The venue currently consists of a 2,200m, eight-lane rowing course, warm-up lanes and competition facilities. It is being enhanced by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to provide improved facilities for athlete warm-up and Canoe Sprint events during the Games.

Matt Smith, Executive Director at the International Rowing Federation, Alison Nimmo, ODA Director of Design and Regeneration, and Debbie Jevans, Director of Sports at the London 2012 Organising Committee, visited the venue today to see construction work underway.  

Alison said: ‘Dorney Lake is a first-class venue and the enhancements we are delivering will create the best possible facilities for the world’s best athletes to use in 2012.

‘The start of construction work at Eton Dorney is an important milestone and shows we are making good progress not just on the Olympic Park but across the London 2012 project at venues around the country. These are essential works but we have organised our construction activity to minimise disruption to the regular users of Dorney Lake.’

The enhancements at Dorney Lake include a new a cut-through between the competition lake and the return lane, and a new bridge. In addition, the existing access road up to the competition venue is being upgraded for use by construction vehicles and during the Games.

The construction works are expected to be complete in spring 2010.

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