M alongside domestic fixtures is difficult at the best of
SPORTS PITCHES
Saving the Champions League from ‘ Biblical ’ downpours at Galatasaray ’ s Rams Park
anaging cup competitions
M alongside domestic fixtures is difficult at the best of
times . But it ’ s even harder when games in the Champions League need rescheduling .
The extra mid-week travel puts pressure on football ’ s elite clubs , with some squads clocking up thousands of added miles to complete their fixtures . It ’ s a complication every manager wants to avoid .
Still , you can ’ t account for the weather and sometimes it ’ s so bad a game seems destined for another date . That is , unless you have SIS Pitches managing the playing surface .
When it rains , it pours
It ’ s November 29 , 2023 . Galatasaray are set to host Manchester United in Istanbul for the second leg of their Group A clash .
Rams Park , Galatasaray ’ s home ground , sees a range of conditions throughout the year , with city temperatures averaging between 20-28 ° c for the first few months of the season . Cooler temperatures , rain and even snow are common during the winter months , owing to Istanbul ’ s altitude and coastal position .
Rain was forecast for November 29 – certainly not unusual for the time of year . However , the amount expected to fall is what gave UEFA cause for concern . Observation notes and data collected by SIS on the morning of the game tell their own story . From 10am , thunderstorms would occur throughout the day , bringing nearconstant rain up until midnight .
The right system at the right time Conscious of a potential postponement , SIS activated its SISAir soil aeration system at 9.15 am . SISAir has been developed to help sports club owners and groundskeepers make the most of root zone growing conditions , making it easier to maintain stronger , healthier turf .
The system is installed just underneath a site ’ s playing surface . Once in-situ , SISAir can be used for subsurface aeration , water removal and gas exchange . This is done by setting the network of pipes to vacuum mode or pressure mode .
As Ilyas Kobal , Managing Director at SIS Pitches ( Eastern Europe ) points out : “ We knew vacuum mode would be critical throughout the day , so we began with manual operation early that morning to gauge rainfall intensity and the need for both pumps to discharge water .”
According to SIS notes , at 10.18 am the system ’ s drainage well recorded a level of 50cm , triggering the first pump into action . The rain was heavier than expected throughout the late morning , causing the second pump to start .
A few hours later , just before 1 pm , the pumps were stopped as the well water level fell below the 50cm mark for the first time . The system was proving highly effective , though it would only be a temporary reprieve with more bad weather to come .
“ We only had a short period with the pumps off ,” adds Ilyas . “ But we had proof of concept . These
20 GroundskeepingJournal . co . uk | March / April 2024