Safety and hygiene measures for the protection of participants in Penyagolosa Trails

The organization of the race will provide runners with a series of indications on safety distances, masks, disinfection and hygiene.

In order to ensure maximum safety during the Penyagolosa Trails races, on October 16 and 17, the organization of the sports event has developed a Covid protocol to all participants and staff involved in the races, both MiM and CSP, before, during and after the event.

Penyagolosa Trails appeals to the individual responsibility of all runners and urges them to consult the official rules of the event, which include indications on the use of masks, safety distances and hygiene guidelines. These recommendations are in line with the latest information provided by the competent health authorities.

Pre-event measures

For the collection of the race bib and runner’s bag on October 15, a phased reservation system has been set up, which can be requested through the Penyagolosa Trails website (www.localhost/penyagolosa). Despite of the organizations careful planning, it is essential to respect the distancing measures at the pick-up point, organized by lanes, with markings on the ground, informative signs and whose accesses will be equipped with hydroalcoholic gel. Likewise, participants must wear masks at all times. The official T-shirt, which will be included in the runner’s bag, will be packed at the factory and no changes will be allowed.

Measures during the race

The start of the CSP and the MiM will take place both from the athletics track of the Universitat Jaume I, the first one at 0:00 on the 16th and the second one at 6:00 on the same day.

In the refreshment areas, with conveniently separated tables, distances will be kept between runners and volunteers, both with masks and the latter with gloves, which will provide the required products without contact in the delivery of food and bottles between them. On the other hand, the resting points next to the refreshment posts, equipped with chairs or benches, will keep a distance from the feeding area and from each other.

When the runners arrive at the finish line, the staff will disinfect the finish line tape after the arrival of the MiM and CSP champions. The finishers, who must use hydroalcoholic gel, will receive their pack, medal and food without physical contact with the staff. This year, given the circumstances, the eating area and massage services will be eliminated. In the medical services, on the other hand, hygiene measures will be taken to the utmost detail by the medical staff.

Measures at the end of the race

During the trophy ceremonies in the absolute categories, the first three finishers of each race will go up to the podium keeping a safe distance and wearing masks, except for the moment of taking the winners photograph, as long as this distance is guaranteed. The trophies will be strictly sanitized and the volunteer delivering them will comply with all the required safety measures. On this occasion, only one VIP will be allowed on stage for each ceremony.

The life bags of each runner, which have been previously marked with their identification, will be delivered by a team of volunteers without physical contact with the participants.

The organization plans to provide participants with hydroalcoholic gel at all recommended points, as well as indicative signs at various locations. Likewise, they will carry out a rigorous disinfection of all areas, surfaces and tools used at the start, refreshment posts and finish line.

Use of masks

During the race, masks must be worn at the following: bib pick-up area, start area up until otherwise signaled, refreshment points, finish area, during medical services, trophy ceremony area, during bus transportation, and in urban areas. In line with the event’s philosophy of respect for the environment and the municipalities on the way to Sant Joan de Penyagolosa, containers will be set up to discard used masks.

Penyagolosa Trails: how to follow the races online

The organization of Penyagolosa Trails offers different ways to enjoy the course of the races in person or remotely.

There are five days left for the start of the most awaited sports event in the province of Castellón. The 60km Marató i Mitja (MiM) and the 110km Castelló-Penyagolosa race (CSP) will kick off next Saturday, October 16, and the organization is finalizing all the preparations to cover the event and broadcast it through different channels, in order to offer the best experience to runners, companions and trail lovers.

On the one hand, the app Live Trail will be the main tool for real-time monitoring of the Penyagolosa Trails runners. It is an app of great prestige in this sports field. In it users can identify runners, detect at all times at what checkpoints they are, and know the estimated times in which they will reach the next refreshment point and the finish area. The app is a very useful tool, especially for those partners and family members who move between checkpoints to encourage their athletes.

This year, Penyagolosa Trails will also have a special program on the regional channel À Punt, which will be broadcasted on Sunday, October 17 from 11:00. The television program will report the summary of the start and finish, as well as the monitoring with six cameramen and several drone aerial views of the race’s leaders (both in men’s and women’s categories) during the stretch between Xodos and Sant Joan de Penyagolosa. This shall be an important media deployment, given the difficult terrain conditions and the scarce coverage in the area.

Also, the organization will broadcast the key moments of both races through the social media profiles of Penyagolosa Trails, specifically on Facebook (@penyagolosatrails), Twitter (@PenyagolosaTr) and Instagram (@penyagolosatrails). Those interested will be able to follow and interact with the hashtag #PenyagolosaTrails to be in in every detail.

 

Accompanying persons

People who wish to travel to watch the races live and cheer on the runners will also be able to do so, although with certain limitations for covid-related health reasons. Accompanying persons will be able to watch the start of the two races (at 00:00 for the CSP and at 06:00am for the MiM) from the athletics tracks of the Universitat Jaume I of Castelló (UJI), always keeping a safe distance, wearing a mask and respecting, at all times, the measures stipulated by the organization.

From that moment on, accompanying persons will be able to move with their own vehicles to different refreshment points, except for La Bassa (22.9km, MiM and CSP), La Banyadera (56.8km, MiM), Sant Bertomeu (73.8km, CSP) and El Collao (98.3km, CSP), where external assistance is not allowed. To go up to Sant Joan de Penyagolosa, the organization of Penyagolosa Trails will provide shuttle buses, which will depart from the parking located in the surroundings of Vistabella.

On this occasion, for health and environmental reasons, the awards ceremony will not be held in Sant Joan de Penyagolosa as in previous years, but will take place in Vistabella, as this will be the main point of meeting and celebration between runners, families, volunteers and organization.

Everything you will find inside the Penyagolosa Trails runner’s bag

Both the bag and the local products are aligned with the sustainable and environmentally conscious spirit of Penyagolosa Trails. 

As every year, Penyagolosa Trails gives the participants of both the MiM (Marató i Mitja, 60km long) and the CSP (Castelló-Penyagolosa, 110km long) their now traditional runner’s bag, which includes gifts from the race and the sponsors that support it. The runner’s bag will be handed out together with the race bib on 15th October, between 11:00 and 21:00 at Plaza de las Aulas in Castelló, a day before the start of the race.

The Penyagolosa Trails organizers, with the aim of avoiding crowds and providing a better service to runners, have set up a reservation system for the collection of the race bib and runner’s bag. To make a reservation, participants must access their personal area and then the registration list on the website (www.localhost/penyagolosa).

The runner’s bag contains the official Penyagolosa Trails 2021 T-shirt, created by Sport HG; a selection of typical local products, with the aim of presenting the gastronomic wealth of the province, caring for the environment and supporting sustainability; Nutrinovex soft flasks, in a 500ml format; stickers, donuts with sunflower seeds from Anitin and a HG collar cap. All of this will go inside an organic cotton backpack, following the Penyagolosa Trails philosophy of generating as little environmental impact as possible. 

Penyagolosa Trails will take place on October 16 and 17, starting in Castelló de la Plana and finishing in Sant Joan de Penyagolosa.

Diputació de Castelló continues to support Penyagolosa Trails to increase the tourist and economic impact of the province

Diputació de Castelló, Official Sponsor of the event, has renewed its support for Penyagolosa Trails, reinforcing the province as a national and international sports venue. 

Penyagolosa Trails celebrates Diputació de Castelló’s firm commitment to promote the province through the organization of a sports event of this magnitude. Diputació de Castelló is once again an Official Sponsor of the event, projecting the province of Castellón as a top-level sports venue. Penyagolosa Trails is an important race in the national and international sports calendar that not only promotes sport, but also consolidates itself as an excellent tourist attraction, generating a positive impact on the economic fabric of Castellón, enhancing the value of the territory brand for the province.

The organizers of Penyagolosa Trails indicate that, of the 1,800 participants who will run the CSP (110 kilometers) and the MiM (60 kilometers), 90% are men and 10% are women. In terms of demographic data at a domestic level, it is worth noting that 85% of those registered come from the Valencia Region, and of these, 51% are from the province of Castellón. Likewise, 5% of the participants in Penyagolosa Trails are foreigners, an admirable percentage after this singular year with an ongoing pandemic, with France and the United Kingdom standing out. It should be noted that all of them come with a vaccination certificate, a recovery certificate, a negative PCR certificate (whose sample must have been taken within 72 hours prior to arrival in Spain) or a negative certificate of antigens (taken within 48 hours prior to entry into the country).

After cancelling its 2020 edition, and overcoming a period marked by the global health and economic crisis, in which many industries saw their activity paralyzed. The visit of runners and accompanying persons to the municipalities through which both races take place during its celebration weekend (from 15 to 17 October) brings with it the registration of tourist overnight stays and the generation of activity in local businesses. In so doing Penyagolosa Trails supports the return of the province’s tourism industry. It should be noted that the organizers have established a series of strict safety measures to guarantee the health of all those involved, including the obligatory use of masks at the entrances to certain services and on sections of the route which cross an urban center.

Diputació de Castelló, under the brand “Castellón, escenario deportivo”, values the combo of tourism and sports. Once again they support Penyagolosa Trails as a sports event that has become a benchmark for Trail Running and that promotes Castellón as a territory of great value to visit, and to practice and compete in outdoor sports.

About the Penyagolosa Trails 2021 trophy

Tania Baños, head of the Sports Department of the Diputació de Castelló and Tico Cervera, director of Penyagolosa Trails, have posed with the trophy that the winners of Penyagolosa Trails 2021 will receive. Designed by the renowned artist Manuel Sáez, the trophy was born from the crossing between the real and metaphorical footprints left by the pilgrims of Les Useres, with the trail that the athletes follow in the race, sharing a territory that they feel as their own. The trophy represents a footprint that, in three dimensions, is literally reminiscent of a foot. It is a small sculpture that takes shape by chaining one oval shape after another, which is an element that in different cultures symbolizes eternity. For this edition, the trophy has been designed in purple, a color associated with the feminist movement, which represents a significant change after the blue and green colours used in the two previous editions (2018 and 2019 respectively). 

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Everything you need to know if you are participating in Penyagolosa Trails

The race organization is arranging the last details for an epic edition.

A little over two weeks for the celebration of Penyagolosa Trails (from October 15 to 17), the organization, volunteers and runners are all preparing themselves to return to their pure state. In this exciting return, the organization has established different protocols and sanitary measures to guarantee the health and safety of all. Thus, it is essential to know in depth all the details of the race if you want to avoid setbacks.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15 

On Friday, October 15, between 11:00 and 21:00, the participants should head to the Plaza de las Aulas in Castelló, to pick up their bib (through a previous reservation system). Once there, participants will receive their runner’s bag with the official t-shirt of this edition, soft flasks, stickers, and other surprises such as a selection of typical local products with the aim of promoting the province’s gastronomic wealth, taking care of the environment, and supporting sustainability. At Plaza las Aulas runners can make use of the free cloakroom service and deliver the so-called “drop bags” to the organization. MiM participants can only deliver one bag, correctly identified and closed, which shall be collected later at the goal once the race is finished. CSP runners will be able to deliver two bags, which shall be collected in Culla and in the goal.

Because the races are individual tests in self-sufficiency and thus require a lot of preparation, participants should make sure that they are carrying all the necessary equipment to guarantee their safety during the race, as missing items may be a cause for disqualification. In our web (www.localhost/penyagolosa) runners can consult the list with all compulsory and recommended materials that the organization has stipulated for both tests. Besides, due to the current sanitary restrictions, it will also be mandatory to wear a mask in some areas of the route such as the start, refreshment points, access to certain services or in urban areas, reason why runners should remain attentive to the corresponding signaling, and the indications of the organization and the volunteers.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16

START

Once with the bib number – an essential element for participating and accessing the different services of the sports event, the athletes will be ready for the great challenge for which they have been preparing so rigorously for so long. On Saturday, October 16th, unlike other years, the participants of both races will meet in the same location: the athletics tracks of the Universitat Jaume I of Castelló (UJI). CSP will start at 00:00, while the start of the MiM will take place at 6:00 (it is important to remember that one hour before the start of each race there will be a bib check). The organization has planned a system of start boxes with a calculation of waiting areas that will guarantee the social distance and minimize runners’ time of exposure.

REFRESHMENT POINTS

The refreshment points will be equipped with all the sanitary measures to minimize contact between runners and volunteers. There, participants will find everything they need to regain strength: water, energy drinks, assorted fruits, dried fruits, biscuits, dried sausage, Anitin snacks, banana and cheesecake flavored LongoBars, energy bars and Longovit 360º with minerals (which provide energy progressively) from Nutrinovex. At some very specific stops, certain food extras will also be offered, such as bread with tomatoes and ham or tuna in the case of the MiM; or rice, pasta and broth in the CSP. The great novelty of this edition comes from Nutrinovex, which will provide extra energy at the refreshment point in Xodos.

Besides, with the aim of building an eco-responsible race and promoting environmental protection and respect for the natural environment, all the refreshment posts will have specific containers for the correct discarding of the waste generated by each runner. As the rules state, “any runner throwing rubbish along the course will be disqualified”, evincing the strong commitment to sustainability that the organization has been advocating for years.

For the MiM, the refreshment points are located in: Borriol (8.2 km), La Bassa (22.3 km), Les Useres (31 km), Torrosselles (40.3 km), Xodos (49.4 km), La Banyadera (56.1 km) and Sant Joan de Penyagolosa (59.2 km), where the finish line is located. In the CSP, the stops will be in Borriol, La Bassa and Les Useres as in the MiM, and from there, in Atzeneta del Maestrat (41.4 km), Benafigos (51, 9 km), Culla (63.4 km), Sant Bertomeu (73.8 km), Vistabella del Maestrat (82 km), Xodos (91.5 km), El Collao (98.3 km) and finally Sant Joan de Penyagolosa (107.5 km). However, external personal assistance will not be allowed in all of them, so it is important to check the official regulations when planning stops and accompaniment.

At all times, the organization will have a large medical team distributed at different points along the route to provide the necessary medical support in the event of an emergency. The medical team will have the power to order the withdrawal, evacuation, or hospitalization of any runner if it is determined that he/she cannot continue.

FINISH LINE AND TROPHY PRESENTATION

When runners arrive at Sant Joan de Penyagolosa, they will be welcomed by the members of the organization and the volunteers present there with refreshment and cloakroom services available. The trophies however will not be awarded there. The participants will gradually take a shuttle bus that will take them directly to the town of Vistabella, where the trophy ceremony will be held. It should be noted that the absolute male and female categories will receive their trophies on the podium, while the winners of the other categories will receive their trophies in a marquee set up specifically for this purpose.

BUSES

The organization will provide the runners with a free bus transfer, both for the return trip from the finish line and for eventual abandonments, always from the different control points set up for the transfer. Buses will be set up at the following locations: Les Useres, Atzeneta del Maestrat and Vistabella; all of them will leave towards Sant Joan de Penyagolosa, with the exception of the CSP night bus from Les Useres and Atzeneta, which will leave directly to the race start. The organization will soon publish the buses timetable and will be in charge of guaranteeing the compliance of all the sanitary measures in the shuttle access.

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ANITIN: three years in a row as Premium Partner of Penyagolosa Trails

ANITIN panes especiales products will be available at refreshment points, in the finish area and in the runner’s bag.

With the recent incorporation of a new production line of bread toast, ANITIN has increased its international expansion, reinforcing its commitment to innovation and quality in its processes and products.

Penyagolosa Trails will once again count with the support and sponsorship of ANITIN panes especiales for its 2021 edition, which will be held from October 15 to 17. The participants of the CSP (110 kilometers) and the MiM (60 kilometers) will have seventy-five kilos of snacks distributed both at refreshment points along the route and at the finish area. Besides, when runners pick up their bag on Friday, October 15 they will find the brand’s hallmark, breadsticks with sunflower seeds inside of it.

The Valencian company is a benchmark in the production of breadsticks, whose special treatment thanks to the manual stretching of the dough that characterizes them gives them a unique flavor. They also have a wide variety of products, including toasted, baked, and spiced breads, which are found in the main supermarkets in Spain, as well as in Europe, where they are already present.

ANITIN panes especiales is a company committed environmental care, as demonstrated by its ISO 14,000 certification in Environmental Management, which ensures that the environmental impacts derived from its production processes are minimized. Environmental care is a strong commitment they share with Penyagolosa Trails, which is proud to have ANITIN as a Premium Partner since 2019.

As they define themselves, ANITIN is “a future company, since always”. They combine respect for tradition in flavor when it comes to providing high quality products with a high technological innovation component, that drives them to invest significant resources to ensure that its baking plants are among the most modern in Europe. In fact, they have just inaugurated a new toast bread production line which increased their production capacity. This allowed ANITIN to continue with their international expansion goals and thus the brand’s borders.

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Comunitat de L’Esport, promoter of Valencian sports, together with Penyagolosa Trails

Comunitat de L’Esport seizes the Valencian Community’s government commitment to their sports and the values of effort promoted by Trinidad Alfonso Foundation.

Comunitat de l’Esport, a project promoted by Generalitat Valenciana and the Trinidad Alfonso Foundation, aims to position the Valencian Community as a benchmark in sports practice. Comunitat de l’Esport is a brand that oversees all regional sports and supports athletes and competitions such as Penyagolosa Trails.

Through its Department of Education, Culture and Sports, the Generalitat Valenciana is in charge of providing resources to associations and clubs that integrate sports into society. Penyagolosa Trails counts with their logistical and financial support to ensure a race with international recognition and an unforgettable sports event in the Valencian territory.

The Trinidad Alfonso Foundation, chaired by Juan Roig, was born in 2012 with the aim of celebrating the values of effort, improvement and progress of athletes and sporting events in the Valencian Community. It supports Penyagolosa Trails since 2016, when the Foundation awarded the Emprén Esport Award to Penyagolosa Trails in the category of Effort Universalization-Sports Event.

The celebration of Penyagolosa Trails contributes to placing the Valencian Community on the map by promoting its natural environments and unique landscapes – such as the Penyagolosa Natural Park. The support that the Comunitat de l’Esport offers to Penyagolosa Trails corresponds to one of its main pillars of action: promoting sporting events capable of attracting more tourism to the Valencian territory.

 

Nutrinovex has renewed its Premium Partner agreement with Penyagolosa Trails

The sports nutrition products company Nutrinovex has innovated in its energy gels to reduce microplastics in the natural environment.

Nutrinovex has big names as ambassadors, such as Luis Alberto Hernando, three-times world Champion of Trail Running.

Less than a month to go before Penyagolosa Trails takes place (from 15 to 17 October 2021). This year Penyagolosa Trails is doing a particularly special race, after being postponed due to the global pandemic. Besides, it will once again count with the sponsorship of Nutrinovex as Premium Partner of the race.

Nutrinovex, a sports nutrition company from Castellón, will be in charge of providing athletes with the necessary energy supplements during the course of the competition, offering its products over different refreshment points set up along the route. From handmade almond paste energy bars with different flavours (ideal for long-lasting efforts) to the icononic isotonic drink Longovit 360º (a food supplement based on carbohydrates, minerals, amino acids, magnesium and vitamin B1), Nutrinovex will offer the perfect combination to get to Sant Joan with unmatched energy.

Nutrinovex shares with Penyagolosa Trails the firm commitment to sustain and ensure environmental care. This year, Nutrinovex has innovated in the packaging of its energy gels by developing a safety opening system that does not split into smaller parts and does not fall to the ground, thus avoiding the spread of microplastics in nature.

Nutrinovex is a reference company in the world of sport, has key ambassadors in several sports disciplines, especially Luis Alberto Hernando, three-time world champion of Trail Running, as well as Laia Cañes, world runner-up; Patricia Barreda, Roberto Gil, David Prades and Víctor Bernad, references within the elite of Trail Running, and all of them, participants in Penyagolosa Trails in its latest editions.

 

 

FACSA, promoter of sports and healthy habits, together with Penyagolosa Trails

The Gimeno Group company, expert in the management of the integral water cycle, has reinforced its commitment to Penyagolosa Trails, uninterrupted since 2017.

Penyagolosa Trails, to be held between October 15 and 17, 2021, is one of the most emblematic sports events in the province of Castellón, with a national and international outreach. It counts with 22 editions of the 60 km Marató i Mitja (MiM) and 9 editions of the 110 km Castelló – Penyagolosa (CSP) race. Since 2017 it has been supported by FACSA as a Premium partner.

Promoting sports and their values of respect, effort, and tolerance are fundamental pillars of FACSA’s social policy. The support that FACSA provide to various sports initiatives, to the construction of a Sports City in Castellón, and to the creation of CF Fomento Castellón are all proof of it.

Besides, the agreement between Penyagolosa Trails and FACSA also has a sustainable aspect through the actions of FOBESA, which is also a company of Grupo Gimeno. FOBESA will make the selective separation of waste during the Penyagolosa Trails races possible, with the installation of special bins made of cardboard throughout the route. This initiative will favour the correct separation of all waste into different parts, such as light packaging or paper and cardboard, among others, to subsequently facilitate their correct management. 

It is worth noting that in 2017 Penyagolosa Trails was certified by the UNE-EN ISO 20121:2013 standard, regarding sustainable systems of event management, and became the first international trail event with this recognition, which made possible the adoption of a series of measures and good practices that are still in place today.

The Villarreal CF, through its program Endavant Esports, revalidates its support to Penyagolosa Trails

39 athletes and 30 clubs already benefit from the initiative of the sports club, according to data from last season.

The Endavant Esports project, whose activity began in 2004, aims to promote provincial sport by supporting both Castellón clubs and athletes as well as outstanding events in the sports calendar of Castellón. The latter is the case of Penyagolosa Trails, whose next event will take place between 15 and 17 October 2021. The agreement between the two projects has been reaffirmed once again since 2017 and the yellow submarine initiative remains as a Premium partner in the race in the year of its return, following the postponements imposed by the health situation in 2020.

The trail running race, of national and international scope, takes 22 editions in its modality of Marató i Mitja (MiM), of 60 km, and 9 in the race Castelló – Penyagolosa (CSP), of 110 km. It is positioned, as well as a must-see for trail lovers and a unique opportunity to discover the natural and cultural heritage of the province.

The Villarreal CF, a benchmark success club for athletes in the province

The Villarreal CF, which does not stop adding successes, has started the season with very good sensations and with the women’s team debuting in Primera Iberdrola, the top category. A historic event for the club, which already has two of its teams in the elite of football nationally. His career is an example for other provincial athletes of any discipline.

In addition to the commendable work of the Villarreal CF, Penyagolosa Trails highlights the values that it shares with Endavant Esports, strength, courage, unity, optimism and enthusiasm, in all its fields of action, both for sports, social, cultural and educational purposes.