The last few years have shown: Digital sports formats are here to stay. But many digital sporting events remain superficial - generic challenges with no connection to the location, little emotion, hardly any added value for destinations, events or sponsors.

This is exactly where LaceUp comes in: As an independent platform for GPS-based sporting events, LaceUp handles registration, GPS synchronization, evaluation and results display - seamlessly integrated into the organizer's website. The special feature: Every event is anchored on site. Whether it's an Alpine pass or a city district - the route is real, the stories are local, the effect is lasting.

GPS-based events: Your event takes place outside - not in the feed

LaceUp combines what athletes love:

• Real vertical meters instead of virtual kilometers
• Real passes, peaks and towns instead of anonymous segment lists
• Flexible participation times instead of a tight start time window

LaceUp's GPS-based events work without a fixed infrastructure:

• Checkpoints, passes, summits or locations are stored digitally
• Activities are recorded via GPS and automatically validated
• Start lists, rankings and activities run via LaceUp and can be integrated into your own website via iFrame

The result: Your event becomes measurable, but remains 100% an outdoor experience.

Geocaching for sporting events: Activate playfully, but with a clear goal

A strong element of LaceUp is the principle of "geocaching for sporting events":
Participants collect checkpoints - for example:

• all Alpine passes of a destination (https://extended.alpenbrevet.ch/)
• All host cities of the Tour de Suisse (https://www.tourdesuisse.ch/explorer/)

Storytelling is created with every checkpoint visited:

• The Tour de Suisse Explorer Challenge brings the stage towns and host cities to life.
• The Züri Velo Cup allowed amateur cyclists to experience the world championship course in Zurich long before the professionals started.

This is not about "just drive 100 km somewhere", but about:

"Explore this region, these places, these stories."

This is regional activation with context:

• Local restaurants, hotels, bike stores or tourism partners can be specifically linked to checkpoints.
• Each completed route creates a touchpoint with the region - not with an interchangeable KPI.

Autonomous alternative to Strava challenges: data sovereignty, brand, reach

Many people are primarily familiar with digital challenges via Strava. But anyone planning their own sports format with real marketing goals quickly reaches its limits. LaceUp deliberately positions itself as an autonomous alternative.

1. data sovereignty

• The times and activities recorded by LaceUp are your own measurement data.
• Organizers receive the right to use relevant data (ranking lists, section times, completed checkpoints, contact details) for a limited period of time and for a specific purpose.
• This data can be used for event communication, sponsorship reporting or marketing - as part of the event.

2. independence & reach

• Participants do not need a Strava profile.
• You can reach athletes who are on other platforms - or, if necessary, without a social fitness network at all.

3. your brand at the center

• Branding runs via your own website: Start lists, ranking lists and activity feed are integrated via iFrame.
• The communication (e-mails, badges, landing pages) carries your logo, your tonality, your story.

This turns an anonymous segment race into a brand-strong, legally clean and clearly analyzable campaign.

Regional activation with context: from seasonal event to year-round magnet

LaceUp formats are not limited to a single event day. They can keep a region active for weeks or months.

Examples of this:

• Alpenbrevet ExtendedThe legendary racing bike event becomes a seasonal challenge that positions Andermatt as a cycling destination throughout the season.
• Long-term trophies in which guests or locals collect passes, summits or single trails in a region.

This creates added value on several levels:

1. Tourism & Destinations
   • More overnight stays spread over the season
   • Plannable additional frequency for hotels, restaurants and leisure facilities
2. Regional partners & sponsors
   • Visibility directly in the context of the route
   • Integrations such as "Checkpoint at local bike store" or "Badge for visiting three partner restaurants"
3. Communication & CRM
   • Automated emails for milestones (e.g. first pass, complete trophy, new best time)
   • Target group-specific campaigns based on real activities instead of clicks

This creates a regional activation with context that goes far beyond a social media campaign.

Digital sporting events as a modular system: from idea to format with character

With LaceUp, event organizers don't have to start from scratch. The platform offers a modular system of formats that can be adapted to any region:

• Race for competitive target groups (e.g. downhill, hill climb, trail run)
• Trophy as geocaching for sporting events with a playful character
• Tour for pleasure or long-distance formats (e.g. multi-day tours, themed routes)
• Enduro for segmented classification in an activity (e.g. bike or trail enduro)

All formats can be extended with:

• digital badges
• themed series (e.g. "Four Lakes Trophy", "City Climbs", "Family Explorer")
• seasonal or regional focuses

This creates digital sporting events that:

• locally anchored
• Economically sensible
• suitable for marketing and branding
• and are highly motivating for participants.

With projects such as Red Bull Downtime, Tour de Suisse Explorer, Züri Velo Cup and Alpenbrevet Extended, LaceUp shows how GPS-based events combine real outdoor experiences with data-driven communication.

So anyone looking for an autonomous alternative to Strava challenges - with full brand sovereignty, a clear database and real regional added value - will find the right platform for modern, digital sporting events in LaceUp.

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