The Hungarian kayak-kenu stronghold was built with unique project elements

On 12 October, the Katalin Kovács National Kayak-Kenu Sports Academy was inaugurated in Sukoro, Fejér County. The complex on the shores of Lake Velence was built by the general contractor WEST HUNGÁRIA BAU Kft., based on the designs of Kossuth and Ybl Prize-winning architect Attila Turi and Planbau Kft..

The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán; Katalin Kovács, three-time Olympic, 31-time World and 29-time European champion kayaker, President of the institution; and Zoltán Tessely, Member of Parliament. 

A major sports centre has been created

In the project project launched in November 2021 has created a complex of buildings with a floor area of nearly 27,000 square metres. Within this, the academy’s main building, covering 19,000 square metres, houses a sports pool, a multi-purpose sports hall, a restaurant, a catering kitchen, a conference room, offices and accommodation facilities. The other building, covering 7,000 square metres, houses a measurement centre, indoor test tracks, training halls, changing rooms, coaches’ offices, boat repair workshops and a boat storage facility.

The complex includes a large outdoor area: 137,000 square metres of courtyard with artificial turf football pitch, clay tennis courts, a recurved running track, an outdoor fitness park and a sandy beach volleyball court.

Specific project elements implemented in the investment

The multi-purpose sports hall houses gyms, a fitness room, a squash court and a sports diagnostics laboratory, while the connecting parts of the building house the club rooms and classrooms. The sports hall has a ten-court swimming pool, a 250-seat grandstand and a wellness area. In the dormitory wings, 66 rooms and coaching apartments have been created. There will also be oxygen therapy rooms for athletes, the only one of its kind in the country.

As a unique feature of the project, a counter-current rowing pool was built in the measurement centre. The artificial water current, which can reach speeds of up to 6 m/s, offers a unique opportunity to prepare for world competitions, even allowing for winter training – our newspaper has reported in detail on this world-class facility.

We have always been at the forefront of water sports

In his speech at the inauguration ceremony on Saturday, Mr Orbán stressed that we must keep pace with the world's best, not only on the pitch and in the water, but also in terms of training and the quality of sports facilities. He added that Hungarians have a special relationship with water sports. "Although we have beautiful rivers and wonderful lakes, Hungary is still in the middle of the mainland," he pointed out. "Despite this, water polo, swimming and kayak canoeing have always been the flagship of Hungarian elite sport."

He stressed that despite crises, epidemics and wars, a world-class sports centre has been created on the shores of Lake Venice. So there is a first-class sports ground, there is quality education and there is a good community. We have everything we need to succeed, "and in the future there will be no Czech champion who will surprise us with our numbers," he said. In the coming years, great things await the Hungarians, and in the sport of kayak canoeing, too, we must climb back to the top of the world, the Prime Minister concluded.

They also work with secondary schools, universities and primary schools

In her speech, Katalin Kovács, the eponymous President of the Academy, recalled the most important moments of her career, the golden era, the road to completion, the birth of her children and her retirement in 2016. "It is still an incredible feeling that this dream has become a reality and that I have been given the opportunity to give something back to the sport to which I owe so much," said Katalin Kovács, 48, referring to the birth of the Academy.

He said that they have no secret goal to make the facility a stronghold of Hungarian kayak-kenu and Hungarian sport. "We also want to be the home of community sport in the region and the whole country," said Katalin Kovács. In addition to supporting elite sport, they are also seeking to cooperate with secondary schools and universities, and are constantly promoting the sport, with kayak-kayaking classes already started in several primary schools.

More than 200 children now play sport

At the ceremony it was also revealed that the Katalin Kovács National Kayak-Kenu Academy will start its operations in 2021, in parallel with the investment. The sports organisation now provides sports for more than 200 children from the preparatory age group to the U23 age group.

The event was also addressed by Zoltán Tessely, a Fidesz Member of Parliament for the region. The politician said that they are proud that the academy was built in Sukoro, and just like an impressive sporting achievement, this facility is also the result of the joint efforts of many people.