Dorney Lake

Dorney Lake
Aerial view of Dorney Lake
Location	Buckinghamshire
Coordinates	51°29′36″N 0°39′56″W / 51.4933°N 0.6655°W / 51.4933; -0.6655Coordinates: 51°29′36″N 0°39′56″W / 51.4933°N 0.6655°W / 51.4933; -0.6655
Lake type	artificial lake, rowing
Basin countries	United Kingdom

Dorney Lake (also known as Eton College Rowing Centre) is a purpose-built rowing lake in the United Kingdom. It is located at grid reference SU929779 near the village of Dorney, Buckinghamshire, and near the towns of Windsor and Eton, close to the River Thames. The lake is privately owned and financed by Eton College, who have 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 took over 10 years until completion in 2006.^[1] Although it is primarily for use by the school, the facilities are hired out for rowing, as well as for canoeing, dragon boating and triathlon training.

The lake will be used as the 2012 Summer Olympic venue for rowing and canoe sprint (the whitewater events will take place at Lee Valley White Water Centre in Hertfordshire), and as the 2012 Summer Paralympic venue for rowing. This will involve enhancing the existing facilities to include 20,000 seats for Olympic spectators; most of these seats will be temporary. Construction began in October 2009 of enhancements to Dorney Lake, 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).^[2] The Olympics venue is officially termed Eton Dorney.

Recent and forthcoming events

As of 2011, Dorney Lake has hosted or is planned to host the following international rowing events:

• Rowing World Cup 2005 (26 May - 28 May)
• Coupe de la Jeunesse 2005 (29 July – 31 July)
• World Rowing Championships 2006 (20 August – 27 August)
• Junior World Rowing Championships 2011 (3 August – 7 August)
• 2012 Summer Olympics 2012 (27 July – 12 August) - (Rowing 28 July - 4 August, then canoe sprint)^[3]
• 2012 Summer Paralympics 2012 (29 August - September 9) - (Rowing) 31 August - 2 September

Lake specifications

The starting line

• 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

These follow the FISA rules for a rowing lake suitable for hosting a World Rowing Championship, World Rowing Cup or Olympic regatta.

Home regattas

Since the lake was opened, a number of regattas that were previously held on the River Thames have been transferred to the lake. These include the following:

• Marlow Regatta, June
• Metropolitan Regatta, May/June
• Wallingford Regatta, May

Public access

The public is allowed to use the grounds on all but a few days of the year. The 2 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 skiiers practising with roller skis.

See also

• Eton College
• Eton Racing Boats
• Rowing on the River Thames
• Summerleaze Footbridge

References

1. ^ dorneylake.co.uk: "History & Future of Dorney Lake"
2. ^ London2012.com: "Work starts on time at the London 2012 Rowing and Canoe Sprint venue"
3. ^ London2012.com profile.

External links

• Official Dorney Lake website