"Cross-Border Athletics" project brings a new wave of Sports Activities in Porkhov and Smiltene

Project No. ELRI-383 "Cross Border Athletics" started to implement in July 2013. The project's aim was to launch a long-term cooperation between local sport schools for children and young people’s physical preparation in municipalities of Smiltene and Porhov, using experience and resources of both countries. 


    


By implementing the project one of the results to be achieved were reconstructed stadium runways. In Porhov stadium were reconstructed 6 jogging tracks for straight-running and 4 jogging tracks for circle-running. But in Smiltene stadium reconstruction works were carried out widely, therefore stadium reconstruction was carried out thanks to the cross-border project and a loan to the Treasury Republic of Latvia.


    


Cross-border project took place in sports expert exchanges. July 08, 2014 Smiltenes municipality sports experts went on knowledge exchange visit to the project partners of the Pskov Region, Porhov. In turn, experts from Porhov visited Smiltene in late July. Exchange visits of sports experts took note of the two cities sports traditions, sports schools and sports facilities - stadiums. As well as practical experience exchange was held, where participants demonstrated training methods and demonstrations in javelin throw. After the exchange of experience trips next activity was a cross-border athletics competition in both regions.


    


First event with competitions was held in the stadium Smiltene on 18 and 19 September and was attended by more than a hundred children and young people from Smiltenes municipality, Valmiera, Porhov district and the Republic of Estonia Valga County. Participants competed in three age groups and competed in various track and field disciplines: 100m ("D" group 60m), long jump, ball throwing, 800m boys, girls 500m and 4x100m relay race, shot-put and high jump. 



                                        
                                        


Second competetions took place in Porhov district on 2 and 3 October. According to the competition regulations youngsters competed in various track and field disciplines in three age groups: sprints 60m, 4x100m relay race, long jump, shot put, 600m race (girls), 800m race (boys) and ball throw. Each competition day for the first three winners in every way and the group was rewarded.



    



Implementation of the project was made possible after the project application was approved in the frame of  Estonia-Latvia-Russia Cross-Border Cooperation Program within European Neighborhoods and Partnership Instrument 2007 - 2013, Priority 3 Promoting people-to-people cooperation, 3.2. Cooperation in spheres of culture, sport, education, social and health.


Project total budget is 220 000.00 €, where 85.5% or 188 100.00 € amount financed by the Estonia-Latvia-Russia Programme and 31 900.00 € is partners' co-financing amount.