London 2012 Olympics Tickets and Tours: British Cyclist Clancy on Track for Olympic Gold

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For so long the quiet power behind Great Britain’s team pursuit squad, Ed Clancy rode to individual world championship glory on Sunday with a performance of bewildering dominance in the men’s omnium.

That the 25-year-old experienced the full glare of the limelight was due to an agonising defeat in the women’s keirin final for Victoria Pendleton, who lost out on a second gold medal in as many days by the width of a tyre. That would have denied Clancy his moment. His explosive burst of speed within an endurance event perfectly fits the profile of the omnium, cycling’s equivalent of the decathlon and heptathlon disciplines in athletics.

With five elements in a single day - essentially three time trials over different distances and two bunch races - it tests even the strongest of bodies. For Clancy, it was the first omnium of his life, making the achievement even more remarkable. He didn’t even have a bunch race bike when he was selected for the event three weeks ago. Olympic champion in the team pursuit in Beijing, the Yorkshireman collected asilver in that event in the Ballerup Super Arena on Friday and admitted he had struggled to overcome the disappointment of that result.

Clancy said: ‘It’s my first individual medal and one that I didn’t really think I would get. It’s just a bit bizarre. It felt like a hangover the day after the team pursuit and that wasn’t just because I raided the bar. You just feel so down when you lose by such a small margin having worked so hard for it. ‘I’ve never done a flying 200m sprint before or been in a bunch race at world standard before and, man, was I in for a shock. The points race turned out to be the hardest 40 laps of my life.’ With the omnium having been added to the Olympic programme for 2012, the dilemma for Clancy now is whether to stay true to his team pursuit roots or go for the iron man discipline, which in the Olympics will be over six events spread across five days. He added: ‘Those who know me know that I live and die for the team pursuit. That’s in my heart and what gets me out of bed. But then after today it makes you think about the omnium, for sure.’

Pendleton’s silver to the gold of Simona Krupeckaite took a photo and a protest over the Lithuanian girl’s racing line to decide. It meant that Britain finished in second place in the world championships medal table, comfortably behind Australia’s impressive haul of six golds.
That was across all 19 world championship events. However, take account of solely the 10 Olympic disciplines and a different picture emerges, with Britain winning eight medals to Australia’s five, three golds apiece.

Director of British Cycling Dave Brailsford insisted that it is the proper gauge of the progress that is being made towards re-establishing the dominance of Beijing and that the time to judge is not now, at the midpoint of the Olympic cycle, but in London in two years’ time. He said: ‘You can’t get blinded by the stats. My job isn’t to win every event in the world championships. We took a strategic decision to come here and ride the Olympic events with relatively new line-ups in some of them to see where we are at. ‘Why did we not enter a rider in every event at the world championships? It’s a valid point, but we’re an Olympic team, looking to perform in that home Olympics and our strategy is ruthlessly built around doing exactly that. ‘The competition has increased, which is a good thing. We can’t step off the gas. New Zealand have moved forward, but they, the French sprinters, the Germans and the Aussies are absolutely flat out here.

‘This isn’t everything that we’ve got. We’re not quite foot to the floor yet. To try and do that for four years is hard. You need to be cyclical with it. We weren’t the top nation at this point in the Olympic cycle four years ago. Are we in good shape? We’re in terrific shape.'

Spyns is an active travel company based in Whistler, BC (Canada). For more information about Spyns and our tours to the 2012 London Summer Olympics, please visit our websites http://www.london2012-tours.com/ http://www.london-tours-2012.com/ or call us toll-free at 1.888.825.4720.

The Yanks Are Coming! London 2012 Summer Games Tickets & Tours

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The Yanks are coming! Never a nation of half-measures, the Americans prove once again they do everything bigger...and better? They are landing in East London to create their own ‘beachhead’ ready for the London 2012 Olympics invasion.The US Olympic Committee is taking over part of the University of East London’s campuses at the Royal Docks and Stratford, just a javelin throw from the Olympics Park, as its base for athlete training.

More than 1,000 athletes, coaches, scientists, medical practitioners and support staff are to use university’s state-of-the-art facilities.University vice chancellor Patrick McGhee said: “Hosting some of the world’s greatest athletes in their preparations for 2012 is an inspiration for our youngsters. It’s an opportunity to build a sports legacy that will continue beyond 2012.”Team USA will be using the halls of residence, setting up onsite sports science, medicine and media centres as their operational base.

They will also use the new £18 million (US$27 million) sports and academic centre at the Docklands campus due to open next year with its gym and fitness suite, a large indoor sports arena, 10 badminton courts, two competition basketball, volleyball and netball courts, cricket bays, two five-a-side football pitches, sports café and covered seating for 400 people.

Spyns is an active travel company based in Whistler, BC (Canada). For more information about Spyns and our tours to the 2012 London Summer Olympics, please visit our websites http://www.london2012-tours.com/ http://www.london-tours-2012.com/ or call us toll-free at 1.888.825.4720.

Tickets on Sale: London 2012 Summer Olympic Games

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Olympic organisers have started pre-registration to sell tickets to the London 2012 summer games. While signing up online does not guarantee a pass, it is a shortcut to the public ballot for 75 per cent of tickets. ‘Anyone who signs up will be in pole position,’ said Paul Deighton, London 2012 chief executive on Monday.

‘The aim is to make the process as easy as possible and get people thinking about which events they want to watch from all the different Olympic and Paralympic sports. We expect people to be more interested in tickets for some events than others. ‘There is no fairer way for people to get in line for those tickets than by public ballot.’ Originally, there were to be 7.7million tickets for the Olympics and 1.5million for the Paralympic Games but the figure has now risen to 8million and 2million, on sale from next spring. Mr Deighton stayed tight-lipped about prices but said there would be ‘millions of affordable and accessible tickets’. Critics have long bemoaned that tickets are generously distributed to sponsors, Olympic committee members, and government officials yet real fans receive few affordable tickets.

Sadly, hospitality tickets will account for less than one per cent of passes on sale. Paralympic swimming champion Ellie Simmonds said it was important true sports fans would be in the crowd, adding: ‘It will be good for the atmosphere. My friends are all interested in tickets and want to see me. I bet there will be lots of people who will want to see events at a home Olympics and Paralympics.’

Spyns is an active travel company based in Whistler, BC (Canada). For more information about Spyns and our tours to the 2012 London Summer Olympics, please visit our websites http://www.london2012-tours.com/ http://www.london-tours-2012.com/ or call us toll-free at 1.888.825.4720.

London 2012 Olympics Tickets and Tours: "Next" Latest Olympic Sponsor

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Fashion chain Next has been given its biggest design challenge yet – to create clothes to inspire British athletes to Olympic glory. The Leicestershire company will help Team GB's quest for gold after being asked to produce about 5,000 outfits for athletes and officials to wear at the opening and closing ceremonies of 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, in London.

The retailer will also provide formal suits, as well as furnishings and linen for the athletes' village. Next, which will be an official sponsor, would not say how much the deal was worth.It said some jobs would be created at its Enderby design studio. Experts said sales would increase as a result of the deal, which will see the group create a range of London 2012 clothing and homeware for its stores. Christos Angelides, Next executive director, said: "We are all proud of the British athletes and look forward to helping in a small way to make them look great at the Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies. "We also look forward to providing our customers with exclusive access to a range of clothing and homeware that reflects the excitement and atmosphere of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games."

A Next spokesman said: "There's going to be a group of designers on this."A few new jobs will be created as a result." Paul Deighton, chief executive of London 2012, said: "I'm confident Next will create a fantastic look for the athletes, officials and staff as well as helping us to make the London 2012 product available across the country."Julie King, head of fashion and textiles at De Montfort University, said: "It's a great coup for Next. "I think it will have a positive impact on their sales."David Hughes, chief executive of Prospect Leicestershire, the agency charged with promoting county businesses, said: "It will be great to see a Leicestershire firm so prominently flying the flag for Team GB at the Olympics. "It will really help to put the county on the map."Next is not the only Leicestershire company benefiting from the London 2012 Games.

Plumbing and heating equipment supplier BSS Group, of Lee Circle, Leicester, and powered access equipment hire firm Lavendon, of Lutterworth, are helping to operate one of two plant hire centres used by builders of the Olympic Park.

Spyns is an active travel company based in Whistler, BC (Canada). For more information about Spyns and our tours to the 2012 London Summer Olympics, please visit our websites http://www.london2012-tours.com/ http://www.london-tours-2012.com/ or call us toll-free at 1.888.825.4720.

London 2012 Olympics Tickets and Tours: Calls for Ticketing Transparency

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London 2012 organisers have been urged to be up front about how many tickets will be available for the Olympics and how much they will cost. The London Assembly's economic development, culture, sport and tourism committee said the public needed to have faith in the ticketing system. Games organisers said details would be revealed after the Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver had finished. There will be 9.2 million seats available during the event. The committee has written to London 2012 chiefs requesting details on how they plan to fill seats at the Games.

Committee Chair Dee Doocey said: "The key issue is simple: How many people will be ahead of the average Londoner in the queue for Olympic tickets? "Locog - London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games - needs to be open and transparent about how many tickets are going to be available for the public and how many are going to be reserved for the Olympic family.
We will be making an announcement about our ticketing strategy after the Vancouver Paralympic Games has finished

"These tickets for International Olympic Committee staff, officials, partners and sponsors will significantly reduce the number of seats available for the public." The committee said it would like to know how many tickets will be available at less than £10, £20 and £30 and how they will be shared out among the events. Other questions included how any possible stand-by scheme for unused tickets might work and who, if anyone, would count as a priority group for preferential or low-cost tickets.

London 2012 should publish its ticketing strategy in draft form as soon as possible to allow the public to comment on it before it is finalised, the committee advised. Tickets for the Games will not go on sale until 2011, according to Locog. A London 2012 spokesman said: "We will be making an announcement about our ticketing strategy after the Vancouver Paralympic Games has finished." The 2010 Paralympics is scheduled to finish on 21 March.

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London 2012 Olympics Tickets and Tours: Et tu sponsor?

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Since the Los Angeles games in 1983, or the McGames referring to over-sponsorship, London Summer Games Organisers have been at pains to balance much-needed sponsorship revenues with, well good taste. Enter Adidas.

Adidas became London 2012's third sponsor in a deal worth more than $201 million. Adidas becomes the official sportswear partner for the games and also will provide clothing for the 70,000 volunteers and officials. The deal also covered sponsorship for clothing and equipment used by British athletes for the 2008 Beijing Games, the recent 2010 Vancouver Games and 2012 London Games. "No other host city has made such progress in its domestic sponsorship five years out from the games," London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe said.

Adidas flew in world champions Tyson Gay and Allyson Felix for a glossy London launch and the pair ran on a mock racing track on the Millennium Bridge over the River Thames to highlight the deal. The sponsorship announcement also featured five-time Olympic goal medalist Nadia Comeneci. England soccer star David Beckham also made an appearance via a hologram -- speaking of his joy competing in front of crowds in his native London. Adidas joins British bank Lloyds TSB, which has signed up as a banking and insurance partner, and EDF Energy, which has the utilities sponsorship. London hopes to name a fourth sponsor by Christmas. The other categories are telecoms, automotive, airline, oil and gas and a clothing and homeware manufacturer.

The top-tier sponsors will help raise $4 billion for the London Olympic organizing committee.
"It's a really important commercial message as well," Coe said. "It's not just the importance of coming to the table with serious help, in terms of helping us deliver our financial commitments. These are partners coming to the table that can bring other levels of expertise. A separate budget for venues, infrastructure and regeneration projects total $18.6 billion. Adidas chief executive officer Herbert Hainer said the sponsorship was the biggest single investment that the German company had made in the British market. He said he wanted Adidas to be the leading ports brand in Britain and the largest sportswear maker in Europe.

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London 2012 Olympics Tickets and Tours: Organisers Already Looking Beyond London 2012

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Genuine effort or is this just an interesting photo op? The BBC reports that a group of young people from depressed east London will help decide the future of the 2012 Olympic site, the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) has said. Aged between 13 and 21 and from the five host boroughs, they will visit the site over the next five months.

OPLC Chief Executive Andrew Altman said the idea was to give young people "a sense of ownership" of the site. The panel's 22 members come from Newham, Waltham Forest, Hackney, Greenwich and Tower Hamlets. The group will make several visits to the Olympic Park site, which straddles parts of the five boroughs. The different areas will benefit from regeneration as a result of the Games. The youth panel will also visit local schools and make suggestions as to what events they would like to see in the Olympic Park site after 2012. They will also get to have a say in the long-term planning and urban design of their local boroughs.

Mr Altman said: "We want young people to feel a sense of ownership towards the Olympic Park because they will be the generation that will most experience the change to east London over the next 25 years." Panel member Shaneice Bailey, 14, from Cardinal Pole RC School in Hackney, said: "I joined the Legacy Youth Panel to develop my confidence and share young people's views with others and to have our say. "I joined the youth panel also because I am interested in sports and the Olympics and want to find out more about what is happening first hand."

Olympic organisers have long been at pains to involve British youths, often with mixed results. London's Olympic logo for example received mixed reviews despite trying desperately to be hip.

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London 2012 Olympics: London Stadium Ahead of Schedule

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It's all doom and gloom in England these days. With the pound sinking and British economy in ruins, London is spending massive amounts of taxpayer money on Olympian development projects. Case in point: the Olympic stadium is going to cost double the initial estimate. There is a long history of cost overruns associated with hosting the summer Olympics and London's summer games are no exception. By my calculations, the games normally cost taxpayers 2 to 6 times initial estimates and sadly London's Olympic stadium is proving me right.

Initial estimates put the Olympic stadium's pricetag at £270 million (approximately US$405 million) however the costs have, ahem, gone up somewhat. According to the Guardian, the stadium will now cost a staggering £537m (US$752m). The 80,000-seat stadium is located at Marshgate Lane in Stratford in the Lower Lea Valley. Organisers broke ground in mid 2007 although the official construction start date was scheduled for May 22, 2008. However piling works for the stadium's foundation unofficially began four weeks ahead of schedule.

Chief architect Rod Sheard, of HoK Sport, said the stadium would make a big impact, but not in the same way that previous Olympic stadia had. "This is not a stadium that's going to be screaming from the rooftops that it's bigger and more spectacular," he said. "This is just a cleverer building. This is a cleverer solution." The design is apparently modular but comes at a pricetag.

Unlike the profligate Chinese, London 2012 summer games organisers were at pains to reduce, re-use and recycle their various stadia. The design concept is for an 80,000-seat stadium for the summer games. Post-games, the stadium will convert to a smaller 25,000-seat structure that can be re-used for (paying) smaller venues. That was the concept. The reality is proving a bit more problematic. While London 2012's promotional video (see above) suggests a transformer-like switch from 80k seats to 25k, the conversion will eventually cost £100m which in Olympic parlance means £200m-£600m.

Regardless, I think the design is quite striking. Unlike the logo fiasco which does truly look like Lisa Simpson performing a lewd act, the stadium is beautiful. Unlike every other Olympic stadium, the Brits are keeping to a strict construction schedule and may even complete the stadium on time (an Olympic first). Hopefully the removable stadium seats won't collapse while Spyns' clients are watching the opening and closing ceremonies.

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