On the first weekend of June, just after most of the Covid-19 restrictions in Poland had been lifted, IPA Region Lower Silesia started the second edition of an event introduced last year to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the International Police Association - #MeetingAtTheSummit.
This time we would like to invite IPA members a bit closer to the capital of our province, and to try their best at climbing the peak of the Slęża mountain.
This ancient sacred place for the pagan cult of the sun deity, reaching back to the 7th century BC, is a nature reserve consisting mostly of granite, is 718 m high and covered with forests.
A short distance from Wrocław, Świdnica and Dzierżoniów, makes Ślęża one of the most popular tourist attractions in the region. On the top of the mountain one can find a tourist mountain hut, a television and radio mast, the Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, ruins of the castle, an observation tower and an ancient (probably Celtic) sculpture of a bear.
As a reminder: the idea of this event is to encourage IPA members to be active and to explore the charming places of our region in a spirit of friendship and competition. Each member who reaches the summit by covering at least 10 km (ascent and descent) and documents the activity with a running app or photo, will receive a commemorative pin.
This time, however, to spice up the competition, all pins will be numbered, and winners will be placed on a winners’ list.
The first occasion to reach the summit and to receive the pin number 1 was on Saturday, June 5th, when on a nice, sunny day IPA Region Wrocław proposed „a small competition”: running up Ślęża along the route of the Ślęża Winter Half Marathon. The joint start took place at 9:30 am from the stadium in Sobótka.
The finish line was at the mountain shelter on Ślęża. A total distance of about 11 km. The race took place in a friendly atmosphere, and all participants won. Each contestant received a commemorative pin. Among the first group of the conquerors of Ślęża was former President of IPA Poland – Fryderyk Orepuk – congratulations!
Since June 5th, a number of IPA members from Lower Silesia took up the challenge and faced the trails to the summit of Ślęża, whether on foot or by bike, at any time of the day – even to admire the charming sunset! The event is on, the summit is to be taken, and the badges are still to be won.
We encourage IPA members all over the world to participate in the events available in their sections, in order to restore normality and to cherish the values of our Association through service and friendship.
Michał Sługocki, Secretary Region IPA Wrocław, IPA Poland