When on Thursday 29 August top athletes from across the globe compete for the coveted Diamond Trophy at the Letzigrund Stadium, the world of sports will be looking to Zurich. The evening before, the finest pole vaulters will perform at Zurich main station. And now Weltklasse Zürich has extended its programme to include the CYBATHLON Experience on Tuesday 27 August. In the demo competitions, people with physical disabilities (pilots) will show what can be achieved in everyday life with the help of modern technology. These pilots are not only the users of assistive technologies, but are also actively involved in the development of such devices.
Where Weltklasse meets world class
“The goal of the CYBATHLON is to drive forward the development of technical assistance systems and to promote inclusion of people with disabilities. Holding demo competitions at Zurich main station gives us an ideal opportunity to present the chances and limitations of modern assistive technology to a broad audience, and to spark important exchange on this topic,” says Roland Sigrist, Executive Director of CYBATHLON, explaining the collaboration with Weltklasse Zürich. This unique championship brings together sport and everyday life, staging challenges at the highest level. It shows how world-class performances can be achieved not just by leading athletes with their coaches, but also by pilots together with the researchers. “Weltklasse Zürich has been advising the CYBATHLON on event implementation right from the first run in 2016. Now we’ve found a platform for sharing our passion for excellence directly with the general public,” says Christoph Joho, Co-Meeting Director of Weltklasse Zürich.
Eight teams – Four disciplines – Two race sessions
Eight teams will be lined up for the CYBATHLON Experience at the main station; in each team are people with physical disabilities who, with the help of innovative assistance systems, must accomplish challenging everyday tasks. Visitors can look forward to the Powered Arm Prosthesis Race, Powered Leg Prosthesis Race, Powered Exoskeleton Race and Powered Wheelchair Race. The race sessions will take place from 12 – 2 p.m. and from 5 – 7 p.m. They will be broadcast on the big screen and accompanied by professional commentators and athletics experts. Admission to the competitions is free for all spectators.
