KBS Maritime has completed the £1.2m upgrade to HMS Temeraire’s athletics facility. The project involved resurfacing the existing seven-lane, 400m athletics track to meet World Athletics TrackMark standards, in addition to resurfacing the jumping and throwing facilities.
The project is the first Rekortan Gel GT track installed in the UK. The upgraded surface employs green technology, with the gel foundation made from over 60% renewable materials. This offers a long lifespan and superior performance with optimal, stable shock absorption.
The work on the athletics track began in July 2023, involving the removal of 5250m² of the existing track surface. Extensive work was done on the engineered base to ensure it was suitable and primed for the new surface. The new surface, made up of three compound layers of gel, Rekortan Gel GT topcoat, and EPDM granules, each with their own curing periods, was installed over the last four months of the project.
The upgrade was delivered by KBS Maritime, Bryburn and McArdle Sport Tec, along with experts from around Europe to create the perfect running surface.
Commissioned in 1971, HMS Temeraire, in addition to being the home of Royal Navy School of Physical Training and Sport, also hosts events with the local schools, colleges and universities from Portsmouth to make these world-class facilities available within the community.
The athletics facility at HMS Temeraire was originally a Cinder track, changing over to a synthetic track in the 1980’s, with a resurfacing of the facility last taking place in the mid-1990’s.
