Saxony inaugurates competitive sports center in Altenberg

Saxony wants to expand its position in winter sports. On Thursday, a competitive sports center for bobsleigh, skeleton, luge, biathlon and mountain biking was inaugurated in Altenberg (Osterzgebirge). "Many world champions and Olympic medal winners were formed in Altenberg and have made the town and region world-famous, especially in winter sports," emphasized District Administrator Michael Geisler at the opening. According to Saxony's Sports Minister Armin Schuster (both CDU), Altenberg stands for "absolute top-class winter sports": "The new competitive sports center offers outstanding, state-of-the-art training conditions for the athletes. With a special program worth 33 million euros until 2027, the Free State is also strengthening its traditional winter sports locations in the long term."

The Altenberg track has hosted eleven world championships. The sports center was built to continue training athletes at a high level and to host competitions. There is a facility for shooting and running in the basement. The first floor can be used for skeleton and luge training. The facilities would meet current scientific and training method requirements, it was said. "In winter sports, where only a few hundredths, sometimes even thousandths of a second can decide a victory between the top athletes, every detail of technique and physique is important." Measurement and camera technology as well as software should guarantee precise recording of movement sequences and techniques.

The total construction costs amount to around 18.8 million euros and were mainly financed by sports funding from the state of Saxony and the federal government. The district of Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge contributed around 5.4 million euros of its own funds.