2023-09-10 17:18:54
The delegate of the Government of Spain in Castilla y León, Virginia Barcones, highlighted this morning in Covaleda (Soria) that nature sports are an important source of wealth for the region of Pinares and the “best showcase” that this region can present is the mountain. This was stated during the 2023 Spanish Club Mountain Racing Championship that she had her departure and arrival in this town in Soria.
The figures managed by the organization of the event, the Desafío Urbión Club and the Spanish Federation of Mountain and Climbing Sports (FEDME), support this. It is estimated that today more than 4,000 people have traveled to Covaleda thanks to this event.
The 2023 Spanish Club Mountain Racing Championship for Elite runners was held throughout the morning. It is also the ninth edition of the race called Desafío Urbión.
A total of 350 athletes competed in the Open race (11 kilometers and 800 meters of elevation gain) and on Friday, 120 children participated in the Trail Kids.
In today’s event, 36 clubs and 600 athletes participated. It has been 37 kilometers with a positive slope of 2,600 meters with departure and arrival at the Plaza Mayor of Covaleda. It has passed through the Laguna Negra Natural Park and the Urbión Glacier Circuits. The athletes have passed through an impressive Scots pine forest and the Hayedo area, the seven lagoons (among which is the Laguna Negra), the source of the Duero, the labyrinth of stones of Ambascuerdas and have crowned three peaks: the Mojón Alto, Zurraquín and Urbión (2,228 meters).
Barcones, who was received by the mayor of Covaleda, José Llorente, and was accompanied by the subdelegate of the Government in Soria, Miguel Latorre, also highlighted that “the town and the region are committed to the race.” 350 volunteers work to make sure “everything goes well.”
The FEDME is the reference federation for the natural environment and sustainability. As its president, Alberto Ayora, explained to the delegate, the Sports Habits Survey in Spain indicates that more than eight million people practice hiking and mountaineering. The FEDME is the fifth national sports federation and second in women’s licenses. There are more than 2,800 clubs to promote safe mountain sports and work to defend the environment.
Tourism Sustainability Plan in Destination
The Government delegate confirmed that mountain sports “are a draw, therefore, for many practitioners who are potential tourists from towns like Covaleda. The Government of Spain follows the same line of promoting these destinations with its support for Covaleda with programs such as the ‘Entrepinos’ Tourism Sustainability Plan in Destination (PSTD).
The project foresees an investment of more than two million euros in Covaleda, of which almost half is provided directly by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism (MINCOTUR). The rest, the Junta de Castilla y León and the City Council.
In addition, MINCOTUR is behind another Destination Tourism Sustainability Plan that will be executed in the neighboring town of Duruelo de la Sierra.
‘Entrepinos’ is, according to Barcones, “a commitment to take advantage of the unique natural environment of the town, to take advantage of its own resources, to offer an innovative and quality tourist alternative. Accessible tourism in the mountains. It is clear that not everyone can do the race, but they can walk through these majestic places with their families. For this purpose, they have well-marked and comfortable trails to walk.”
The Desafío Urbión Club has informed Barcones that they want the province of Soria to be the first to be identified as a Mountain Sports Station, a name proposed for the territories where there is a consolidated and varied offer in terms of the way to enjoy the natural environment. through the sports specialties of the FEDME.
In recent years, the Desafío Urbión Club, according to its president, Andrés Cámara, has worked to defend the environment and seeks for this race to obtain the environmental certificate for good Green Label conduct. They have the example of forest management in the region in their favor. It has GR trails, a ski resort or via ferratas.
In 2024, this race, the Desafío Urbión, will be the SkyRunning World Championship. Between September 6 and 8, the best athletes in this discipline on the planet will be in Covaleda, reports Ical.
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