Polytan Poligras Paris GT zero at St. Andrews School, Bloemfontein, South Africa

Burgheim, Germany, March 27, 2024 – This March, Africa’s first Dry Hockey field was inaugurated, marking a groundbreaking moment for the sport of hockey. The installation at St. Andrews School in Bloemfontein, South Africa, is a flagship project for the entire continent, where water is an extremely scarce and valuable resource. At St. Andrews, sports flooring specialist Polytan installed a high-performance Dry Hockey field that requires neither sand infill nor irrigation. The sustainable system was officially certified by the FIH. The world’s first certified ‘FIH Innovation Category Dry Turf Hockey Field’ is a milestone for hockey in terms of sustainability, as large quantities of water were previously required to professionally play on such fields. This innovation allows hockey to gain traction in arid regions of the world.

St. Andrews as a pioneer in African hockey

The passion for sports in South Africa became evident during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Football and rugby are particularly popular, and hockey is steadily gaining ground. The primary challenge is water scarcity, as sand-filled hockey fields are still prevalent but become unplayable during droughts. Therefore, the renowned St. Andrews School chose Polytan’s Poligras Paris GT zero, a hockey turf that can be played on dry and achieves Olympic-level quality with only minimal irrigation. This sustainable artificial turf system was installed by Trompie Sport, one of Africa’s leading sports construction companies. The installation will benefit the school’s 33 junior and 10 senior teams, which rank among the best in South Africa.

Poligras Paris GT zero – Climate-neutral and resource-efficient

Polytan has developed the world’s first climate-neutral artificial turf for hockey with Poligras Paris GT zero. The sports flooring manufacturer continues to push for sustainable system advancements without compromising playing quality. The filaments of Poligras Paris GT zero are made from up to 80% bio-based raw materials. Combined with a recyclable polyurethane backing, this results in a positive climate balance and excellent play performance. The high-performance hockey turf enables precise and dynamic play while ensuring maximum player safety, even during complex maneuvers. The robust hockey turf withstands changing weather conditions and high UV exposure while maintaining its pristine look for years, even under intensive use. Thanks to Polytan’s Turf Glide Technology, surface friction is minimized, enabling fast ball movement, enhancing player protection, and significantly reducing water requirements.

Dry Hockey as the foundation for a sustainable future in hockey

The official opening of St. Andrews’ Dry Hockey field took place on March 20, 2024, with the attendance of Deon Morgan, FIH Executive Board member and President of the South Africa Hockey Association. Morgan expressed his enthusiasm for the project and its importance for the future of hockey, saying: “Dry Hockey represents a significant opportunity for the growth of the sport, and I am confident we will soon see many more fields like this in South Africa and across our continent.” He extended his gratitude to all involved parties, especially the global FIH supplier Polytan, and wished St. Andrews’ hockey players “every success in honing their skills under optimal conditions, while enjoying thrilling hockey and moments of camaraderie.”

Polytan has long been committed to sustainability in sports, developing sports surfaces and artificial turf systems that deliver peak performance while being environmentally friendly. Ashley Appleby, International Sales Manager at Polytan, highlighted the strides made in sustainable hockey turf development, stating: “Our climate-neutral artificial turf Poligras Paris GT zero was developed with Paris 2024 in mind. With FIH certification, it is now available for all Dry Hockey fields – from school and club sports to international competitions like the World Cup.”

Polytan has already equipped over 25 fields in 11 countries with Poligras Paris GT zero, a system proven to excel in training and competitions, robust and highly resource-efficient – a significant advantage, particularly in water-scarce regions. Speaking about the new field at St. Andrews, Ashley Appleby added: “We are proud to have realized Africa’s first Dry Hockey field. It enriches the entire hockey community and represents another step toward a sustainable success story in hockey.”

Incidentally, the first FIH Hockey5s World Championship took place in Oman in January 2024, also on a Polytan Dry Hockey field. This further underscores Dry Hockey’s potential to conquer the world.