Augsburg is investing 3.5 million euros in the future of canoeing!

Augsburg is investing 3.5 million euros in the future of canoeing!

Something is happening in Augsburg! The city has decided to invest 3.5 million euros in the historic canoe slalom course on the Eiskanal. This step is no coincidence, as it is part of Munich's planned application for the Olympic Games in 2036, 2040 or 2044. How BR.de reports, the ice channel is a central sports facility for the future games. The canoe slalom competitions took place there as early as 1972, and the route is still regularly used for international competitions today.

The investment in the construction project is an important signal. The two new regulatory structures are necessary to address the challenges of climate change, which have already led to water shortages in the Lech, the river that feeds the canoe route. As well as In southern Thuringia explained, the city has had to introduce emergency measures to maintain water levels at the 2022 Canoe Slalom World Championships. There were problems with the water level again in the summer, so these investments are urgently needed.

The key financial data

The construction of the regulation systems will be carried out over the next four to five years, and the city of Augsburg expects the federal government and the state of Bavaria to contribute up to 60 percent of the costs. Bavaria has already committed 50 percent of the costs, which further supports the feasibility of the project. The Augsburg sports officer Jürgen K. Enninger emphasizes that these structures will also secure the future of canoeing in Augsburg and will therefore continue to enable international canoe slalom competitions.

The ice channel in Augsburg is considered the first artificially created white water course in the world and was a pioneering project for the 1972 Olympic Games. Current medal collectors such as Sideris Tasiadis, Ricarda Funk and Elena Lilik train at the performance center in Augsburg and can look back on a long tradition in canoeing.

Olympic future

The 2036 Summer Olympics have already brought many cities into the discussion about the venue. In addition to Munich as a hot candidate, other metropolises such as Berlin and international cities are also being discussed. How Wikipedia shows, the application process is currently being evaluated by the IOC, and a referendum in favor of the application took place in Munich on October 26, 2025.

Thanks to this multi-million dollar investment, Augsburg will not only be part of Munich's application, but also a central location for active sports and international competitions in the future. The coming years will determine whether the plans bear fruit and the ice track can once again establish itself as an international sports facility.