The first-ever ‘Carrera del Viento’, a 5K/10K/21K distance running event, will be held Saturday, February 8, 2020 at the Mezquite Wind Park (Parque Eólico el Mezquite) in Mina, Nuevo León, México. Organizers have declared their commitment to the principles and practices of the version 4.2 Responsible Sport Standards, and are seeking certification of their efforts from the Council for Responsible Sport.
The course will be set in a functioning ‘wind park’ of enormous turbines generating greenhouse gas emissions-free electricity near Mina, in the Nuevo Leon State of Mexico, becoming what organizers believe to be the first endurance event hosted in a wind energy park in Mexico. Proceeds from the event will benefit Enseña por México, a not-for-profit organization working towards ensuring that every child in Mexico receives a high-quality education.
“There is no other race like this. It’s more than a race. It’s movement for sustainability, and the promotion of education/No hay otro evento parecido. Es mas que una carrera. Es un movimiento para la sostentabilidad y la promueva de educación.”
-Daniel Almanza, Mexican Ultra-Marathoner
Rutas y Raices, one of Mexico’s premier sustainable project designers and developers, is one of the key organizing partners for this first-edition event. “The intention is to provide a direct experience with regenerative technologies. It’s about a lived experience of sustainability in sport—from running in a shirt made of recycled fibers, to receiving a backpack made from reclaimed sails, to drinking water made onsite by a machine that condenses air, to the locally made food in the recuperation zone, and other surprises,” said Alexander Winer, the race’s director. He added, “We want to share the magic of creating clean energy and we’re placing all of the proceeds from the event towards eradicating educational inequality in Mexico by supporting Teach 4 All Mexico (Enseña por México).”
The Council for Responsible Sport certification requires an on-site evaluation by a third-party to verify claims and activities. DoDo Ambiental, an environmental consulting firm based in Mexico City, will perform the verification of the Carrera del Viento and report findings directly to the Council. Organizers will also report on key outcomes in all five pillars of Responsible Sport: planning & communications, procurement, resource management, access and equity, and community legacy.
The Council salutes the effort of the Wind Race to voluntarily hold itself and delivery partners to the highest standards of responsibility in sport.