Sports aid - Germany / Federal Republic of Germany 1985 - 120 Pfennig

The issue of special stamps with surcharges in favor of the »Stiftung Deutsche Sporthilfe«, whose patron is the Federal President, is to help the social tasks and tasks of the foundation in all areas of sport. The sports brands are dedicated to outstanding sporting events and sports this year. Canoe slalom and wild water racing are two competition disciplines of the German Canoe Association. These two sports have their origins in water-hiking, which is practiced by around 80% of the more than 90,000 organized members of the German Canoe Federation. Every year German championships are held, every two years world title fights are held. The 1st World Championships in canoe slalom took place in Switzerland in 1949, in wild water racing in 1959 in France. At the XX. Canoe slalom was the first Olympic discipline in 1972 in the Federal Republic of Germany. Canoe slalom competitions are held on approximately 800 m long whitewater trails. Similar to the ski slalom, gates have to be passed through whose direction of travel is determined differently. They are limited by hinged goal posts - left red-white / right green-white. Driving errors are assigned penalties that are added to the driven time. Each athlete has to pass the competition course in two races, the better one is scored. Wild water races take place on a section of river about 3 km long. The competitors have to find the fastest way through partly heavily blocked sections, interspersed with muddy water, rapids and rollers. Particularly attractive in both competition disciplines is the struggle with the violence of the water, its currents and obstacles. From 6 to 9 June 1985, the world championships in whitewater racing on the Loisach in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and in the canoe slalom from 12 to 16 June on the Olympic distance of 1972 in Augsburg instead. (Text: Stiftung Deutsche Sporthilfe, Frankfurt am Main)