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INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SPORT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE: SCORING FOR PEOPLE AND THE PLANET
On International Day of Sport for Development and Peace 2023, we are taking a closer look at the sustainability efforts of DAV Ulm, winner of the Climate Club Trophy by IBU and Viessmann.
Last month, the club on the outskirts of the Swabian Alb won the fan vote of the first-ever Climate Club Trophy – their reward for placing first is a voucher for a Viessmann Climate Solution in the value of 24,000€.
Why does the Climate Club Trophy fit this year’s theme “Scoring For People and the Planet” so well?
"At the BMW IBU World Championships Biathlon in Oberhof, the athletes scored a total of 7,981 hits at the shooting range in individual competitions and collected 71,8 tons of CO2 savings through their hits for the Viessmann Climate Solution - translating into a value of 21,000€. The IBU contributed an additional 3,000€ to the value of the voucher, raising the value to 24,000€."
DAV Ulm has always pursued measures and goals that are good for the environment, economically sound and have strong potential to develop the sport. Faced with the undeniable reality of climate change – situated at 600 metres above sea level, snowless winters have become the norm, rather than the exception – the club has realised plans to increase grassroots and elite-level participation by developing its training centre, which includes a roller skiing course and a shooting range.
Having witnessed the effects of climate change first-hand, DAV Ulm has also prioritised mitigation of its own effects on climate change. The club’s operational sustainability strategy is based on two pillars: Sustainability at Home, which is focused on the sustainable development of its PistenBully Biathlon Centre, and Sustainability on the Road, which deals mainly with the transportation of the club’s athletes and equipment to competition and training venues.
How are these goals achieved?
DAV Ulm has made the decision to invest in biathlon even though the future for the Swabian Alps holds no snow. Very seldom do the members of DAV Ulm train on snow these days. Sometimes, over Christmas, the club will organise snow training in the Black Forest or Allgäu region, but this is more of a community-building initiative than specifically for training. Roller skiing has taken precedence, during summer and in wintertime.
Despite this, or rather because of its well-equipped biathlon training centre, the club has continued to grow its large pool of youth talent, at the under-16 level. As a highlight, the club’s talent Julia Tannheimer returned from the IBU YJWCH 2023 in Shchuchinsk, Kazakhstan, with three gold medals and one silver. Furthermore, its membership numbers are increasing, thereby contributing hugely to grassroots participation in the region.
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