FieldTurf at Westhills Stadium Becomes Oldest Pitch to Be Certified By World Rugby

The recent recertification of two synthetic turf fields in Langford, British Columbia, by World Rugby is promising proof of what a quality product and proper maintenance can achieve.

The FieldTurf surface at Westhills Stadium, used by Rugby Canada and other teams, and adjacent Goudy Field have achieved certification by World Rugby (formerly the International Rugby Board) every two years since their openings in 2006 and 2008, respectively.

The Westhills Stadium surface is the oldest pitch in North America to receive such certification, according to Thomas Amadei, laboratory manager at Labosport Inc, the Canadian branch of the independent international laboratory that tests sports surfaces and sports equipment.

“At Labosport we always say there are three ingredients that make great pitches: product, installer and maintenance,” Amadei says. “The maintenance crew leader at Westhills Stadium and Goudy Field treats the turf like his baby, and the guys in Rugby Canada’s office at the stadium really like the turf, even if it is a little old.”

A World Rugby-approved field goes through rigorous testing in accordance with the organization’s “Artificial Rugby Turf Performance Specification.”. These fields boast excellent performance elements and pass all safety measures for rugby and other contact sports. Testing criteria includes visual inspection, performance tests and site/material identification testing.

The longevity of the surfaces at Westhills Stadium and Goudy Field suggests that maintenance of artificial turf is the most important aspect of ownership, according to Amadei. Granted, the installation of turf dramatically reduces the amount of field maintenance required, but the surface is not maintenance-free.

“When you buy a car, you don’t expect it to last for 10 years without any maintenance,” he says. “With proper maintenance — regular brushing of fibers, decompaction and managing infill — it’s completely doable to have a 10-year-old artificial turf field in good and safe condition.”

Amadei says the lab results out of Lancaster are terrific news for the artificial turf industry: “Our job at Labosport is very often perceived as the guys looking for something wrong on the field… We don’t see it this way at all. It is very important for us to take note when everything has gone well — and is still going well after many years. The majority of pitches can become like concrete after three to four years due to lack of proper good maintenance.”

FieldTurf, a World Rugby preferred producer, is the proud surface of premier rugby pitches worldwide such as Cardiff Arms Park, Charles-Mathon Stadium, Stade de Mayol, University of Notre Dame, Rutgers University and Washington State University to name a few.

FieldTurf service experts are always available to answer maintenance- related questions. Learn more at www.customerconnect.fieldturf.com or by email at service@fieldturf.com.