Founding Partner of Extreme E, Continental Tyres, has opened a cutting-edge and sustainably built basketball court in the Linden-Süd district of Hanover, Germany.
This is no ordinary court – the innovative new build has been constructed using 200 recycled racing tyres from the first season of the Extreme E electric racing series, which Continental supports as a main sponsor.
Since its inception, a core value of Extreme E and its supporting partners has been sustainability, which has been actioned through examples such as electrification, legacy programmes, and a Scientific Committee. Being able to give new life to these old racing tyres is a further impactful development to this goal and demonstrates the significance of a major manufacturer adapting to match a purpose driven mission.
Ali Russell, Chief Marketing Officer at Extreme E, commented: “We are delighted with this initiative from our partner Continental, which pushes the boundaries of how we can re-purpose resources in a way that will benefit so many people.
“Over the past two Extreme E season campaigns, it has become clear that both creative thinking and a great deal of ingenuity is required to deliver the solutions necessary to combat the climate crisis. This fantastic initiative certainly achieves that."
Continental’s partnership with Extreme E has already seen the launch of two generations of the pioneering CrossContact racing tyre – credited as a fundamental development in pushing the boundaries in tyre technology.
In its second year of partnership, Continental launched its most sustainable tyre ever, the second generation of the Extreme E CrossContact.
The application of old PET bottles, making up 100% of the tyre carcass, and a new silica material created from rice husks, a waste product from agriculture, pushes the boundaries in tyre technology ahead of plans to integrate the new technology into volume production of various Continental premium tyres later this year.
This high-level basketball court has taken this innovation one step further, turning old tyres into the foundation of the sporting and social space, in line with the aim of “turning racing tyres into living space”. This, in sum, strives to give people a lively place to play, burn off energy, and train.
Christian Kötz, Member of the Executive Board Tires at Continental, said: “These tyres raced in Saudi Arabia, Greenland, and Senegal. Now, in the form of a basketball court, they are helping to bring young people together and get them excited about sport.
“We’re delighted that the Extreme E tyres are getting a second life after the end of their racing career. Circularity – in this case the reuse and continued use of tyres – is an important area, and one in which Continental is working hard."
The court was created as part of a collaboration between the city of Hanover, property construction company Hanova, the BasKIDball project, the VIA Linden, and Serve the City Hannover associations and the SV Linden 07 club, on whose premises the half-court has been built. Elastomer processing company REGUPOL handled the transformation of the tyres into rubber paving blocks, and the court was assembled by Hanover-based company Kretschmer.
Belit Onay, Hanover’s Mayor, added: “We would like to thank Continental and all those involved for this new basketball court, which creates a new space for kids and young people and brings sport and sustainability together in the same conversation.
“Initiatives like this show what is possible when so many people help to turn a community project into reality in our city. I’m grateful for all their contributions."
Christian Kötz and Belit Onay led the official opening. After the first few passes on the court, Kötz and Onay then handed it over to the children from the BasKIDball project, a Germany-wide initiative that aims to use sport to break through barriers and shine the spotlight on the social side of group participation.
BasKIDball stands for values such as team spirit and trust, health, and fairness. With the social aspect playing a central role, it is fitting that Continental will support this approach with the help of Extreme E resources, as all involved stand for progression, sustainability and equality.
