Jump to content

Dorney Lake

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dorney Lake Boathouse, with hospitality and event spaces

Dorney Lake (which was temporarily known as Eton Dorney during the 2012 Summer Olympics as the venue for the rowing and flat water canoeing events) is a purpose-built rowing lake, which also operates Hospitality and Events offering a unique venue for meetings, team building and celebration parties.

Located next to the River Thames near the village of Dorney, Buckinghamshire, Dorney Lake is around 3 km (2 miles) west of Windsor and Eton, 3 km (2 miles) east of Maidenhead, and 3 km (2 miles) south of Slough.

The lake is privately owned and financed by Eton College, which spent £17 million developing it. Additional grants, totalling £500,000, were obtained from Sport England, UK Sport, the DCMS and SEEDA in order to build the lake's finish tower. The project was completed in 2006, after 10 years of construction.[1]

2012 Olympic venue[edit]

The lake was used as the 2012 Summer Olympic venue for rowing and canoe sprint, and as the 2012 Summer Paralympic venue for rowing.[2] For the duration of the Olympics, the lake was officially referred to as Eton Dorney; confusingly, a separate venue in Stratford was called Eton Manor due to 19th-century associations with the school.

Dorney Lake, 2012 Olympic Games

To provide for Olympic spectators, the existing facilities were enhanced to include 20,000 additional seats; most of these seats were temporary. Construction of enhancements to Dorney Lake began in October 2009, following investigations by Oxford Archaeology, including a new cut-through between the competition lake and the return lane, a new bridge and an upgraded access road, funded by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA).[3] During the Olympic events, Dorney Lake was staffed by around 3,500 personnel including volunteers; it could accommodate up to 30,000 spectators per day.[4] A temporary bridge over the River Thames linked the Dorney Lake site to Windsor Racecourse, where a pick-up and drop-off point for Olympic spectators was established.[5][6] Other access options existed for walkers and cyclists.[7]

Rowing & Regattas[edit]

Since the lake was opened, a number of annual regattas that were previously held on the River Thames have been transferred to the lake. These include the Marlow Regatta in June, the Metropolitan Regatta in May/June, and the Wallingford Regatta in May.

Dorney Lake has hosted the following international rowing events:

Sporting Events[edit]

With 60+ events each year, Dorney Lake plays host to a range of sporting events including Triathlons, Duathlons, Swimathons, Charity Events, and Fun Runs throughout the year. Superhero Series, the UK’s only disability sports series, host a number of events at Dorney Lake utilising the venues flat tarmacked paths.

Hospitality and Events[edit]

Team Building at [https://www.dorneylake.co.uk Dorney Lake

]

Due to the venue's central location, and easy access from London, the venue proves a popular location for hospitality events, including corporate events, meetings and conferences, parties and team building.


Lake specifications[edit]

The rowers' starting line at Dorney Lake

The lake's dimensions follow the FISA rules for a rowing lake suitable for hosting a World Rowing Championship, World Rowing Cup or Olympic regatta:[10]

  • Stillwater, with consistent water conditions
  • 2,200 metres (7,200 ft) straight length for racing
  • 8 rowing lanes, each 13.5 metres (44 ft) wide
  • Minimum water depth of 3.5 metres (11 ft)
  • A return channel allowing boats to move to the start, separated from the main lake by an island

Public access[edit]

Dorney Lake grounds are open to the public to visit seasonally from September through to April, when sporting and larger-scale hospitality events are not being run.[11] The two-kilometre-long flat, straight paths that run along each side of the main lake make it a popular venue for runners, skaters, and even cross-country skiers practising with roller skis.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ dorneylake.co.uk: "History & Future of Dorney Lake" Archived 4 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ The Olympic whitewater events took place at Lee Valley White Water Centre in Hertfordshire.
  3. ^ London2012.com: "Work starts on time at the London 2012 Rowing and Canoe Sprint venue" Archived 12 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Dorney Lake and the 2012 Olympics Archived 24 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  5. ^ "Living Near Dorney Lake". South Bucks District Council. Archived from the original on 6 June 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  6. ^ "Eton Dorney – Travel". London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  7. ^ "Park and Ride / Cycling and Walk Sites for Dorney Lake". South Bucks District Council. 2012. Archived from the original on 6 June 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  8. ^ London2012.com profile. Archived 30 November 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ "2013 Rowing World Cup regatta to be held at Eton Dorney". BBC. 20 August 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
  10. ^ "Technical Details". Eton College. Archived from the original on 14 August 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
  11. ^ Dorney Lake visitor information "DORNEY LAKE - Leisure". Archived from the original on 22 June 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2013.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dorney Lake.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dorney_Lake&oldid=1229005079"