The second part of my reportage is about the Mittendrin, i.e. all the venues within the Olympic Park.
Together with a large crowd of people I climb the Olympiaberg. Like ants, they all run purposefully in the same direction and stream together from different paths at the top, on the plateau of the mountain. Since there is free admission to the BMX, I expect a lot of people at the men's final as well. Just climbing the small hill at the end of the path, I finally look at the BMX park and the area in front of it. No matter where I look, there are people everywhere. On the whole area in front of and behind the parkour and even on the hills around it. Even the Heimat Roof's beer garden is bursting at the seams, because from here you have a perfect view of the sporting action. Since I arrived only shortly before the start of the event, the choice of seats is somewhat limited. On the lawn, hem to hem blankets are distributed and you can only get through the crowds via a few kept clear paths.
I take a moment and look around for a good place. At the very back of the meadow I discover a still free place from which I hope for a good view. I clutch my bag and camera and begin to traverse the maze of blankets and people. In some places, just enough grass is still free for my foot to fit on it. So I slowly and carefully make my way to the desired location. Fortunately, the view from here is really good and I can overlook the entire parkour. Only the TV cameras occasionally swing through the foreground with their crane.
When it finally starts, the crowd goes wild. From all directions you can hear clapping and cheering. We watch the freestylers together as they perform daring stunts and jumps on their bikes. Every jump is commented with applause. Twice there is a bad fall with the Frenchmen, but both get up again, so half so wild. Although the two Frenchmen are a bit unlucky today, one of their teammates wins the gold medal.
One day later, the triathlon takes place across the Olympic Park. At least for the athletes in the mixed relay. I make myself comfortable on a blanket by the lake stage and watch the whole thing in public viewing. The athletes start in the water, then switch to their bikes and finish the lap running. The course leads through the lake, across the Olympiaberg and then once around the lake to the finish. There they hand over to the next teammate. The last section of the course passes right by the stage in front of me, which gives me a good view of the action. Every time we see on the monitor that the triathletes are about to turn in, the crowd starts to get loud. No matter for which runner, no matter for which nation and no matter for which place: Everyone is cheered and celebrated equally loud. Admittedly, for the Germans there is a bit more clapping. Especially in the last round, when it was clear that Germany would win silver, the crowd almost went crazy.
Similar to the triathlon, the Olympic Park is also used as the course for the mountain bike. This leads over all the hills of the Olympic mountain, both up and down, and with the help of a specially built footbridge even across the lake. Furthermore, the bikers have to overcome several obstacles, which increases the difficulty level somewhat.
Since all the riders start at the same time and the circuit covers four kilometers, it is difficult to keep track of everything. Also, finding the right spectator location is not without its difficulties. I decided to watch the race at a section on the Olympiaberg. Getting to the side of the track was an adventure in itself and so I can see several obstacles on the mountain and the crossing of the lake.
From the top, it looks like a giant, colorful snake snaking its way across the meadow down to the base of the mountain. Despite the bad weather I can see partly only the helmets of the cyclists pass, because the bodies of the spectators block the remaining view. I survey the other parts of the course in the livestream on my cell phone while I wait anxiously for the riders to pass me a second and final time.
While the previous sports are open to everyone for free, you have to buy tickets for the Olympic Stadium and the Olympic Hall. This is where the medals in athletics and gymnastics are awarded. The tickets are relatively expensive, which is why buying them is out of the question for me. Unfortunately, if you don't have tickets, you won't see much from outside.
Even if you can't watch these sports for free, a walk through the Olympic Park is definitely worth it. As part of "The Roofs" festival, nine of the eleven roofs are spread around the park. With daily changing events, all of which are free of charge, there is something for everyone.
At the Central Roof, which is located at the lake stage, music is the main focus. After the official opening with the Rostock rapper Marteria, numerous acts perform here and create a great atmosphere for the audience. If you want to see some athletics despite the expensive tickets, you can celebrate the award ceremonies of the completed competitions here, together with the best athletes.
The Partner Roof is located between the Olympic Stadium and the Olympic Hall. Here, the partners of the European Championships present themselves and partly attract the guests with funny raffles. Most of the food trucks are also located between the tents, although the prices here are very high. So it is more worthwhile to eat something before the visit and to take provisions with you.
At the Technology Roof next to the Olympic Swimming Hall, you can learn about the latest technological advances in sports and nutrition. There will also be the opportunity to talk to scientists from a wide range of fields and get to know promising Munich start-ups.
The BMW Welt Roof starts the day on a sporty note with a daily Blackroll workout. In addition, you can put your skills as a racer to the test in a virtual motorcycle race. The specially built slide on the facade of the building can also be tried out.
For creative people, the Art Roof is located directly at the Olympic Lake. Here you can enjoy several art exhibitions and installations at your leisure.
The Creative Roof on the opposite side of the lake also has a lot to offer. Yoga workouts with musical accompaniment are offered in the mornings, while in the evenings you can relax with concerts and a cocktail.
The very young get their money's worth at Kids Roof. The vacation program throughout and several hands-on activities keep kids moving. In several tents spread throughout the park, children can try their hand at the nine sports of the European Championship and collect sports badges.
After one and a half weeks and numerous sports events later, my conclusion is that really everyone had the opportunity to experience the European Championships. Whether young or old, there was something for everyone. Even most of the sports could be experienced live without a ticket. Actually, I am also glad that I could watch some events only on TV. This way, I didn't have to be on the road every day fighting for good seats, but could watch from the comfort of my couch.
Click here for part one of the report.
Text & photos: Laura Kimpfbeck