Quiet enough for Wimbledon

Grant Cantin presses his controller for the irrigation systems, and within seconds the sprin¬klers’ nozzles pop up and one of Wimbledon’s 41 courts is watered. The sunny London sky combined with the spraying water conjures a rainbow above the neatly kept, green grass.

“Water is everything. Without it, the courts would wither. It’s as simple as that. However, it’s not just about watering them. To achieve the absolute perfect playing surface, the courts have to be watered the exact right amount, depending on each court, actually. Grass courts are alive, and this means they will have different needs depending on their surroundings, which includes the amount of watering required,” he says.

And he should know. Since 2002 he has been taking care of the courts at the world’s oldest and most famous venue for lawn tennis, today as deputy head grounds keeper with the responsibility for the well-being of all the playing surfaces at Wimbledon. This means an all-year challenge of keeping the grass green, dense and correctly irrigated, making sure that all courts look and feel the same, despite being different.

Flawless effort is required
To aid them, Grant Cantin and his colleagues have an arsenal of Grundfos pumps, all living their quiet existence at the grounds, far from the eyes of spectators and tennis stars. But the secluded life of the pumps and systems belies their importance, according to the grounds keeper:

“They have to work flawlessly. A breakdown can have serious consequences for us. Depending on the weather, going without water can affect the grass within a short time. Luckily, we’ve got great equipment from Grundfos,” says Grant Cantin.
“Not having to worry about the systems gives me time to focus on presenting pristine courts to players and spectators. Because I know that I’ll have the water I need, when and where I need it.”

And it takes some water. During the two weeks of the Championships up to 160,000 litres of water are used to keep the courts perfect, depending on weather conditions.

Not seen, not heard
The Grundfos impact on Wimbledon is not limited to irrigation systems. The company has managed to supply all the pumps and related solutions to this iconic venue, where they help get the job done without creating much fuss. All according to plan:

“Some of the strengths of our products are their high quality and long lives. They will simply keep on going, and we know our customers appreciate that. However, it does mean a lot to us to be at the ready with our strong service technicians in case of unforeseen events, making sure that our pumps continue to live a quiet, however efficient, existence behind the scenes. Leaving the limelight to the world’s best tennis players at Wimbledon,” says Peter Reynolds, General Manager of Grundfos’ UK sales company.

Facts

• NB pumps for heating and cooling
• TP- and UP pumps for primary and secondary hot and cold water
• CR booster sets and controls for pressure boosting