The organization of the duathlon “Sutjeska – Piva” of the Municipality of Foča and Plužine ended this year’s tourist season
The first duathlon “Sutjeska – Piva”, which gathered 50 participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, was held on October 17, 2021 with the support of the European Union. The duathlon was organized within the project “Tourism, Adrenaline and Rafting Adventure (T.A.R.A.)” implemented by the Municipalities of Foča and Plužine with partners.
The race started at Tjentište in Foča, from where the competitors rode bicycles to Prijevor, at the foothill of the highest peak of BiH, Maglić Mountain, in the length of 18 kilometers. From Prijevor, the competitors ran to Trnovačko Lake, the jewel of the Nature Park Piva (Montenegro) and back, along an 11-kilometer-long trail, and then rode their bicycles back to Tjentište.
The duathlon through the National Park Sutjeska and the Nature Park Piva attracted cycling and mountain marathon enthusiasts from several cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, who had the opportunity to enjoy the phenomenal scenes of untouched natural beauty of this cross-border area. The winner of the duathlon is the young Nikola Jovanović from Rudo, who successfully finished the race in 3 hours and 45 minutes. The second place won Miloš Bodiroga from Trebinje, while the third place went to Slaviša Vrećo from Foča. Naida Husić from Živinice was the only woman among the participants in the duathlon and placed among the first ten participants. Despite the demanding track and cold weather, all participants expressed a desire to participate in the next duathlon.
Rescue drills in Plužine and Foča
In order to increase joint coordination and technical skills for rescuing in complex situations, the project will organise 4 joint emergency drills (two per year), in following locations: Tara Canyon, Hrcavka Canyon, Maglic Peak and Piva Lake. Preparations for emergency drills will be discussed during the coordination meetings and will be open for all interested members of the rescue teams.
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The cooperation of the municipal protection and rescue services of Foča and Plužine has been improved with the financial support of the European Union
During September and October 2021, four rescue drills were organized in the area of the National Park “Sutjeska” (Municipality of Foča) and Nature Park “Piva” (Municipality of Plužine) within the cross-border cooperation project “Tourism, Adrenaline and Rafting Adventure (T.A.R.A)” . The drills were organized with the aim of improving cooperation and coordination of protection and rescue services from the two municipalities in order to contribute to greater safety of tourists visiting this cross-border area.
Within the first rescue drill “Maglić 2021”, held at Prijevor, National Park Sutjeska, the protection and rescue services of the municipalities of Plužine and Foča evacuated the injured from the motor passenger vehicle and rescued the injured mountaineer. The next rescue drill “Hrčavka 2021” was organized in the Hrčavka canyon, where a scenario of rescuing an injured tourist during canyoning was implemented.
The next two drills were organzed in the area of the Nature Park “Piva”. Rescue drill “Piva Lake 2021” was organized according to the scenario of a traffic accident with two injured in which, due to serious injuries of one of the injured from the motor vehicle, the roof of the vehicle and the door had to be cut so that he could safely surrender to the Hospital from Plužine. During the final drill “TARA 2021”, a fire was simulated on a motor passenger vehicle, which spread to the surrounding low vegetation and to inaccessible terrain.
During the rescue drills, members of the Rescue Service from Plužine, the Civil Protection from Foča, the Territorial Fire Brigade from Foča, the ambulance team and the General Hospital from both municipalities showed a high level of training. Connecting rescue services, equipping and strengthening their capacities will especially contribute to greater safety of tourists, which is one of the goals of the project.
The project “Tourism, Adrenaline and Rafting Adventure (T.A.R.A.)” is implemented by the Municipalities of Plužine and Foča, in cooperation with the Nature Park “Piva” and the Tourist Organization of the Municipality of Foča, and funded by the European Union within the Cross-Border Cooperation Program BiH-Montenegro. The aim of the project is to develop and promote the cross-border area as a unique destination for active tourism. Realization began on December 1, 2019 and will last for two years, until the end of November 2021.