Whether you're a professional or a beginner - everyone is free to try out the action at the Markkleeberg canoe park. The whitewater offers can also be used by visually impaired, blind, deaf, mute or physically handicapped recreational athletes on request. There is also a playground on site for younger visitors. After the whitewater and playground adventures, the terrace offers visitors refreshment. In addition to the gastronomic offer, you can enjoy the best view of the whitewater courses and Lake Markkleeberg here.
The season runs from May to October and is kicked off annually with the popular "XXL Paddle Festival", which attracts canoe fans and sports enthusiasts from near and far to the canoe park. Rafting days in the season are Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday every week. When there is no whitewater rafting on offer, there is the opportunity to watch the slalom canoeists during their training. Not only the region's elite and junior squad train here, but also international athletes and various national teams.
A complete success even without the Olympics
The Markkleeberg Canoe Park is located south of Leipzig in the eponymous town of Markkleeberg, directly on the southeast coast of Lake Markkleeberg. The whitewater facility was planned as part of Leipzig's bid for the 2012 Olympic Games. In 2001, the town of Markkleeberg decided to build the facility. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on April 15, 2005, despite the cancellation of the Olympic Games the previous year. The construction of the facility was funded by the federal government with around 4,9 million euros. As part of the trial operation from September 2006, the slalom canoeists from the German Canoe Association and the Saxon Canoe Association were the first to test the whitewater courses. The canoe park opened on April 15, 2007. In its first season, 9.000 recreational athletes and over 200.000 visitors were counted. In 2013, over 22.000 sports enthusiasts used the whitewater facility and more than 350.000 spectators visited the canoe park grounds. The modern facility in Leipzig's New Lake District now attracts up to 25.000 recreational athletes and around 450.000 visitors every year. The Markkleeberg canoe park offers ideal conditions for national and international competitions. The canoe park hosted World Cups in 2011 and 2017 and the European Canoe Slalom Championships in 2015.
White water fun without end
The Markkleeberg canoe park has two whitewater courses - a training course and a competition course. Between the finish and the respective start basins, boat conveyor belts are installed, which elegantly avoid having to disembark between the individual runs and thus continue the fun for the participants. The changing and sanitary facilities, office, storage and technical rooms as well as the equipment distribution area are located in the canoe park's functional building, between the training and competition courses.
At 270 meters long and about 8,4 meters wide, the competition course is longer than the training course, which is 130 meters long and about 5,7 meters wide. The difference in height between the start and finish pools is 5,2 meters on the competition course and 1,8 meters on the training course. Depending on the number of pumps switched on, 5.000 to 14.000 liters of water flow per second on the various rafting options. The volume of water also correlates with the pumps running and varies from 4 m³ to 13 m³ on the training course and between 4 m³ and 18 m³ per second on the competition course. This means that the whitewater conditions can be designed differently in conjunction with mobile obstacles. Currents, waves, rollers or eddies are created. At the same time, the flow speed and the water force can be regulated. For training purposes for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, it was therefore possible to recreate the Beijing competition course. In addition, different levels of difficulty can be set by using mobile obstacles in the route system. These range from difficulty level WF to WW 4 on the whitewater difficulty scale according to the German Canoe Association and the International Canoe Federation (ICF). Level WF trips are suitable for everyone, WWF 1-2 for beginners, WWF 3 for advanced and WWF4 for professionals.
Special offers for white water adventurers
During whitewater rafting, anyone aged 12 and over can plunge into the water in an inflatable boat. The rapids and rollers of the canoe park are conquered as a team. Fun and action are guaranteed. During power rafting, the canal is even wilder thanks to the increased amount of water. Another special feature is "duo rafting": together with a guide, you steer a two-person inflatable canoe through the rapid current of the canoe park. Experienced paddlers can let off steam with "hydrospeed" or "white water kayaking". A kayak school is also offered.
Since 2017, you can also learn surfing and bodyboarding on a standing wave at the “Surfspot Kanupark”. The canoe park also has special offers for group events such as company parties or club and school trips.
A special highlight in the canoe park's calendar of events is the cardboard boat race, which takes place at the end of August. Creative hobbyists are in demand, who build their boats out of cardboard and adhesive tape in various teams on site and then test them in white water. The event attracts around 8.000 adventure seekers to Lake Markkleeberg every year. In addition to an exciting race, visitors can also expect a varied supporting program for the whole family.
Water fun in a relaxed way
If you prefer something a little quieter on the water, you don't have to go far around the canoe park: there is a dragon boat and a team canoe available here, with which paddling groups can explore Lake Markkleeberg.
Trips to the neighboring Lake Störmthal are also possible. The two-hour passage from Markkleeberg to Lake Störmthal through the canal and lock is combined with a trip past the floating cultural island VINETA and the LAGOVIDA holiday resort. There are now three passenger ships on Lake Markkleeberg that can accommodate 120 to 400 guests and can also be booked for company parties and other events. During the relaxed tours, the picturesque view of the lakes can be enjoyed with coffee and cake.
Experience nature in close proximity to the city
The park and lake town of Markkleeberg is the gateway to Leipzig's New Lake District. Where there used to be brown coal opencast mines, a lake landscape has now been created, with a variety of attractive leisure and recreational activities. Just 10 kilometers from the city of Leipzig, visitors find themselves in an idyllic atmosphere and can experience the nature of Leipzig's New Lake District in different ways. Lake Markkleeberg is around 252 hectares in size and, in addition to exciting whitewater fun, invites you to go on boat trips or swim in the crystal-clear water. Sports enthusiasts have the opportunity to let off steam while sailing, diving or surfing. Lake Markkleeberg can also be explored on foot, by bike or on inline skates via the asphalted, nine-kilometer-long circular shore path. Lake visitors also have the opportunity to take a few laps on the garden railway. Directly on the lake there is a campsite and a family-friendly holiday complex with a restaurant and comfortably furnished apartments and holiday homes as well as a wellness and sauna area.
The Markkleeberg canoe park can be reached by car via the A38 motorway and the B2 federal road. The white water facility is also well connected to local public transport with bus lines 106 and 141.
Information, travel offers, room reservations:
Leipzig Tourismus und Marketing GmbH, Tourist-Information, Katharinenstr. 8, 04109 Leipzig,
Tel.: +49 (0)341 7104-260, Email: info@ltm-leipzig.de, www.leipzig.travel
Further Information
• www.leipzig.travel/en