HYBRID TURF
“The biggest challenges when deploying hybrid
pitches is in educating the groundstaff who may have
been successful in their maintenance practices prehybrid
but have to adapt and change to maintaining
hybrid pitches.”
Climate control
This also includes working with the challenges extreme
climate can present.
Venues turning to hybrid technology are located
in a growing number of diverse geographical regions
and climates, meaning manufacturing and installation
methods, materials, and maintenance of the hybrid
system are all having to evolve and adapt to optimize
performance for every part of the world.
The Lerkendal Stadium in Norway, home to soccer
side Rosenborg BK, previously claimed one of the
northernmost natural pitches in the Nordic region but
took the decision to install a hybrid turf technology
to counteract extreme weather conditions, becoming
the first in Norway to do so.
“In the Norwegian top flight soccer league, there
are more than two-thirds of clubs using artificial
pitches. Our clear opinion is that hybrid pitches are
a better solution,” believes Lerkendal Stadium manager,
Roar Munkvold.
“The Norwegian soccer season starts in late March
and concludes late November. Weather conditions can
be harsh, and the pitch faces challenges due to the
weather during the autumn months and before May.
To be able to present a decent early springtime pitch,
we decided to stitch the natural turf with SIS grass,”
says head groundskeeper, Anders Øien.
“We work the hybrid pitch in nearly the same
way as a 100% natural pitch. The main difference is
the dethatching process, as we have to aim not to
damage the stitched artificial grass. As for any other
process such as seeding, fertilizing and aeration, the
same approach applies, although we perform aeration
of the pitch more often to avoid the turf being too firm.
Handheld mowers with collectors are also used
throughout the season to avoid the thatch building up,”
Øien describes.
of development in fibers is occurring in both carpet
and stitched hybrid solutions,” says Lee Collier, senior
design consultant at STRI Group, a leading sports
surface solutions provider. “On installation, a hybrid
stitched pitch is usually installed at 20 x 20mm 0.7 x
0.7in increments to a depth of 180 to 200mm 7 to
7.8in. At installation, usually, eight to 10 fibers are
stitched in each position, making up approximately
5% of the sward composition.”
Smooth operator
Whichever system a club’s operators opts to install,
it has become clear that it is vital to understand the
additional maintenance needed to keep a hybrid system
in prime playing condition.
“Depending on the solution selected, careful
thought has to go into what are the optimum types
of equipment to use during routine maintenance and
renovation,” explains Collier. “Different hybrid
solutions may require different maintenance equipment
to be used to prolong lifespan, but at the same time,
ensuring that optimum turf management can be
carried out. Maintenance processes can often vary
between stitched and hybrid solutions and the
consequences of carrying out certain operations, such
as aeration and scarification, need to be understood.”
While a shift away from notoriously temperamental
and time-consuming all-grass surfaces to hardier
hybrid pitches might sound like a break for busy
groundskeepers, those who have worked with the
pitches know this isn’t necessarily the case.
“There is a myth that hybrid pitches are easier
to maintain than traditional natural pitches, in actual
fact they can be more difficult,” describes Dean
Gilasbey, director of international pitch management
at ProPitch, a global company specializing in sports
surface development.
“In the Norwegian top flight soccer league,
there are more than two-thirds of clubs using
artificial pitches. Our clear opinion is that hybrid
pitches are a better solution”
Roar Munkvold, manager, Lerkendal Stadium
www.stadia-magazine.com June 2019 51
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