Image: OÖN/Fotostudio Eder
Not only the course record for men over the supreme marathon discipline (42.195 kilometers) set in autumn 2022 – set by the Ethiopian Fikre Bekele in a time of 2:06:13 hours – heralded a new era at the Oberbank Linz Donau Marathon.
The need for an environmentally friendly organization has long since become a concern of those responsible. And with seven competitions over two days, a marathon expo in the TipsArena, up to 20,000 participants on the route and up to 100,000 spectators spread over the entire city area, that is anything but an easy task.
Priority free for public transport
Since the previous year, all areas of the organization have been professionally supported by an Austrian specialist for green event certification and continuously examined for sustainability. As an interim result, many aspects have already been noticeably rethought at the upcoming 21st edition of the “Festival of Joy of Movement” on April 16th. In cooperation with Linz AG, Linz local transport is available free of charge to all runners on the day of the event, and more attention is paid to the use of green electricity.
Zero emissions, lots of emotion
The new starter bags and finisher shirts are made from recycled plastic and are themselves 100% recyclable. Drinking will also be provided primarily with recyclable paper cups. And even the electrically powered lead car in front of the marathon elite, which mobility partner Hyundai will put on its wheels, guarantees one hundred percent motivation on the race track with zero percent emissions. “With a green event certification of such an important sporting event as the Oberbank Linz Donau Marathon, you send a signal that entertainment and exercise are also possible with consideration for the environment,” says Gerhard Kampits, who organized the major event on the way to the “green major event” accompanied as an expert.
The direction is clear. Kampits: “It’s not about restrictions, but about the moderate use of resources and about having fun at events in an intact environment.”
After this year’s transition phase, the competitions of the marathon weekend in 2024 are then to be aligned 100% according to the criteria of the Austrian eco-label for green events.
The ongoing improvements and partial results of the work on a green footprint can be viewed on a daily basis on the Linz marathon homepage linzmarathon.at.
Save and win
On the occasion of the energy saving fair at the weekend in Wels, the OÖ Nachrichten also supports the energy saving efforts of its readers. High-quality prizes will be raffled off in a large competition:
10 charging stations for electric cars, so-called wall boxes, from the Linz company Keba, sponsored by Linz AG, worth 10,000 euros
10 energy-efficient household appliances from Linz AG such as refrigerators, ovens or washing machines with a total value of 5990 euros
3 heat pump vouchers worth 4000 euros from the Ochsner company in Haag
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Source: Nachrichten
