London Olympics torch relay to kick off in Land’s End

Olympic Flame will take in Outer Hebrides and six islands during its 8,000-mile 70-day journey to the stadium London 2012′s Olympic torch relay will start in Land’s End and travel as far as the outer Hebrides on an 8,000-mile journey to the stadium, organisers have announced. The Olympic Flame will arrive from Greece in exactly one year and the relay will continue for 70 days and with 8,000 torchbearers until the opening ceremony of the Games on 27 July 2012. London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe said: “The Olympic Flame will shine a light right across every nation and region of the UK and showcase the very best of who we are and where we live. “The first locations on the route confirmed today give a flavour of the reach the Olympic Torch Relay will have around the UK and how extensive the opportunity for starting to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic Games will be.” The relay aims to go within an hour’s travel time of 95% of the population – and there are also plans to take the Olympic Flame to Dublin. There will be six island visits: to the Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey, Shetland, Orkney and the Isle of Lewis. The first 74 locations have been confirmed by organisers taking in famous sports venues, historic sites and places of outstanding natural beauty. On most days of the relay, the Olympic Flame will travel for 12 hours each day ending in an evening celebration event. Olympics minister Hugh Robertson said: “The Olympic Torch Relay brings London 2012 to the doorsteps of the UK giving everybody the chance to celebrate the London Games. It’s a magnificent showcase for the country and a chance to mark the achievements of inspirational people in our communities.” There will be no international torch relay – the International Olympic Committee decided to make it a domestic event after the controversial Beijing torch relay in 2008 where protesters used the event to demonstrate against China’s human rights abuses. Britain’s IOC member Craig Reedie believes that decision will benefit London. “People used the torch as an opportunity for protest when it should really be an opportunity for peaceful celebration,” he said. Reedie said he had been pushing for the torch relay to take in some of Britain’s most famous sporting landmarks as it tours the country. He added: “The intention is to run the torch all around the country – it will go to within an hour’s travel of 95% of the population. “It will also have a British sporting history element to it – so the torch will be run past many of those famous sporting venues such as Wimbledon, Old Trafford, St Andrew’s and of course Much Wenlock (the birthplace of the modern Olympics). “If it does that and encourages young people that will help build up the huge excitement of London.” The torch relay could also prove to be the financial salvation of the cash-strapped British Olympic Association. The settlement of their cash dispute with London 2012 organisers allows them to market two pieces rather than one of Team GB merchandise based around the torch relay. The BOA are not due to announce their torch relay items until early next year but if they get it right it could be worth millions of pounds to the organisation. For example, ahead of last year’s winter Olympics Vancouver sold 3.5m pairs of their famous red mittens – their torch relay merchandise – for CAD$10 (£6.35). Similar sales figures for London would provide a huge financial boost for the BOA. Olympic Games 2012 London Sebastian Coe guardian.co.uk

Posted by on May 18, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.