Free water sports festival returns to Munich's Olympia-Schwimmhalle

The 8th Water Sports Festival takes place at the Olympia-Schwimmhalle in Munich on Sunday 15 November, from 10am to 6pm, giving visitors of all ages the chance to try more than 20 water sports for free. It is organised by the city's Department of Education and Sport and Stadtwerke München, together with clubs, associations and sports providers.

The programme includes dragon boating, aquaball, swimming with a mermaid fin, aqua fitness with babies, an aqua power workout, kayaking, canoeing, inclusive swimming, diving and high diving. Babies, children and adults are all welcome, whether they are new to the water or looking for a fresh sporting challenge, and there is no pressure to perform. Entry is free, and the equipment needed for each activity is provided on site at no charge, in some cases against a deposit. Visitors only need to bring their own swimwear.

A particular focus of the day is learning to swim. Throughout the day, members of the German Life Saving Association (DLRG) will hold free tests for the Seahorse and Bronze swimming badges. "Being able to swim safely can be life-saving at the crucial moment," said Katharina Junglen of the DLRG. For the first time, children can also take the new inclusive Starfish swimming badges, which add smaller, step-by-step learning stages to the existing route towards the Seahorse badge and safe swimming.

Also on offer is waterlining, in which a slackline is stretched over the water. Participants try to keep their balance and move forward along the narrow, slightly sagging strap without solid ground as a reference point, and anyone who loses their balance ends up in the water. The organisers describe it as a rare opportunity, as slacklines over water are seldom found.

The club SG Stadtwerke München e. V. will offer high diving from the 3, 5, 7 and 10-metre platforms, supervised by professional coaches. The Olympia-Schwimmhalle hosted events at the 1972 Games, and Munich has recently been chosen as Germany's candidate to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036, 2040 or 2044.

Some activities require online registration in advance. Further information is available at www.wassersportfestival.de.