One thousand days may be a folk band from Missouri or the honeymoon period Henry VIII afforded Anne Boleyn before cutting off her head but, come tomorrow, it is also the time London has left to prepare for the 2012 Olympics.
British sports chiefs do not intend to let it pass idly by. Between now and the opening ceremony on July 27, 2012, they aim to host 64 events in 20 cities starting with the UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Manchester today.
The £32 million programme, covering 30 different Olympic and Paralympic sports with more than 17,000 international athletes, equates to one world-class sporting event taking place in the UK every fortnight.
The economic return of the pipeline is estimated to be up to £240 million, according to UK Sport. Twenty-five of the events are confirmed with agreements imminent for the balance. It will be coupled with £11 billion investment that the tourist industry claims will benefit London’s infrastructure.
John Steele, UK Sport’s chief executive, said: “We believe this is the most comprehensive programme of major events leading into a Games that any host country has ever put together. It will provide British athletes with the opportunity to perform in front of a home crowd and the public with a chance to experience world-class sporting action in their local area.”
Some of the competitions will be official test events for the Games; all will provide valuable experience for 13,000 volunteers and officials. Up to 70,000 volunteers will be needed in 2012.
The unique scale of the Olympics can be the undoing of host cities that fail to start work early enough. Unlike the organisational chaos that preceded the Athens Games in 2004, the planning strategy for London is on schedule.
Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee, yesterday declared himself satisfied with progress, although he warned there was no room for complacency.
“London are progressing according to their masterplan; they stay within budget and it is a very strong team,” he said. Referring to the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York that derailed preparations for the Salt Lake City Winter Games and sent the security bill for Athens rocketing to €1 billion, he added: “But there is always a need to be vigilant until the very last day because unexpected things do happen.”
Security remains the biggest unpredictable element in London’s meticulous plan. Work, led by the Home Office, has begun to co-ordinate the response of the intelligence and emergency services but the £838 million budget could still rocket if London suffers a repeat of the July 7 bombings.
British sports chiefs do not intend to let it pass idly by. Between now and the opening ceremony on July 27, 2012, they aim to host 64 events in 20 cities starting with the UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Manchester today.
The £32 million programme, covering 30 different Olympic and Paralympic sports with more than 17,000 international athletes, equates to one world-class sporting event taking place in the UK every fortnight.
The economic return of the pipeline is estimated to be up to £240 million, according to UK Sport. Twenty-five of the events are confirmed with agreements imminent for the balance. It will be coupled with £11 billion investment that the tourist industry claims will benefit London’s infrastructure.
John Steele, UK Sport’s chief executive, said: “We believe this is the most comprehensive programme of major events leading into a Games that any host country has ever put together. It will provide British athletes with the opportunity to perform in front of a home crowd and the public with a chance to experience world-class sporting action in their local area.”
Some of the competitions will be official test events for the Games; all will provide valuable experience for 13,000 volunteers and officials. Up to 70,000 volunteers will be needed in 2012.
The unique scale of the Olympics can be the undoing of host cities that fail to start work early enough. Unlike the organisational chaos that preceded the Athens Games in 2004, the planning strategy for London is on schedule.
Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee, yesterday declared himself satisfied with progress, although he warned there was no room for complacency.
“London are progressing according to their masterplan; they stay within budget and it is a very strong team,” he said. Referring to the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York that derailed preparations for the Salt Lake City Winter Games and sent the security bill for Athens rocketing to €1 billion, he added: “But there is always a need to be vigilant until the very last day because unexpected things do happen.”
Security remains the biggest unpredictable element in London’s meticulous plan. Work, led by the Home Office, has begun to co-ordinate the response of the intelligence and emergency services but the £838 million budget could still rocket if London suffers a repeat of the July 7 bombings.
