Today marks the start of the European Athletics Championships in Zurich. Lasting until Sunday, 1400 athletes drawn from 50 nations will be competing in Zurich over six days. Organisers are expecting 25,000 spectators each day at Letzigrund Stadium. In addition, there will be around 370 million live TV viewers across Europe.
For this reason the spotlight will also be on Kummler+Matter AG (KuMa), the specialists for technical event infrastructures. At the European Athletics Championships in Zurich KuMa is responsible for earthing the steel structures (and consequently for lightning protection), as well as for the temporary supply of electricity for the entire event. The electricity supply encompasses for example the television production (SRG SSR as host broadcaster is deploying no fewer than 70 cameras in the stadium and will be overseeing its largest-ever in-house production), the media zone (around 2000 media professionals are expected in Zurich) and the hospitality area.
Power for the Rolling Stones too
The European Athletics Championships was and is not the only major event in 2014 that KuMa will be reliably providing with ample energy supplies. KuMa was also responsible for the temporary electricity supply and for lighting at the spectacular concert staged by the Rolling Stones on 1 June (likewise staged at Zurich’s Letzigrund Stadium). In addition to two diesel generators, each with an output of 250 kVA, the KuMa professionals laid around 800 metres of cable.
Furthermore, KuMa has or will also be ensuring the temporary electricity supply along with further event infrastructures at the following events:
- FIFA Ballon d'or in Zurich (13 January 2014)
- Blue Stars/FIFA Youth Cup in Zurich (28 and 29 May 2014)
- sunflower festival in Frauenfeld (8 and 9 August 2014)
- Diamond League Weltklasse Zürich in Zurich (28 August 2014)
- UBS Kids Cup in Zurich (30 August 2014)
- Silvesterlauf in Zurich (14 December 2014)
- Broadcasts of various Champions League and international matches