Virginia Barcones highlights in Covalent that the “sport of nature is an important source of wealth for the region of Pinares”

• The delegate states that the Government of Spain promotes tourist destinations such as Covalent with the PSTD 'Entrepinos', "a bet to take advantage of the natural environment to offer an innovative and quality tourist alternative" • More than eight million people practice mountain sports in Spain. According to Barcones “it is clear that not everyone can participate in races like this, but they can walk through these majestic places with their families”

September 9, 2023.- The delegate of the Government in Castilla y León, Virginia Barcones, highlighted this morning in Covalent that the sport of nature is an important source of wealth for the region of Pinares and the best showcase that this region can present is the mountain. This is what he said during the Spanish Championship of Mountain Racing of Clubs 2023 that had its departure and arrival in this Soriana town.

The figures handled by the organization of the event, the Urbión Challenge Club and the Spanish Federation of Mountain Sports and Climbing (FEDME), endorse it. It is estimated that today more than 4,000 people have moved to Covalent thanks to this event.

Throughout the morning the Spanish Club Mountain Racing Championship 2023 has been held for Elite runners. It is also the ninth edition of the race called Urbion Challenge.

Yesterday 350 athletes played the Open race (11 km and 800 m of altitude) and on Friday, 120 children participated in the Trail Kids.

In today’s, 36 clubs and 600 athletes have participated. They have been 37 kilometers with a positive slope of 2,600 meters with departure and arrival at the Plaza Mayor of Covalent. It has gone through the Natural Park of the Black Lagoon and the Glacier Circuits of Urbión. The athletes have passed through an impressive pine forest albar and the Hayedo place, the seven lagoons (among which is the Black Lagoon), the birth of the Douro, the maze of stones of Both ropes and they have crowned three peaks: the Mojón Alto, Zurraquín and Urbión (2,228 meters).

Barcones, who was received by the mayor of Covalent, José Llorente, and was accompanied by the deputy delegate of the Government in Soria, Miguel Latorre, also wanted to emphasize that “the people and the region will return with the race. 350 volunteers work to get everything right.”

The FEDME is the reference federation for the natural environment and sustainability. As explained to the delegate its president, Alberto Ayora, the Survey of Sports Habits in Spain indicates that more than 8 million people practice hiking and mountaineering. The FEDME is the fifth national sports federation and second in women’s licenses. There are more than 2,800 clubs to promote mountain sports safely and work for the defense of the environment.

DESTINATION TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY PLAN

The delegate of the Government has been able to verify that mountain sports “are a demand, therefore, for many practitioners who are potential tourists from localities such as Covalent. The Government of Spain follows the same line of enhancing these destinations with the support of Covalent with programs such as the Destination Tourism Sustainability Plan (PSTD) ‘Entrepinos’. The project envisages an investment of more than 2 million euros in Covalent, almost half of which is provided directly by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism (MINCOTUR). The rest, the Junta de Castilla y León and the City Council.

In addition, MINCOTUR is behind another Destination Tourism Sustainability Plan that will be executed in the neighboring town of Duruelo de la Sierra.

'Entrepinos' is, according to Barcones, "a bet to take advantage of the unique natural environment of the town, to take advantage of its own resources, to offer an innovative and quality tourist alternative. Accessible tourism in the mountains. It is clear that not everyone can do the race, but they can walk through these majestic places with their families. They have well-marked trails and comfortable walking paths”.

The Urbión Challenge Club has informed Barcones that seek to make the province of Soria the first to identify itself as a Mountain Sports Station, a name proposed for territories where there is a consolidated and varied offer in terms of how to enjoy the natural environment through the sports specialties of the FEDME.

In recent years the Urbión Challenge Club, according to its president, Andrés Cámara, has worked in defense of the environment and seeks that this race obtain the environmental certificate for good behaviors Green Label. They have in their favor the example of forest management of the region. It has GR trails, ski resorts or ferrata tracks.

In 2024, this race, the Urbion Challenge, will be the SkyRunning World Championship. Between the 6th and the 8th of September, the best athletes of this discipline on the planet will be in Covalent.