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alan


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Nevis Range possible 2012 Olympic Venue?
Date Posted: 14.32hrs on Wed 6 Jul 05
This September Nevis Range will for the first time host the finals of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, having hosted earlier rounds with amazing success for the past three years. This years finals though is just a taster of what's to come, with the 2007 World Championships taking place at Nevis Range.

Already some politicians are suggesting this, The Conservatives' sports spokesman, said Scotland could provide more venues for events (Parts of the Football Tournment are already coming to Scotland): "Fort William is already hosting the World Mountain Biking Championships and would seem ideal for any Olympic mountain bike competition,"

A cause worth pushing for, it would be a massive boost to UK mountain biking, to Scottish Sport, indirectly to our snowsports industry and a just reward for the huge effort a lot of people have put into the Nevis events over the years.



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 14.34hrs Wed 6 Jul 05 by alan.
Neil_aka_rodders


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Re: Nevis Range possible 2012 Olympic Venue?
Date Posted: 18.07hrs on Wed 6 Jul 05
It would, as you say Alan, be a great boost for all concerned. However is there a limit on distance away from the host city? Would be interesting to see if it was possible.

Thinking about it, the football apparently is going to be held in Cardiff (2hrs away from london), so maybe the MTB is lined up for S. Wales. Anyone know?
alan


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Re: Nevis Range possible 2012 Olympic Venue?
Date Posted: 23.27hrs on Wed 6 Jul 05
Well football will reach as far as Murrayfield and Hampden Park, possibly even Pittodrie so they are of comparable distance.
Neil_aka_rodders


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Re: Nevis Range possible 2012 Olympic Venue?
Date Posted: 09.13hrs on Thu 7 Jul 05
Oh ok fair one! Could be a possibilitythe at NR. However I have just heard that Weald are going to feature some MTB. As im not into the MTB scene, Im not sure on how reliable that is.
Steve Morley


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Re: Nevis Range possible 2012 Olympic Venue?
Date Posted: 22.49hrs on Thu 7 Jul 05
According to [news.bbc.co.uk] it is indeed going to be at Weald Country Park. Will cost £5m to transform, then everything will be removed after the Games. What happened to sustainable regeneration? Surely it would be better in Fort William where facilities already exist - as has been mentioned above the football is going to be in Glasgow and Newcastle - what's the difference? And it is meant to be MOUNTAIN biking!
alan


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Re: Nevis Range possible 2012 Olympic Venue?
Date Posted: 01.02hrs on Fri 8 Jul 05
Not only the cost perspective, and the fact it is supposed to be MOUNTAIN Biking, but the BBC info states a spectator capacity of 3000. Three to Four times that number watch the 4X events at Nevis, and 5-6 times that number attended the World Cup weekend last year. While it may have a draw back for competitors having events so far from the centre of the Olympics, it would provide a more fitting venue, bigger crowds, and better atmosphere.

Unlike the football events, mountain biking at Nevis would see home riders competing on Scottish Soil, and as quite possibly the only event in which Team GB competes in Scotland, it would have a massive pull, generate massive interest, help spread the economic benefits, while at the same time turning what would otherwise be a minority and little covered event lost in sheer scale of the Olympics, into a very significant major event in terms of attendance creating an awesome event and atmosphere.
Neil_aka_rodders


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Re: Nevis Range possible 2012 Olympic Venue?
Date Posted: 07.46hrs on Fri 8 Jul 05
Doesnt this go against the 'ethos' of the bid. I wonder what NR have to say?


alan


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Re: Nevis Range possible 2012 Olympic Venue?
Date Posted: 10.02hrs on Fri 8 Jul 05
No I don't think it goes against the ethos of the bid, it's always been common practice that a few events are held long distances from the Olympic Village, either for venue reasons or simply to spread the events out more, or for both reasons such as the 2012 plans for Football.
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Re: Nevis Range possible 2012 Olympic Venue?
Date Posted: 14.40hrs on Fri 8 Jul 05
Alan i think the football is only going to hampden. The olympic site lists the venues. Old trafford, Villa Park, St james' park, Wembley and Hampden.
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Re: Nevis Range possible 2012 Olympic Venue?
Date Posted: 14.42hrs on Fri 8 Jul 05
Oh and the Millenium Stadium. But yeah think its just Hampden from Scotland. Still its better than nothing.
Neil_aka_rodders


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Re: Nevis Range possible 2012 Olympic Venue?
Date Posted: 15.15hrs on Fri 8 Jul 05
alan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No I don't think it goes against the ethos of the
> bid, it's always been common practice that a few
> events are held long distances from the Olympic
> Village, either for venue reasons or simply to
> spread the events out more, or for both reasons
> such as the 2012 plans for Football.

Alan,
I meant that making a temporary MTB centre for a month or two is against the bid 'ethos'.
It would not suprise me if all event locations are partly politically chosen. Maybe some of the BOC have property in Weald and not the highlands.
And they all ponder and wonder why we are shit at sport.....

The french maybe better than us at footy, rugby, skiing, tennis but we are better at Powerpoint! ;-)



David Goldsmith


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Re: Nevis Range possible 2012 Olympic Venue?
Date Posted: 14.32hrs on Sat 9 Jul 05
Speaking as a Londoner, I'm 101% in favour of Nevis hosting the event. Great suggestion.

If Nevis is the nervecentre of the sport, that's where it has to be.
Neil_aka_rodders


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Re: Nevis Range possible 2012 Olympic Venue?
Date Posted: 16.11hrs on Sat 9 Jul 05
Things is aswell Dave, is that NR will benefit most from the event. Obviously extra income will help them improve already good facilities, which will further generate more interest in years after the games.
Holding events in temporary locations will not generate future interest.
Neil_aka_rodders


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Re: Nevis Range possible 2012 Olympic Venue?
Date Posted: 17.55hrs on Mon 11 Jul 05
Just submitted a cheeky question to one of the BOC bid team who use the same footy forum as me, on this subject. Ill post the answer if I get one!

winking smiley

Neil_aka_rodders


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Re: Nevis Range possible 2012 Olympic Venue?
Date Posted: 16.57hrs on Tue 12 Jul 05
got an answer! winking smiley

Question put forward (simplified):

I hear that the mountain biking is going to take place in Weald, where a temporary MTB centre will be constructed for the games. I and many others are bemused why it isnt being held at the Nevis Range (Fort William), which is the 'home' of MTB in the UK, and currently holds world cup MTB events.
Surely in keeping with the bid 'ethos', the MTB would be far better suited to an area that would benefit the sport for years after the games.


Full answered recieved:

The bid team wanted as compact a games as possible - ie as near as near london as possible. The bid was criticised by the IOC a year ago when a couple of sites - canoeing I think - were further out than now.
Obviously sailing is different (can't really have it on the serpentine! )
as is the football - although the final will be held at wembley.




Nevermind! sad smiley
alan


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Re: Nevis Range possible 2012 Olympic Venue?
Date Posted: 01.22hrs on Thu 25 Aug 05
From the Sunday Times:

Quote:
Nevis Range, which operates the gondola ski-lift on the side of Ben Nevis, said that ticket sales for the world cup downhill course, which is for expert riders only, now account for 25% of its business.

The downhill course, which will host its third successive world cup in September, will also be the venue for the 2007 World Championships, an event that is expected to attract more than 60,000 spectators.

Outdoor Capital, an organisation which promotes Fort William as an outdoor destination, also hopes to convince the organisers of the 2012 London Olympics to stage the mountain biking events on the Ben Nevis courses.

Neil_aka_rodders


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Re: Nevis Range possible 2012 Olympic Venue?
Date Posted: 07.46hrs on Thu 25 Aug 05
I just hope that all this MB interest and success does'nt effect the skiing. Im sure it wont as NR seem to have the balance right.
However I'd hate to see it become similar to another centre that has slowly allowed us lot to be an inconvenience.

Ill finish on a positive, by congratulating NR on their successes with MB.
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