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The Gwarek Race in Sokołowsko

Sokołowsko is a picturesquely located climatic health spa. This is the place where, in 1855 one of the world’s first places of treating tuberculosis was opened. The town gained its Polish name after World War II, to commemorate professor Alfred Sokołowski, to whom the town can be grateful for its development in the late 19th and 20th century.

Despite being neglected in the recent years, the health spa is starting to revive, even though the largest neo-gothic hospital, which was built on a big scale, still resembles more of romantic ruins. The beautiful sanatory houses and villas have survived, but they do require renovation. In the 1950s, Sokołowsko was the hometown of young Krzysztof Kieślowski and his father; there are plans to built a museum dedicated to the famous movie director.

For many years, on the last weekend of January an event is organized in Sokołówsko known as the Gwarek Race. It used to be a masive event, which hosted more than 6000 contestants. Since 1978 it was organized the Coal Associations of the Wałbrzych-Nowa Ruda basin. In 2012, during the 33rd edition of the event, a new record since the time of changes was established – during the race there were 686 skiers.

In the beautiful scenery of the Threee Valley Pass, which is dominatedby Waligóra, the highest peak of the Suche Mountains, a cycle of races for youngest contestants is organized at the distance of 0.5 kilometers, 1 kliometer, 2 kilometers and 3 kilometers, as well as a series of long-distance races at a distance of 10 and 20 kilometers.

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