Dorney Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dorney Lake |
|
|---|---|
Aerial view of Dorney Lake in 2007
|
|
 Dorney Lake
Location in Buckinghamshire
|
|
| Location | Dorney, Buckinghamshire, England |
| Coordinates | 51°29′36″N 0°39′56″W / 51.4933°N 0.6655°W |
| Type | Artificial lake, rowing lake |
| Basin countries | United Kingdom |
| Built | 2006 |
| Max. length | 2.2 kilometres (1.4 miles) |
Dorney Lake is a special lake built just for sports and events in England. It's also known as the Eton College Rowing Centre. You can find it near the village of Dorney in Buckinghamshire. It's about 3 kilometers (2 miles) west of Windsor and Eton, close to the River Thames.
This amazing lake is owned by Eton College, a famous school. They spent £17 million to build it! Other groups like Sport England also helped with money for the finish tower. The whole project took 10 years to build and was finished in 2006.
Dorney Lake is a busy place. It's used for rowing, canoeing, dragon boating, and triathlon events. It even hosted the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2012 Summer Paralympics!
Contents
Dorney Lake: An Olympic Star
Dorney Lake became super famous when it hosted the 2012 Summer Olympics. It was the main place for rowing and canoe sprint events. It also hosted rowing for the 2012 Summer Paralympics. During the Olympics, everyone called it Eton Dorney.
To get ready for the Olympics, the lake added 20,000 extra seats for fans. Most of these seats were temporary. Work to improve the lake started in October 2009. They built a new path between the main race lake and the return lane. A new bridge and better roads were also added.
During the Olympic events, about 3,500 people, including volunteers, worked at Dorney Lake. It could hold up to 30,000 spectators every day! A temporary bridge was even built over the River Thames. This bridge connected Dorney Lake to Windsor Racecourse. This made it easier for Olympic fans to get to and from the events.
Exciting Events at Dorney Lake
Dorney Lake has been the home of many big international rowing competitions. These events bring athletes from all over the world!
Here are some of the major events held at Dorney Lake:
- 2005 Rowing World Cup
- 2005 Coupe de la Jeunesse
- 2006 World Rowing Championships
- 2011 World Rowing Junior Championships
- 2012 Summer Olympics (for rowing and canoe sprint)
- 2012 Summer Paralympics (for rowing)
- 2013 Rowing World Cup
Since 2016, the lake has also hosted the annual National Schools' Regatta. This is a big event for young rowers from different schools.
Building a Perfect Rowing Lake
Dorney Lake was built to be perfect for rowing. It follows special rules set by the International Rowing Federation (FISA). These rules make sure the lake is suitable for big events like the World Championships or the Olympics.
Here are some cool facts about the lake's design:
- It has very calm water, which is great for fair racing.
- The racing part is 2,200 meters (about 1.3 miles) long and perfectly straight.
- There are 8 rowing lanes, and each one is 13.5 meters (about 44 feet) wide.
- The water is at least 3.5 meters (about 11.5 feet) deep.
- There's a separate channel for boats to return to the start. This channel is separated from the main lake by an island.
Local Rowing Competitions
Since Dorney Lake opened, many local rowing competitions have moved there. These events used to be held on the River Thames. Now, they enjoy the excellent conditions at the lake.
Some of these annual events include:
- The Marlow Regatta in June.
- The Metropolitan Regatta in May or June.
- The Wallingford Regatta in May.
Fun for Everyone: Public Access
When there aren't any big sporting events, the public can use the grounds around Dorney Lake. It's a popular spot for many activities!
The flat, straight paths along the lake are 2 kilometers (about 1.2 miles) long. This makes them perfect for:
- Runners who want a smooth, long path.
- Skaters enjoying the open space.
- Even cross-country skiers practicing with roller skis!
The beautiful scenery also makes it a favorite place for dog walkers. Many people just come to enjoy a fun day out in nature.
Images for kids
-
The lake during the 2012 Summer Olympics
-
Panorama of the lake looking down the lake from the training centre
-
Landing stages at the rowing centre
-
Footbridge at the lake
See also
- Rowing on the River Thames
- Summerleaze Footbridge
