2012 Broxbourne Slalom Course

Phil · Post by **Phil** » Tue Sep 27, 2005 4:32 pm

Found this info on ThamesWeirProject bulletin board.
It includes artists impressions and discriptions, but still
in the planning stage.

TWP - 2012

Phil · Post by **Phil** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 9:33 am

Following is a quote from the Observer

"Some 2012 insiders believe building a new canoe slalom course in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, is unnecessary and want to move it to the National Water Sports Centre at Holme Pierrepont, near Nottingham."

Link to Article in the Observer

This would certainly get round the issue of running costs to pump water. Plus would upgrade HPP with Omniflots and new computers/timers etc

John Sturgess · Post by **John Sturgess** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 12:10 pm

One of the problems is that - like a lot of sports - the talk about the legacy of the Olympics is a little slewed. We will in fact be paying $26m for a facility costing $15m - the other $11m being for temporary structures that will then be demolished (see Olympic Candidate file). I suspect that is why they are looking again at what happens to the main Olympic Stadium: the current plan is to build a 70,000 seat stadium, then demolish 50,000 seats to make it a suitable size for an Athletics stadium.

And make no mistake - the money will come out of Lottey Sport money. Heritage have already, I think you will find, got their Lottery %age ring-fenced. And some of that Lottery Sport money goes on things that really ought to be Government-funded: like the costs of running the School Sports Co-Orinator Partnerships. I can't see that being reduced.

So as usual it is the 'ordinary' structures of sport that will pay for venues to be built and then partially-demolished, through reduced availability of Lottery money. As a Sports Development Officer I am already advising Clubs to get their bids in quick!

joseph Hubert · Post by **joseph Hubert** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 6:06 pm

hi all

Andy Tatchell · Post by **Andy Tatchell** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 5:39 pm

Now a third sight has appeared - this is form a sports news service SportsCal.com:-

Cardiff Wants to Get in on the 2012 Olympics Act
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Olympics - 3 October 2005

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cardiff in Wales is in talks with the UK government’s Department of Culture, Media and Sport about hosting more events during the 2012 Olympic Games, which were awarded to London earlier this year.

Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium is already slated to host several Olympic soccer matches but the city is keen to stage other events, possibly including canoeing at the city’s proposed white-water rafting centre in Cardiff Bay.

Tom Morgan, the city council’s corporate director, said: ‘Although there are other white-water rafting centres, this will be unique in the UK and we believe we could host canoeing events at the 2012 games and we are talking to the DCMS about this facility.’

Canoeing is one of several events, including beach volleyball, shooting, and tennis, that could be switched from their proposed locations in London’s bid documentation, according to a report in The Observer newspaper.

However, the report was dismissed by London 2012, the organising committee for the games, which said that the plans ‘are being looked at, but not for change purposes.’

The report also claimed that organisers could re-visit an earlier plan for the main Olympic stadium to become the home of one of London’s top soccer clubs - proably Tottenham Hotspur or West Ham United - after the games.

The report quoted sources who claimed that the present plan in which the 80,000-seat stadium would be reduced in size to become a 25,000- or 30,000-seat permanent athletics stadium after the games is not viable.

guest · Post by **guest** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:54 pm

Let us just hope that common sense prevails and that the course is built at Broxbourne. How can Canoe Slalom hope to grow without attracting new people to the sport. A new venue means more awareness so more interest.

another guest · Post by **another guest** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 12:16 pm

I hope common sense also prevails in the design of the course. The suggestion of a fully pumped course does not sound particularly viable or environmentally sustainable

Richie · Post by **Richie** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 12:43 pm

The course in sydney seems to be holding up ok. Fully pumped courses is the only way to go nowadays, especially seeing as we don't have any big enough rivers in the area around london to hold an olympic standard competition.
With the rise in popularity of white water rafting, these types of courses can be built and sustained, and with london only round the corner, plus all the media attention it will get, i'm sure it will do just fine.
It was also said that this course would be built even if we didn't get the olympics. Someone has therefore done their homework and is quite confident about its financial viability. If they were to move the slalom to cardiff and an even better course was built in Broxbourne, I think questions would be asked!!!!!

Geebs · Post by **Geebs** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 11:56 pm

Is it not the same people building the course that built the Athen's one which is now falling apart?

concerned paddler · Post by **concerned paddler** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 6:50 pm

I'm guessing they will use the same designers, EDF, but they will use good old British workmanship. We always build stuff to last cause we're too tight to update it!!!!

John Sturgess · Post by **John Sturgess** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 12:02 pm

Ref. the point above about sustainability, and pumped courses being the only way to go: I talked at Cracow to Yiannis Holevas, who ran the World Cup event in Athens this year, and was in Cracow managing the Greek Junior and U23 teams.
He said that the major problem their junior team faced was having nowhere to train, because they cannot afford to use the Athens course!

Richie · Post by **Richie** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 10:49 am

Thats because they don't have anywhere near the resources and numbers that we have. I'm sure that the world class programmes would rent water time for their athletes and for the rest, they would probably have open slots similar to those in oz.
You have to realise that the Greeks get very little money for their canoeing. On top of that, there is likely to be a much bigger demand for rafting at a location so close to London. Bottom line is, you can't compare a site in london to one the athens course. Location, Location Location!!!!!

jojo · Post by **jojo** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 9:48 pm

mmmm hellloooo, I'm sure all the stickers I've seen say London 2012 and not Cardiff, Nottingham etc. Maybe if all those people who are wingeing now had backed the bid in previous years olympic bids were in they would have had an event nearer home (and the facilities built to go with it)!!!

I regularly have to drive for 5 or 6 hours to get to any decent white water from my home in the South East of England. Had Manchester been successful they could have used Nottingham, Cardiff can't really complain, it's not that far to the Tryweryn. It's about time there was a really good white slalom course in the south of England. Bring it on!

FatBoy · Post by **FatBoy** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:24 am

Actually it's quicker to get to Nottingham from Cardiff than the Trywern, but I do agree the slalom should be as near to London as feasible. Also agree with Richie that there will be plently of corporate "team building" days coming out of the smoke and rafting (on the Olympic course - something to tell your friends) so can't see it not making money, at least for the first x years.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 10:56 am

London won the bid, London should host the event.
Its fine everyone wanting a new course near them, we would love one in the North West!!!