Main shape Loop Pumped Yes Opened August 2013 | Adjustable Yes Practice pool Yes Locale Vienna | |
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Managing agent Austrian Canoe Federation Water source New Danube River Channel Similar Vienna Peace Pagoda, Wasserspielplatz Donauinsel, Leopoldstadt, Prater, Innere Stadt | ||
Vienna watersports arena
The Vienna Watersports Arena is an artificial whitewater venue for canoe and kayak slalom competition in Vienna, Austria, the only such facility in Austria. It also serves as a family water park, with guided raft trips and practice times for individual boaters. Located across the Danube from the city, on Danube Island, it pumps its water from the New Danube river channel. It opened in August 2013; the following June it hosted the 2014 European Canoe Slalom Championships.
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Rafting vienna watersports arena
Venue
The course was designed by Hydrostadium, the French engineering firm responsible for many of the world's artificial whitewater courses. The chief financial backer is Verbund, Austria's largest electricity producer—hence the German language name "Verbund Wasserarena." Its modest cost of 5.1 million € ($6.4 million) is one-fourth the cost of the similar facility at Cardiff and only 13% of the cost of Lee Valley, the large venue built for the 2012 Olympics in London. It meets the minimum Olympic standards of 250 meters, 1.5% slope, and 12 m3/s (420 cu ft/s) streamflow. The concrete channel has vertical sides, with concrete steps in the eddies formed by wide spots. The flow diverters are adjustable hexagonal green plastic bollards.
To avoid the need for expensive water filters, the facility is drained once a week and refilled with fresh water from the New Danube.