Olympic Venues

[adrianme17]

All the 2012 marathons will start and end in the Mall, the rumour is true. Bit contravertial.

http://www.london2012.com/news/2010/10/london-2012-olympic-and-paralympic-marathons-to-start-an.php

I for one am really p*ssed off about this - it is a real slap in the face for the east end and I don't buy the explanation that LOCOG have come up with. They are happy to use derelict east end land but seem embarrassed about showing the word the east end. I live in east London and feel that this is a real lost opportunity for the east end - really quite angry about it to be honest! But there ain't anything that can be done - the decision has been made.

[Mr Tickle]

Lots of events are happening in the East end though surely. Athletics, swimming, track cycling, basketball and many more. Is it really such an issue that central London gets a chance to shine in an event?

[OneTimeOnly]

From the London 2012 website:

The races involve around 80 athletes, and the route has been developed around a 'loop' circuit so that spectators can see the runners several times.

ROUTE MAP

So on television viewers will just see the same scenery over and over again, three to four times.

Stupid.

[Rob2012]

It's a shame it won't finish in the stadium I think, though it wouldn't be the first time this has happened in recent years. I think for Paula Radcliffe's final Games it would have been nice to see her running into a stadium full of Union Flags.

I believe LOCOG's reasoning; no reason not to, and actually it makes far more sense than the alternative explanation (that they're ashamed of the East End).

The original route, just so you know, was also a repeated loop around central London and had just as many landmarks for TV as this one, but it veered off at the end towards the stadium after the final loop. In essence, they've only really altered the final quarter of this marathon route.

I don't believe LOCOG would have pulled this event from Tower Hamlets without very good reason, and since there are really no more landmarks in this route than in the original plus the loss of the stadium finish, I find it hard to believe they'd sacrifice all this because they're embarrassed about having a mere quarter of their marathon in the East End. The logistical explanation therefore makes much more sense.

I can understand why Tower Hamlets council isn't happy about this - they've got every right to be unhappy, but the Labour MP who claimed it's because LOCOG is ashamed of East London is being a bit silly given that's where 90% of the Olympics is going to be.

It'll still be a great event, but there is an element of what might have been for me. Que Sara, what will be will be....

[adrianme17]

It's a shame it won't finish in the stadium I think, though it wouldn't be the first time this has happened in recent years. I think for Paula Radcliffe's final Games it would have been nice to see her running into a stadium full of Union Flags.

I believe LOCOG's reasoning; no reason not to, and actually it makes far more sense than the alternative explanation (that they're ashamed of the East End).

The original route, just so you know, was also a repeated loop around central London and had just as many landmarks for TV as this one, but it veered off at the end towards the stadium after the final loop. In essence, they've only really altered the final quarter of this marathon route.

I don't believe LOCOG would have pulled this event from Tower Hamlets without very good reason, and since there are really no more landmarks in this route than in the original plus the loss of the stadium finish, I find it hard to believe they'd sacrifice all this because they're embarrassed about having a mere quarter of their marathon in the East End. The logistical explanation therefore makes much more sense.

I can understand why Tower Hamlets council isn't happy about this - they've got every right to be unhappy, but the Labour MP who claimed it's because LOCOG is ashamed of East London is being a bit silly given that's where 90% of the Olympics is going to be.

It'll still be a great event, but there is an element of what might have been for me. Que Sara, what will be will be....

I still think it is a lost opportunity to upgrade the street scapes of whitechapel and tell the story of the east end and put the east end into context with the rest of London. I don't think that their are embarrassed per se about this part of London - just that tv has won the day and the tv networks have got their way at the expense of tower hamlets. It will still be a great event but it really is a missed opportunity!

[Rob2012]

I don't think it's even that Adrian. Given that there are really no more landmarks on this route than on the original, I think the explanation that the logistics of closing certain roads was too difficult is the one that makes most sense. I'd rather see the stadium finish I think, but hey ho, 'tis not to be.

[Rob2012]

You're not Adrian Warner, BBC Olympic correspondant, are you? Never seen you in the same room together....

[Mainad]

Would've preferred for the marathon to end in the Olympic Stadium in line with tradition.

The echo of the crowds roaring and cheering as the finalists enter the stadium is surely one of the highlights of this event!

Finishing outside Buck House seems a bit of a cliché to me..but I guess I'll have to reserve final judgement until I've seen it.

[baron-pierreIV]

From the London 2012 website:

ROUTE MAP

So on television viewers will just see the same scenery over and over again, three to four times.

Stupid.

U're right. I think they should just put the runners on treadmills against a blue screen and you can even show images from the air. I mean 3 cameras vs. 80, blocking off streets, security measures, etc. Put them all in a studio underneath the stadium and then have them come out for the tape finish!!

Finishing outside Buck House seems a bit of a cliché to me..but I guess I'll have to reserve final judgement until I've seen it.

Where did the '48 marathon finish? It seems to me this 2012 finish is a little better than the one in front of Windsor castle for those potty-untrained royal brats.

[adrianme17]

You're not Adrian Warner, BBC Olympic correspondant, are you? Never seen you in the same room together....

Ha ha - no we share the same name and I am slightly better looking!

[Rob2012]

2012 beach volleyball stadium design revealed

Plans for a 15,000 seater stadium in Horse Guards Parade to host Olympic beach volleyball have been submitted to Westminster City Council.

The venue, created by architects Populous and engineering and design consultancy Atkins, will be dismantled after the Games.

Mike McNicholas, of Atkins, said the location provided a "fantastic backdrop".

Horse Guards Parade hosts many major events including Trooping the Colour.

The temporary stadium will have lighting for evening competition, video and sport-specific fixtures.

It will have a lower bowl to provide a "high energy" atmosphere and a three-sided upper bowl allowing the spectators and camera views to use the London skyline beyond as a backdrop.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_Guards_Parade

[kevzz]

15,000 seater for a beach volleyball venue?

Seems a big venue for a low profile sports

[Rafa]

Which Olympic games have you been watching? Its big in the ratings, big in terms of attendance, and is still growing.

[kevzz]

Really? My bad... I always thought beach vollleyball is like a recreational sport kinda event....

[Rob2012]

It's not a popular sport in the UK, but it's big in lots of Latin American countries. The location alone ought to be a draw for this event, as the most central venue in the entire Olympics.

[kevzz]

True, I wouldnt mind go to one of the session just to soak up the venue atmosphere right at the horse guards parade!

I wished they have the 2 warm up courts at the st james park side, and the main court to be just 3 sides, with the open side facing the horse guards building. That will be an amazing view, with the building panning over the court!

[cormiermax]

I think its a big draw pretty much everywhere, if you've ever watched it you can figure out why.

[mattperiolat]

Pardon me for asking a dumb question but why not start the marathon at Windsor Castle like they did in 1908 and just route it through London and to the stadium?

Sorry, not well versed in England geography, so why not?

[Rob2012]

It would be at least 30 miles long. White City is West London so that worked with a slight adjustment. Stratford is about 10 miles further East.

[4gamesandcounting]

A great looking venue I think. Beach Volleyball always does well in the TV ratings, but most importantly is always a big draw for the crowds and plenty of tickets will be sold. The central and historic venue will only make BV tickets more attractive. I can see it being one THE places to be at the 2012 games.

[Rob2012]

For those who don't know London, this shows just how central the Beach Volleyball will be,

and the kind of TV pictures you can expect in 2012:

The patch of green in the middle at the far left edge of the photo is St James Park.

To the immediate right of that is a sandy parade ground. That's Horse Guards Parade.

That's where this 15,000 capacity venue will be built.

[OneTimeOnly]

Off topic, but, what was the reasoning for moving Eurostar services from Waterloo (pictured above) to St. Pancras?

[Rob2012]

It's because of the High Speed tracks which were built. According to their press release at the time:

The benefits will be:

* Journey times from St. Pancras will be at least 40 minutes quicker on a return journey (only 2h 15m to Paris and 1h 53m to Brussels)

* More services will be run each day in each direction

* Greater connectivity – St. Pancras has 6 underground lines and serves Midland Mainline / Thameslink / GNER and WAGN services (via King’s Cross)

* < Lower costs for Eurostar by operating from only one station

* France and Belgium become only 3 or 4 hours away from cities north of London

* Better value pricing for customers due to lower costs of operating from only one station

* Domestic commuters will benefit from faster access into Waterloo and the opening of more train pathways

* Opportunities for domestic train operators to utilise capacity vacated

Passengers throughout the south of England will have much greater choice as to where to begin their Eurostar journeys – from St. Pancras International, Stratford International, Ashford International, or from Ebbsfleet International (which Eurostar is proposing be called Dartford International), which will have around 9,000 car parking spaces, useful for those joining from the M25. Vauxhall station – which connects to St. Pancras via the Victoria Line in around 20 minutes – will also be a key connection point for many passengers, who also have the choice of using the Jubilee Line from Waterloo to Stratford

I don't think those last two bullet points have happened. Certainly, the "snake" which housed the Eurostar services at Waterloo is still completely empty and closed off. I saw on the news that a theatre company did a production of the Railway Children in there over the summer with an acutal working steam train using the old tracks though.

http://www.railwaychildrenwaterloo.com/home/index.php

[Rob2012]

Back to the beach volleyball venue, I've just read this:

The venue will have to be built quickly as the parade ground will be a focal point of celebrations to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee six weeks beforehand.

That's going to be a quick build! I assume, since it's temporary, they'll probably set it up somewhere else beforehand - a big field somewhere - to test the logistics of it since there's really not going to be a lot of time for testing it in situ prior to the Games!

[mattperiolat]

It would be at least 30 miles long. White City is West London so that worked with a slight adjustment. Stratford is about 10 miles further East.

I just hate the idea of just repeating the course three times. Isn't there someplace else in the whole of London proper where they can start, run 26.2 miles, hit all the highlights and still finish in the stadium? I just... I'm sorry, I really don't care for the course design.