![](https://www.sportdimontagna.com/sites/default/files/styles/1140_662/public/field/image/Volunteers_AndorraUltraTrail3.jpg?itok=xqtrBha1)
ANDORRA ULTRATRAIL VALLNORD 2013 - ORDINO (ANDORRA)
Sottotitolo: The Andorra’s competitions have 65 control points to ensure the safety in the races
- letto 8960 volte
Some people from 14 to 99 years are starting now to distribute the tasks entrusted to them ‐over the four days of competition....
The human resources and logistics to ensure the safety and comfort of the participants in the Andorra Ultra Trail Vallnord races have, year after year, extraordinary support of volunteers. This year 400 volunteers will help the team of 50 professionals. Some people from 14 to 99 years are starting now to distribute the tasks entrusted to them ‐over the four days of competition. Sixteen responsibles are deploying volunteers in 65 control points, 22 of which correspond to aid stations.
Based on the profiles of volunteers, mountain dweller, walker or urban, they ascribe different missions like information, security, control, timing, support, supplies, among the most prominents. Perhaps what is most valued by participants is "entertainment". Volunteers are the authors of applause and shouts of support that give all athletes that run day and night in the andorran mountains looking after their limits.
The directors of Andorra Ultra Trail Vallnord, Gerard Martinez and Valerie Lafleur, think that psychological support is the basic function that volunteers deploy with great enthusiasm. "Their smile energize the runners and they greatly appreciated," they say.
These volunteers come from Andorra, but also from Spain and France. In some cases there are ex‐ runners and injured athletes who don’t want to miss the Ordino atmosphere during the competition, or friends and family who want to contribute, thus completing an organizing team that invests enthusiasm in all his races.
What are doing volunteers? Distributing bibs, welcoming runners, marking the path, charging transport, timing, delivering food and as we said, are at every station to support and encourage the runners. So it is not surprising to find some musicians ‐a bagpiper and two drummers‐ at the top of Peak Comapedrosa (remember that is 2,942 m above sea level) playing their instruments as soon as they see a runner along the crest of the mountain. There was a rock band in the Coll de la Botella and another group dancing Sevillanas, to give encouragement to all athletes.
These volunteers make their own competition with an ascent that can take up to 4 hours to reach the shelter of the Illa or Comapedrosa Peak. Often they have to camp in the open or sleep in shelters, and they stay there up to 40 hours, until the last participant.
Volunteers of Andorra Ultra Trail Vallnord, the organizing team and the entire village of Ordino are very close to the runners during this magical weekend, that they will never forget.