Dorney Lake
Encyclopedia
Dorney Lake is a purpose-built rowing
lake
in the United Kingdom
. It is located at grid reference
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. 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). The Olympics venue is officially termed Eton Dorney.
These follow the FISA
rules for a rowing lake suitable for hosting a World Rowing Championship, World Rowing Cup or Olympic
regatta.
s that were previously held on the River Thames
have been transferred to the lake. These include the following:
, and even cross country skii
ers practising with roller skis
.
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It is located at grid reference
British national grid reference system
The Ordnance Survey National Grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references used in Great Britain, different from using latitude and longitude....
near the village of Dorney
Dorney
Dorney is a village and civil parish within South Bucks district in the English county of Buckinghamshire, near Slough and about two and a half miles west of Eton.The village name is Old English and means "island frequented by bumble bees"...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, and near the towns of Windsor
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
and Eton
Eton, Berkshire
Eton is a town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, lying on the opposite bank of the River Thames to Windsor and connected to it by Windsor Bridge. The parish also includes the large village of Eton Wick, 2 miles west of the town, and has a population of 4,980. Eton was in Buckinghamshire until...
, close to the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
. The lake is privately owned and financed by Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, who have spent £17 million developing it. Additional grants, totalling £500,000, were obtained from Sport England
Sport England
Sport England is the brand name for the English Sports Council and is a non-departmental public body under the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
, UK Sport
UK Sport
UK Sport is the UK Government's organisation for directing the development of sport within the home countries.-History:The Sports Council previously had been formed in 1972, and had the motto Sport for All. There was also the Central Council of Physical Recreation. In July 1994 it was decided to...
, the DCMS
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is a department of the United Kingdom government, with responsibility for culture and sport in England, and some aspects of the media throughout the whole UK, such as broadcasting and internet....
and SEEDA
South East England Development Agency
SEEDA, more officially the South East England Development Agency, is one of a number of regional development agencies in England. It was set up as a non-departmental public body in 1999 to promote the region and to enable a number of more difficult regeneration projects which otherwise might not...
in order to build the lake's finish tower. The project took over 10 years until completion in 2006. Although it is primarily for use by the school, the facilities are hired out for rowing, as well as for canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
, dragon boating and triathlon
Triathlon
A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
training.
The lake will be used as the 2012 Summer Olympic venue
2012 Summer Olympic venues
The 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics venues are mostly located in the host city of London, though some other events require facilities located elsewhere...
for rowing and canoe sprint
Canoe racing
This article discusses canoe sprint and canoe marathon, competitive forms of canoeing and kayaking on more or less flat water. Both sports are governed by the International Canoe Federation ....
(the whitewater events will take place at Lee Valley White Water Centre in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
), 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
Olympic Delivery Authority
The Olympic Delivery Authority is the statutory corporation responsible for ensuring delivery of venues, infrastructure and legacy for the 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in London...
(ODA). 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 CupRowing World CupThe World Rowing Cup is an international rowing competition organized by FISA . It first began in 1997 and comprises three regattas held throughout early summer. In each event points are awarded to the top seven finishing boats and an overall winner determined after the last world cup regatta...
2005 (26 May - 28 May) - Coupe de la JeunesseCoupe de la JeunesseThe Coupe de la Jeunesse, is an international rowing regatta rowed over 2,000 m every year. It was founded in 1985 and is open to rowers who are 18 or under by the end of the current calendar year. It is a two-day team event, with points awarded to nations based on finishing position in each...
2005 (29 July – 31 July) - World Rowing ChampionshipsWorld Rowing ChampionshipsThe World Rowing Championships is an international rowing regatta organized by FISA . It is a week long event held at the end of the northern hemisphere summer and in non-Olympic years is the highlight of the international rowing calendar.The first event was held in Lucerne, Switzerland in 1962...
2006 (20 August – 27 August) - Junior World Rowing ChampionshipsJunior World Rowing ChampionshipsThe World Rowing Junior Championships is an international rowing regatta organized by FISA . A rower or coxswain shall be classified as a Junior until 31st December of the year in which he reaches the age of 18. After that date, he shall be classified as an Under 23 rower...
2011 (3 August – 7 August) - 2012 Summer Olympics2012 Summer OlympicsThe 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
2012 (27 July – 12 August) - (RowingRowing at the 2012 Summer OlympicsRowing competitions at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London are scheduled to be held from Saturday 28 July to Sunday 4 August 2012, at Dorney Lake which, for the purposes of the Games venue, is officially termed Eton Dorney...
28 July - 4 August, then canoe sprintCanoeing at the 2012 Summer OlympicsCanoeing races at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London are scheduled to be held from 29 July to 2 August and from 6-11 August . The slalom events will be held at Lee Valley White Water Centre and the sprint events at Eton Dorney. Total of 330 athletes are expected to take part. The men’s 500 metre...
) - 2012 Summer Paralympics2012 Summer ParalympicsThe 2012 Summer Paralympic Games will be the fourteenth Paralympics and will take place between 29 August and 9 September 2012. The Games will be held in London, United Kingdom after the city was successful with its bid for the Paralympics and Summer Olympic Games.Even though 2012 will be London's...
2012 (29 August - September 9) - (Rowing) 31 August - 2 September
Lake specifications
- Stillwater, with consistent water conditions straight length for racing
- 8 rowing lanes, each 13.5 metres (44.3 ft) wide
- Minimum water depth of 3.5 metres (11.5 ft)
- A return channel allowing boats to move to the start, separated from the main lake by an island
These follow the FISA
International Rowing Federation
The Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron, or FISA for short, is the International Rowing Federation which is the governing body for international Rowing. Its current president is Denis Oswald...
rules for a rowing lake suitable for hosting a World Rowing Championship, World Rowing Cup or Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
regatta.
Home regattas
Since the lake was opened, a number of regattaRegatta
A regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...
s that were previously held on the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
have been transferred to the lake. These include the following:
- Marlow RegattaMarlow RegattaThe Marlow Regatta is Marlow's international rowing regatta. It takes place on Dorney Lake, Buckinghamshire near Eton next to the River Thames in southern England. It attracts crews from schools, clubs and universities from around the United Kingdom, Europe and the USA...
, June - Metropolitan RegattaMetropolitan RegattaThe Metropolitan Regatta is an international rowing regatta. It takes place on Dorney Lake, Buckinghamshire near Eton next to the River Thames in southern England. It attracts crews from schools, clubs and universities from around the United Kingdom, Europe and the USA...
, May/June - Wallingford RegattaWallingford RegattaWallingford Regatta is a rowing regatta which takes place on Dorney Lake, Buckinghamshire near Eton next to the River Thames in southern England. It attracts crews from schools, clubs and universities from around the United Kingdom....
, 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, skatersInline skating
Inline skating is a recreational sport practiced widely internationally. Inline skates typically have 2 to 5 polyurethane wheels, arranged in a single line. The in-line design allows for greater speed than roller skates and better maneuverability...
, and even cross country skii
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
ers practising with roller skis
Roller skiing
Roller skiing is a non-snow equivalent to cross-country skiing. Emulating skis, elongated inline skates, with wheels at the ends, are used on tarmac. The skating/skiing action is very similar to actual cross-country skiing on snow....
.
See also
- Eton CollegeEton CollegeEton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
- Eton Racing BoatsEton Racing BoatsEton Racing Boats is a manufacturer of racing boats for rowing, based in Eton, United Kingdom. The company was founded by Eton College, who also funded the construction of the Dorney Lake development....
- Rowing on the River ThamesRowing on the River ThamesThe River Thames is one of the main rowing areas in England, with activity taking place on the Tideway and on the 45 separate lock reaches on the non tidal section. The river hosts two major rowing events The Boat Race and Henley Royal Regatta, and a large number of other regattas and long distance...
- Summerleaze FootbridgeSummerleaze FootbridgeSummerleaze Footbridge is a footbridge across the River Thames in England linking Dorney, Buckinghamshire and Bray, Berkshire, and is located on the reach above Boveney Lock...