Recently, the final of the León 2024 Nordic Walking Cup took place, an event that has stood out not only for the sporting competition, but also for its firm commitment to sustainability
The tournament’s organisation has put the focus on environmental responsibility as one of its fundamental pillars, offering an innovative proposal: the trophies given to the winners of each category have been made from recycled rubber, a choice that reinforces the symbiosis between sport and sustainability.
In a gesture full of symbolism, the winners of the higher categories received the “Twist” trophy, an elegant piece inspired by the famous Turning Torso skyscraper in Malmö, which evokes the dynamics and movement of the competition. For their part, the youngest were awarded with the “Pocket Pawns”, small figures that, beyond their playful design, underline the importance of instilling ecological values from an early age. The awards were made from recycled rubber by Neusus.
Sustainability was not limited only to the recycled rubber trophies at the León2024 Nordic Walking Cup, but also materialised in an innovative advance in sports footwear. Several of the participating women, including the winner of the competition, wore a pioneering proposal in their shoes: the León brand Tiresoul offered them a resoling with soles made from recycled rubber from Neusus, an initiative that aims to mark a before and after in the use of recycled materials within the sports footwear sector.
This collaboration between Neusus, Tiresoul and the participants underlines a double objective. On the one hand, it promotes the use of sustainable materials, showing how waste can be transformed into valuable resources for the industry. On the other hand, the initiative seeks to highlight the technical advantages that recycled rubber offers over other traditional materials: greater resistance to wear, excellent grip on different surfaces, ergonomics that reduce athlete fatigue and superior durability, qualities that make it especially suitable for sports such as Nordic walking.
Tiresoul’s commitment to recycled soles not only responds to an increasing demand for sustainability, but also puts the capacity of this material to compete in terms of performance with more conventional options at the centre of the debate. In addition, the fact that one of the tournament winners used these shoes reinforces confidence in recycled rubber as a high-quality alternative.
This advance, which combines sport and sustainable innovation, reflects a growing commitment within the footwear industry to adopt more environmentally friendly solutions without compromising performance. In this way, the León 2024 Nordic Walking Cup was consolidated as a benchmark in the promotion of a sport in harmony with the environment, setting a precedent in the organisation of tournaments that are more conscious and respectful of the environment.
