The energy company EDP, in collaboration with ONCE and the Spanish Federation of Sports for Blind People (FEDC) has created “Share your energy”, an online platform that connects all those blind people or with grave visual impairment, passionate of running, with runners that can guide them, both to train and to participate in races

The platform has received more than 6,000 visits since its launching at the end of May, and has already more than 500 people registered in all parts of Spain, like Lidia and Salva, from Alicante and Murcia, that short after meeting have started training together for the next Half Marathon Valencia Trinidad Alfonso EDP. Or Antonio and Ana Lucía, that have made a debut in the last 10 K of Boadilla (Madrid). And Juan Carlos and Ismael, from Madrid, that have just begun to enjoy together their passion for running.

Compartetuenergia.com is the meeting point for all these people. Thanks to its technology, it is accessible for all users. One only has to register, indicate the training area, the time availability and the type of runner: usual or occasional.

From then on, each guide runner may search for a blind runner, or the other way around, depending on the data indicated in the registration. Moreover, there are guidelines and tutorials available on the web to begin to run together.

Furthermore, EDP will give race bibs to the pairs of runners that meet through the platform and wish to participate in some of the races that the company sponsors.

Share your energy is backed by the World and Europe champion in marathon, Martín Fiz, and by the international blind athlete, Pablo Cantero. Both will be leading the presentation video of the initiative, where they run together (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-W5ntSJYhv8). This video is available on the platform, where it is played with a recognition technology, able to identify if the user has his eyes closed.

EDP’s Director General Manager, Javier Sáenz de Jubera, has explained why they have created this initiative: “EDP has become the official energy of sport, as it sponsors and shows commitment with more than 30 races each year. We think that the lack of vision should not be an obstacle to enjoy this great sport”. He added, “the awareness of the rest of runners is essential for the success of this project, which goal is no other than to bring usual runners closer to the reality of all those blind people, and to enable everyone to enjoy running”.

The goal of this initiative is to raise awareness in society so that all people can enjoy sport and make it easier for blind people to find runners that want to be their guides.

EDP, the official energy of sport, is the main sponsor of the most important races in Spain. Each year it supports more than 165,000 people that want to take part in the races in which it collaborates (www.edpmaraton.es).

EDP

EDP is an international energy group, leader in the value creation, innovation and sustainability. It is part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indezes (World and STOXX) and is also global leader in renewable energy.

In Spain, EDP is a model company in the energy market, present on generation, distribution and electric and gas energy marketing, that has earned the trust of more than 3 million people.

EDP is leader in gas in Cantabria and the Basque Country, as well as in Asturias, where it is also a model electricity operator.