Dorney Lake

Buckinghamshire will play an important role in helping deliver the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Eton College Rowing Centre at Dorney Lake will be the host venue for the rowing, sprint-canoeing and adaptive rowing competitions for the Games.

Dorney Lake is also hosting a free Sport Maker event on 1 May for anyone over 16 interested in making sport happen where they live. Find out more information about becoming a Sport Maker.

The Venue

Dorney Lake uses some of the most up-to-date technology, making this venue perfect for hosting such an important event as the London 2012 Games.

The main rowing lake is 2,200 metres long with eight lanes, each 13.5 metres wide with a minimum depth of 3.5 metres.

The lake is filled with water coming from underground streams percolating through a natural gravel filter. The growth of algae is discouraged by using barley bales.

The Events

Rowing 28th July – 5th August

There will be 14 medals available in 2012 between sculling (rower has an oar in each hand) and sweep oar (rower has one oar), with heavy and lightweight divisions. The head-to-head races are held over 2,000 metres.

Paralympic Rowing 31st August – 2nd September

There are 4 medals to be won by 108 athletes. Paralympic Rowing is the youngest sport in the Paralympic Games, making its Games debut at Beijing 2008. ‘Adaptive’ implies that the equipment is ‘adapted’ to the user to participate in the sport.

Canoe Sprint 6th – 11th August

Canoe Sprint is one of two canoe events, the other being Canoe Slalom. There are 12 gold medals up for grabs with 246 athletes competing. In the Flatwater competitions, paddlers race across calm water, over distances of 500m and 1000m. There are events for single athletes (C1, K1), pairs (C2, K2) and fours (K4).

Athletes’ Village

Athletes competing at events at Eton Dorney will be accommodated in an Olympic Village on the campus of Royal Holloway, University of London in Egham.