What it takes to build world class surfaces for major sporting events

An interview with Shaun Goudie, Head of Major Global Events for Sport Group.

Major sporting events are huge construction endeavours and sport surfaces are at their centre. We spoke to Shaun Goudie, Head of Major Global Events for Sports Group to find out what it really takes to deliver world class surfaces for some of the most unique and challenging events in the world.

You led the sport surface construction for the 2018 Asian Games and 2019 South East Asian Games. What did that experience teach you about what’s required and what it takes to get it right?

Our job was to provide World Athletics Class 1 certified tracks for both the Asian and South East Asian Games while the stadiums were still being built. Delivering flawless surfaces in these conditions requires huge coordination. We worked alongside multiple contractors, architects, engineers and consultants as part of a major infrastructure build and the margin for error was tiny – in literal terms we’re talking a plus or minus 3mm margin when it comes to the tracks. So, the sport surfaces absolutely cannot be treated in isolation and being involved from a very early stage in the infrastructure planning is crucial.

Whilst the event architects understand the World Athletics requirements, for example, they don’t always see the smaller details, like the drainage requirements of the tracks. If we’re involved from the beginning of the project we can ensure these details aren’t overlooked and minimise the risk of issues at the point the surfaces are being laid – usually towards the very end of the construction when the time pressure is greater than ever.

This is a working principle we have taken into all of our major event work, not least the hockey pitches for Tokyo 2020 where we have been involved with the FIH and TOCOG at a very early stage to advise on the field of play design and sign off on both the design and the construction works before the pitch is laid.

“I can’t impress enough the value of a genuine and proven understanding of how these events work. They are unique and it takes a unique specialism to deliver them on time and to the standard required.”

Large multisport events like these are actually pretty unique. How valuable is comparable experience when it comes to providing surface solutions to these sorts of major events?

I can’t impress enough the value of a genuine and proven understanding of how these events work. They are unique and it takes a unique specialism to deliver them on time and to the standard required.

Take the Olympics - there are just so many moving parts and therefore being a surfacing company alone isn’t enough. There are very few companies globally who have the skillset, resources and experience needed to design, construct and manage these types of projects. You don’t know what you don’t know, but the experience of major multisport events we have built up means we know what questions to ask and we see the small things that can become big issues later on if they are not tackled at source.

Ultimately our role is about mitigating risk for clients who are shouldering the responsibility of delivering a global sporting event with all of the athlete performance requirements, stakeholder expectation and financial pressure that entails. They can’t afford to take risks, and so experience is everything.

Major events are also major construction projects. In what ways does your expertise need to extend beyond the track/field of play?

The fact is that the track is the focal point, not the stadium. So, to get the centre stage of the event right, there needs to be an inside-out approach to planning the infrastructure because the track or field of play influences almost everything else in the build despite going in last.

Where the track has to work around the infrastructure, not the other way round, you can run into fundamental issues, particularly when it comes to fixed structures. For example, I’ve been involved in a project where we had no input into the design of the timing system which meant that there was no provision for housing the cameras on the finish line. Building this retrospectively costs time and money and can mean that power cables which should have been run underground have to be placed over ground. It goes without saying that running spikes and cables don’t mix so this type of oversight can hurt an event.

Therefore, while our expertise of the sport surface systems needs to be deep, it also needs to be broad – incorporating not only the physical infrastructure around them but also commercial and broadcast considerations. For example, for London 2012 we worked closely with the Olympic Broadcast Service to trial and optimise pitch rendering and colours for HDTV.

As in sport, timing must be key when it comes to delivering these types of major facilities. How do you navigate the inevitable challenges and delays to ensure you deliver on time?

Good planning includes planning for the unexpected and for elements beyond our control. Wet weather can be a huge challenge – particularly with track laying as fundamentally we’re dealing with chemicals which react to water. The construction of an asphalt track and drainage system needs to be done in dry weather but we often don’t have that luxury, or the luxury of time to wait for the rain to stop.

The reputational damage of laying a substandard track or not completing on time is huge. Therefore, we do whatever it takes – building partial tents over tracks, bringing in heaters, blowers, generators and working between showers, around the clock to get the job done. Despite the inevitable challenges we’ve never failed to complete a major events surfacing project on time and, even with COVID-19 restrictions, we have just delivered on time a World Athletics Class 1 Rekortan M track system at the Manchester Regional Arena in the UK.

“Tracks are built all over the world and companies who lay asphalt are far and wide. Not all of them, however, have the right equipment for, and understanding of, specialised methodologies for laying them.”

How important is global expertise versus local knowledge when it comes to delivering these relatively unique event facilities?

Quite simply, you need both. Tracks are built all over the world and companies who lay asphalt are far and wide. Not all of them, however, have the right equipment for, and understanding of, specialised methodologies for laying them.

Over the years we have developed laser-guiding systems to control the asphalt to a very high level because building a track system is very different to building a runway or a car park for example. There’s a specific art and science to it which requires pooling our global knowledge and resources and providing expert guidance on site.

This applies to both the planning stage and during event where we remain to problem-solve and ensure the confidence of the event stakeholders. A track system can be damaged when equipment is moved on it overnight and we have the capability to fix it and have it ready for the next morning.

Trust is created locally but it is a global currency. When events like the U.S. Open trust us to deliver their surfaces, then events in other parts of the world can feel confident doing the same.

How important is International Federation certification when it comes to meeting elite performance requirements and what does it take to attain those standards?

Achieving the highest level of International Federation certification and therefore knowing the surface will perform for the athletes is usually the number one priority for major event owners. In order to achieve this, we need to pass two levels of testing – one in the lab and one on the field which is an entirely different ball game.

To achieve a World Athletics Class 1 certified track, for example, you have to be absolutely confident that you can put the surface down in situ and maintain the certificate. Installation doesn’t happen in a laboratory setting. It is a much more challenging and time-sensitive environment. If water gets trapped between the layers half way through installation for example, there can be major issues with both certification testing and the surface’s lifespan.

We currently supply 25% of World Athletics certified tracks and the hockey pitches we have recently installed for Tokyo 2020 have been awarded FIH Global Elite accreditation. These accolades are so much more than a badge and our surfaces will be continually tested throughout their lifespans, so it is not a one-off tick box exercise.

“Manufacturers need to provide surface systems which last long beyond the event, and crucially, perform for as long.”

When you are involved in the creation of these major public venues, environmental performance and legacy requirements must be fundamental. How can surface providers help venues to deliver against these requirements.

Manufacturers need to provide surface systems which last long beyond the event, and crucially, perform for as long. Some surfaces lose their performance characteristics after five years which undermines an event’s ability to meet its legacy and health and safety requirements. As a result, there is an emphasis on manufacturers to meet new World Athletics requirements for at least two certification periods which amounts to 8 years. Rekortan track systems have a performance lifespan of at least 10 years.

There is, rightly, an increasing expectation that surfaces perform from an environmental as well as an athlete performance point of view and this plays back to both what a surface is made of and how long it lasts. A focus on the quality of materials and the type of materials used in surface manufacture is a fundamental requirement and we invest heavily in green technology to drive the sustainability of our products. For example, our Rekortan M track at the Manchester stadium is made from 64% recycled or renewable material and we developed Poligras Tokyo GT to support Tokyo’s goal for a carbon neutral games. This synthetic hockey turf utilises filaments from over 60% renewable raw materials derived from sugar cane and requires up to 65% less water than other elite surfaces. The industry must continue to innovate in this way.

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised the bar in terms of biosecurity. How must surface manufacturers and installers evolve to meet these new health and safety standards when servicing major public events?

Health and safety is a big part of any construction project and we have become very adept at adapting. It’s what we do.

COVID-19 compliant measures must be developed within existing health and safety plans including appropriate social distancing guidelines, PPE, quarantine adherence and ensuring crews are fit and healthy. Sometimes this requires a ‘clean stadium’ policy so we can set exclusion zones around our work and ensure we get our job done safely. Crews have regular COVID-19 testing. I am currently in Korea and awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test as we speak.

The US Open courts are going down now, safely and on time. That’s our reassurance in action.