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Lee Valley White Water Centre to Host London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay

Lee Valley White Water Centre to Host London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay

White Water Rafting at the Lee Valley Olympic Centre 

The Lee Valley White Water Centre on the boundary between Waltham Cross and Waltham Abbey, Hertfordshire has been named as a host location for the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay.

The centre, where the Olympic Canoe Slalom competition will take place, will provide a dramatic backdrop to the Flame and will mark the countdown to the start of the Games. Details are yet to be finalised but a plan is to have the lucky torchbearer carry the Flame down a section of the course on Saturday 7th July 2012.

Lee Valley White Water Centre is the only brand new Olympic facility that can be used by the public ahead of the Games. A new season of rafting will run from 19 January to 9 April. Prices start at £49 per person for a half-day Winter White Water Rafting Adventure. Information is available from here or by calling the booking hotline 08456 770 606.

Chief Executive of Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, Shaun Dawson said: "It is fantastic that the Flame will be visiting Lee Valley White Water Centre and that we are helping it along its journey to the Olympic Stadium. This is a great opportunity to shine a spotlight on the centre as an Olympic venue and the water sports that are available to the public to come and try including rafting, canoeing and kayaking."

Lee Valley White Centre is one of a few landmarks to be announced today by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), through which the Olympic Flame will be carried by Torchbearers during the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay which is presented by Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung.

LOCOG has worked closely with representatives from Hertfordshire and Essex to include these on the route and the majority of other special events and activities will be confirmed next year.

Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG said: ‘We are thrilled to confirm that Lee Valley White Water Centre will act as a host location for the Olympic Flame and welcoming the Olympic Torch Relay during its journey around the UK . This is the UK 's moment to shine and I want to encourage people to start planning how they can be part of this once in a lifetime opportunity and show their support for the inspirational Torchbearers chosen to carry the Olympic Flame as we count down to the start of the Olympic Games."

The 70 day Olympic Torch Relay, will start at Land's End, Cornwall on the morning of 19 May 2012. On leaving Land's End, the Olympic Flame will travel an estimated 8,000 miles around the UK giving thousands of communities and individuals their moment to shine as the Olympic Flame comes to a place near them.

In announcing the villages, towns and cities LOCOG has realised the aspiration of taking the Olympic Flame to within an hour's journey time of 95 per cent of the population. In fact, over 95 per cent of the population will be within just 10 miles of the Olympic Flame next summer. The street by street detail of the route will be confirmed next year.

An interactive map is available to find the nearest community through which the Olympic Flame will be carried.

On the final day of the Olympic Torch Relay, it is LOCOG's intention that the Olympic Flame will travel down the River Thames as it makes its way to the Olympic Stadium on 27 July 2012 for the lighting of the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony, signifying the official start of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The Olympic Flame will be carried across the UK by 8,000 inspirational Torchbearers each of whom will have a story of personal achievement and/or contribution to the local community. In December this year, successful nominees will be contacted with a conditional offer and final Torchbearer places will start to be confirmed from February 2012 onwards.

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