At the end of this week, one of the most known resorts on the Prahova Valley – Sinaia, will be the host of a unique running contest which is absolutely special – a Knockout competition. The first edition, the premiere of the S-KARP Urban Trail Sinaia contest was held last year in Sinaia, too. The S-KARP Urban Trail Sinaia running contest will be organized in Sinaia on April 29, 2017, under the slogan “Run, or you’re KNOCKOUT!”; the starting/arrival area will be arranged on the Carol I Boulevard, in the resort. The contest will be organized by the “Sport La Orice Varsta” Association (“Sport at Any Age” – e.n.), sponsored by S-KARP and patronized by the Sinaia Municipality. S-KARP Urban Trail Sinaia is a new running concept in Romania, the first Knockout competition being organized in April last year. The contest will take place on a route designed to be a challenge for all the participants, as well as a different way to visit and know the city of Sinaia and its tourist attractions. The S-KARP Urban Trail Sinaia races are dedicated to those who have reached the age of 18 and are medically, physically and mentally fit to make this kind of effort.
“The S-KARP Urban Trail Sinaiais a beautiful, difficult, funny and exhausting competition, in a wonderful resort located at the foot of the Bucegi Mountains. The history will repeat, as the last year: the stairs sprinkled on the sinuous route of the race will be up and down again, the cubic stone next to Peles Castle will again be traversed on tops or heels, with small or bigger steps. The old bob and sled track will once again run in speed. The forest surrounding Sinaia will welcome, full of oxygen and health, hundreds of competitors, men and women, who will cross it like an army marching under the shadow of ever-green trees”, the competition’s organizers announced.
What exactly does this concept mean? Runners will have to qualify during three successive races to reach the final! The Urban Trail Sinaia competition has an 11-kilometer route and a positive 400-meter difference. The route is an amalgam of running areas, competitors will run on asphalt, on cubic stone, on stairs, on the ground and on gravel, and something new for Romania and Europe, they will run on the bob and sled track in Prahova Valley. Of the over 500 participants who are expected to line up at the start – the deadline for registration is April 21, 2017 – the top 32 men and 32 women who will finish the 11-kilometer route will qualify in the quarterfinals (4.4 km), and from here, there will be 16 men and 16 women running in the semifinal (3.3 km). The best six of them will run in the finals whose route will be revealed on the day of the contest, before the start. Compared to the last year, the route of the last act will be slightly modified to make the end more intense. “The finals, with a surprise route, will take place at high speed, to take away the last bit of energy from the qualified athletes and to crown the absolute champion!” the organizers have stated. Children will also participate in this competition, with the mention that a route of 1.1 km length has been established for them through the downtown. The total prizes of this original running competition amount to RON 6.600 lei, and the top six athletes at the men and women categories will be rewarded.
“S-KARP Urban Trail Sinaia is the running event in Romania that aims to innovate the concept of ‘competitiveness’, introducing two new ideas on the stage of running in Romania: Urban Trail & Knockout! Part of the series of competitions organized by the ‘Sport La Orice Varsta’ Association, its appearance was due to the partnership with the Romanian brand S-KARP and the opening of Sinaia Municipality to sport. The objectives of this contest are to demonstrate that running can be a challenge even in the urban areas, combining all the specific features of the city of Sinaia, running alongside the most important tourist attractions, as well as the desire to impose a new standard of organization and reward the efforts of the athletes who will have to face a great challenge! “, the organizers of the event added.
The “Sport La Orice Varsta” Association is a nonprofit organization that focuses, since 2012, its energy, ideas and all the efforts, in three main directions: encouraging the practice of sport at any age by promoting sports events, as well as organizing running and cycling contests, promoting and supporting the Romanian professional athletes, educating the population regarding the avoidance of natural degradation and the national and international recognition of the tourist areas of Romania where the events take place.
