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| These danish national kayakers are expected to participate at the Olympic Games 2012. Photos: http://www.ol.dk/ |
With just over six months to go until the Olympic Games, Dorney Lake is almost ready to host the canoe sprint competitions. The 2,200m course, which belongs to Eton College, will see 248 athletes take part in events between August 6 and August 11. The Canoe Sprint 200m race will make its Olympic debut at London 2012.
The venue has had to undergo major alterations to make it suitable for the London Olympics.
The enhancements include the creation of a separate return lane and cut-throughs between the main lake and the return lake for competitors to move between the two and the installation of a 50m bridge over a widened entrance to the return lake for vehicles and pedestrians and a new bridge over one of the cut-throughs.
The construction of the spectator grandstands will begin in March.
One of the biggest challenges facing the organisers is getting 30,000 spectators on and off the site. The lake, which is 40 km. from London and 25 km. from Henley, is in an isolated setting near a number of small villages.
Ivor Lloyd, managing director of Dorney Lake Services, said there was "no way" the crowds could access the lake by road, adding: "It’s absolutely rural."
There will be no public transport to the site. All spectators will travel to Windsor racecourse on buses from a number of park-and-ride centres.
The majority of competitors will stay at an Olympic village set up at Royal Holloway College in Egham.
German kayaking icon Birgit Fischer, who has won eight Olympic gold medals and an astonishing 28 World Championship titles could be one of the competitors. She has recently targeted a comeback at London 2012 when she will be 50-years-old!
Fischer holds the remarkable distinction of being both the youngest and oldest-ever Olympic kayaking champion after claiming her first gold medal at Moscow 1980 at 18-years-old and her last gold at Athens 2004 at 42-years-old.
Should Fischer take part at London 2012, she would become the first German sportsperson to take part in seven Olympic Games. She twice represented East Germany in 1980 and 1988 but missed the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics after the country boycotted the event.
Eight danish paddlers are targeting the Olympic Games in London 2012: Casper Nielsen, Emil Stær, Henriette Engel Hansen, Jimmy Bøjelsen, Kasper Bleibach, Kim Wraae, Lasse Nielsen and René Poulsen.
Sources: ICF-HUB / The Henley Standard
Olympic competition schedule:
| Date / time | Sport | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 6 August 09:30 - 11:50 | Canoe Sprint | Eton Dorney, Buckinghamshire |
| Men's Canoe Single (C1) 1000m: heats, semi-finals Men's Kayak Single (K1) 1000m: heats, semi-finals Men's Kayak Double (K2) 1000m: heats, semi-final Women's Kayak Four (K4) 500m: heats, semi-final | ||
| 7 August 09:30 - 11:30 | Canoe Sprint | Eton Dorney, Buckinghamshire |
| Men's Canoe Double (C2) 1000m: heats, semi-final Men's Kayak Four (K4) 1000m: heats, semi-final Women's Kayak Single (K1) 500m: heats, semi-finals Women's Kayak Double (K2) 500m: heats, semi-final | ||
| 8 August 09:30 - 11:15 | Canoe Sprint | Eton Dorney, Buckinghamshire |
| Men's Canoe Single (C1) 1000m: final, victory ceremony Men's Kayak Single (K1) 1000m: final, victory ceremony Men's Kayak Double (K2) 1000m: final, victory ceremony Women's Kayak Four (K4) 500m: final, victory ceremony | ||
| 9 August 09:30 - 11:15 | Canoe Sprint | Eton Dorney, Buckinghamshire |
| Men's Canoe Double (C2) 1000m: final, victory ceremony Men's Kayak Four (K4) 1000m: final, victory ceremony Women's Kayak Single (K1) 500m: final, victory ceremony Women's Kayak Double (K2) 500m: final, victory ceremony | ||
| 10 August 09:30 - 11:55 | Canoe Sprint | Eton Dorney, Buckinghamshire |
| Men's Canoe Single (C1) 200m: heats, semi-finals Men's Kayak Single (K1) 200m: heats, semi-finals Men's Kayak Double (K2) 200m: heats, semi-final Women's Kayak Single (K1) 200m: heats, semi-finals | ||
| 11 August 09:30 - 11:20 | Canoe Sprint | Eton Dorney, Buckinghamshire |
| Men's Canoe Single (C1) 200m: final, victory ceremony Men's Kayak Single (K1) 200m: final, victory ceremony Men's Kayak Double (K2) 200m: final, victory ceremony Women's Kayak Single (K1) 200m: final, victory ceremony | ||
