project included the installation of 10 tennis court surfaces for WBC
The project included the installation of 10 tennis court surfaces for WBC
The project included the installation of 10 tennis court surfaces for WBC
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