Weymouth & Portland sail to Gold as ODA completes construction on first London 2012 venue

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has completed its construction work on the first venue for the 2012 Games it was announced today as work was completed on new enhanced sailing facilities at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA).

The completion of works at Weymouth & Portland was joined by the announcement that the National Lottery has raised £375 million of its £750 million target for the London 2012 Games, through sales of specially-designated Lottery games. The money raised will go towards funding the provision of facilities and supporting infrastructure for the 2012 Games.

The Olympic and Paralympic sailing events in 2012 will be hosted at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy, and the adjoining Portland Marina, which offers world-class facilities and some of the best small boat sailing conditions in the world. The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has now completed work to enhance the existing sailing facilities at WPNSA with the construction of a new permanent 250m slipway and new race-boat parking, lifting and mooring facilities. The completion of the project delivers an early legacy of world-class facilities for elite athletes and the local Dorset community to use.

Works on Portland Marina, which will be used alongside the Sailing Academy to provide berthing and land based facilities at Games time is progressing ahead of schedule, meaning all key facilities will be ready more than three years ahead of the start of the Games.

Beijing Gold medal winning sailor Paul Goodison joined ODA Director Ralph Luck, Olympic Gold-medallist Jonathan Edwards from the London Organising Committee (LOCOG), Jim Knight MP for Dorset and WPNSA Chairman Edward Leask to unveil the new facilities today.

Paul Goodison, the World number one Laser sailor and Weymouth local who won Gold in the Laser class at the Beijing Games, said: 'Winning gold in Qingdao was an amazing experience - I am now looking forward to 2012, training and competing out of the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy on my home waters.'

Sebastian Coe, Chair of the London 2012 Organising Committee, said: 'We will stage a world-class Olympic and Paralympic Games and the ODA’s completion of construction work on our world-class sailing venue, three and a half years before the event, is a major milestone on our journey to 2012. We have put athletes at the heart of the 2012 Games and the facilities at Weymouth and Portland will provide competitors from all round the world the best possible arena for medal-winning performances.'

ODA Director Ralph Luck said: 'Completing our construction works for the first venue for 2012 is a huge milestone and delivers an early legacy of world-class facilities in Weymouth & Portland for sailors of all ages and abilities to use well ahead of 2012. Delivering the first venue on time and to budget keeps us firmly on track as work accelerates on this unprecedented project.

'The completion of these works is only the start for Weymouth & Portland and the huge investment going into the area shows how the Games can act as a catalyst for regeneration, delivering sporting and economic benefits before, during and long after 2012.'

Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell said: 'Weymouth and Portland will be a first class venue for 2012 as well as leaving an impressive legacy at one of the UK’s premier sailing destinations. This will do much to increase popularity and participation in the sport with all the benefits to health and fitness that will bring.

'To have completed the first Olympic and Paralympic venue over three years before the start of the Games is a tremendous achievement and demonstrates the excellent progress we are making on London 2012.'

Jim Knight MP said: 'In less than four years time, the eyes of the world will be on South Dorset when the Weymouth and Portland Sailing Academy hosts the Olympic and Paralympic sailing events. The Academy was the first Olympic venue to start construction and will be the first to be completed, and I have been delighted to have been involved in the project from the start. Dorset should be proud of the newly completed venue and we now need to ensure the local community gains even more benefits and a lasting legacy from hosting the Games.'

Edward Leask, WPNSA Chairman, said: 'The Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy is the first 2012 venue to complete construction, the enhanced facilities secure WPNSA’s status as the premier world class venue for the Olympic and Paralympic Games as well as catering for the local Weymouth and Portland communities through our active sustainable legacy programme. This is an exciting time for British yachting following the medal success at the Beijing Games and I am confident the Academy will help future GBR podium finishes in 2012 and beyond.'

Along with the completion of works at Weymouth & Portland, it was also announced today that the National Lottery has raised £375 million of its £750 million target for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, through sales of specially-designated Lottery games. All the money raised from sales of these designated games will go towards funding the provision of facilities and supporting infrastructure for the 2012 Games.

Janet Paraskeva, Chair of the Olympic Lottery Distributor said: 'National Lottery players are making a major contribution to London 2012 and it is great to see the completion of enhanced facilities at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy on the day we reach the halfway mark to the £750m we will raise through Lottery games designated to London 2012. Thanks to the National Lottery world-class facilities have been created for our elite sailors that will also provide an important resource for the local community now and until 2012 and beyond.'

The ODA’s completion of enhanced sailing facilities is only the first phase in the wider regeneration of Weymouth & Portland ahead of the 2012 Games. Dean & Reddyhoff Marinas was selected by the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) to develop and operate a new 560-berth commercial marina at Osprey Quay of which 250 berths will be used during the 2012 Games. Work on the marina is well underway and it is on target to open in April 2009. The development also includes new marine retail and commercial units, bringing enormous social and economic regeneration to the local area.

Tony Bray, Dorset area director for the South West RDA, which bought the Osprey Quay site in 2000, said: 'The Games could bring an estimated £1.7 billion to the South West economy and the regeneration of Osprey Quay as a global centre for sailing excellence and a magnet for leisure and marine industries will help achieve that. It will leave a lasting legacy long after 2012 and help unlock the area’s business potential.'

Richard Reddyhoff, Director of Dean & Reddyhoff Marinas said: 'There is no doubt that Weymouth & Portland is a fantastic sailing destination and we are working alongside the Sailing Academy to make sure there are first class shoreside facilities to match. Work on the marina is moving fast and we are very much on schedule for an April opening – meaning the whole site will be ready more than three years ahead of the start of the Games.'

The enhanced facilities that the ODA has constructed will further enhance WPNSA’s reputation as a world-class training and competition venue. With the new facilities in place, the Academy is already lined up to host the RS:X World Championship, the Techno Junior Windsurfing World Championship and Skandia sail For Gold Regatta in 2009, as well as the IFDS (Paralympic Sailing) World Championship in 2011.

Notes to Editors

1. Images of the launch of the enhanced sailing facilities at Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy can be downloaded at http://mm.gettyimages.com/mm/nicePath/locog?nav=pr119257357

2. The enhanced facilities at Weymouth & Portland were delivered by the ODA’s contractors Dean & Dyball

3. The Olympic Lottery Distributor is a Non Departmental Public Body set up by Parliament to use funds raised by the National Lottery to support the London 2012 Games. Its total income will be £1,835m of which £750m will be raised by specially designated National Lottery Games. The balance (£1,085m) will be transferred from mainstream National Lottery games from February 2009 onwards. More information about the Olympic Lottery Distributor can be found at http://www.olympiclotterydistributor.org.uk

– Ends –

For further information please contact the Olympic Delivery Authority Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 700 or visit the website at www.london2012.com.

The construction of the venues and infrastructure of the London 2012 Games is funded by the National Lottery through the Olympic Lottery Distributor, The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Mayor of London and the London Development Agency.

Find out the latest from London 2012 HQ on our blog.