London 2012 Shooting Venues unveiled
The first images and the projects of the London 2012 Shooting venues were unveiled at the ISSF Workshop by Mr. Peter Underhill, the 2012 Olympics Competition Manager.
The Shooting
venues of the London 2012 Olympic Games have been officially presented at the
last ISSF Organizers Workshop in Munich.
New shooting
venues will be constructed in the green area facing the Woolwich Royal
Artillery Barracks, in Greenwich, in the heart of the London’s Games, near by
the Olympic Village.
“The venues
are truly in the heart of the city, on the river-zone. Shooting is going to be
placed in the heart of the Olympics, twenty minutes far from the Olympic
Village, and about fifteen minutes from the city centre. It is not going to be
a stand-alone venue. Equestrian, Badminton and Gymnastic will be placed in the
same area.” Said Mr. Underhill.
Shotgun shooting
venue:
A temporary,
three ranges, Shotgun venue will be constructed in front of the Woolwich Royal
Artillery Barracks. A special green net, studied to collect lead and targets,
will be placed eighty meters in front of the shooting stations, providing an
optimal background for all the Shotgun events.
The background net, studied and produced
expressly for this purpose, will reach a height of 20 meters. “We really
tried to maximize the sport presentation by placing the sport venue next to
historical and meaningful buildings. It will be possible to rise up and down
the net, for example during TV presentation, before the finals. It is going to
be great for athletes, and spectacular for audience.” Explained Mr. Underhill.
Rifle and Pistol shooting venues:
New buildings
will be constructed in front of the Woolwich Royal Artillery Barracks in order
to host Rifle and Pistol events, The new venue will provide 60 lines for 50
meters events, 60 lines for 10 meters events, and 40 lines for 25 meters
events. “A specific combined World Cup test-event should be conducted at the
end of April 2012. Both at the test event and at the Games we are going to use
sport-specific volunteers, people with a certain experience in the sport.” Said MR. Underhill during his presentation. “The venues are
intended to be temporary. After the Games, the constructions will be
re-allocated for different usages. We are happy to announce that shooting is
not going to be a stand-alone venue: Gymnastic and fencing events will take
place in the same area.”
“Our shooters
in the heart of the Games”
“We have seen the venues and followed
the projects, and we agreed with them – commented
the ISSF Secretary General Horst G. Schreiber - We are very happy that our
athletes will be in the Olympic village, in the heart of the Olympics. We said
no to a satellite village. We insisted on this point. We succeeded to be truly
in the heart of the Games, to give a chance to our athletes to experience the
real feeling of the Games.”
Marco Dalla Dea