XXL Paddling Festival Markkleeberg

Whitewater, Lake, Competitions — Paddling Paradise on the Outskirts of Leipzig

The Kanupark Markkleeberg is one of Europe's most modern whitewater facilities. Originally designed in 2007 for the 2012 Olympic Games in London (London later built its own facility in Lee Valley), the site now serves as a training ground for the German slalom national team, an event location, and since 2014, the venue for the XXL Paddling Festival. Two artificial whitewater courses, each 270 meters long, offer difficulty levels from Whitewater II to IV; alongside them, there's calmer water on the 252-hectare Markkleeberger See. The festival utilizes all three water areas — for testing, competition, and fun.

Test Weekend and Kayak Pinball

At its core, the XXL Paddling Festival is an industry showcase: around 50 brands set up stands, and visitors can test kayaks, canoes, SUPs, vests, paddles, and accessories for free. Anyone looking to buy a new boat can try out more models here in three days than they could in an entire summer on their home river. Competitions run concurrently: the German Whitewater SUP Championship takes place over the whole weekend, and Sunday afternoon is dedicated to the Prijon-hosted Kayak Pinball race — three paddlers per team compete to navigate colored balls through the main course, an action-packed variation of the classic. In addition, there's the XXL Roll-on-Roller competition for skilled rollers and the PALM Junior Trophy for children and youths.

Workshops, Films, Family Program

The festival is not just a destination for experienced paddlers. Freestyle courses and kayak/canoe workshops for beginners, an inclusive Triple Mix Relay race (new for 2026), film workshops with the renowned paddling videographer Olaf Obsommer, and a dedicated area for the little ones round off the program. The Club Challenge provides competitive incentives between clubs.

Markkleeberg, Leipzig Neuseenland

Markkleeberger See is part of the Leipzig Neuseenland — a region south of Leipzig where former open-cast lignite mines have been gradually flooded. Today, it's one of Central Europe's most beautiful watersports landscapes: Cospudener See, Markkleeberger See, Störmthaler See, Zwenkauer See — connected by waterways and cycle paths. The XXL Paddling Festival is a flagship event of this transformation and proof that genuine recreational areas can emerge from industrial scars.