London Prepares series

London Prepares series logo

London Prepares series is the banner under which the test events for the 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games were held. The events which make up the series took place in 2011 and 2012.

## Purpose

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The test events focussed primarily on the testing of the field of play, results, scoring and timing systems, as well as key operational procedures and functions.

The programme was made up of three different types of events, namely:

* International invitational events, created and delivered by LOCOG (such as basketball, handball and volleyball)
* International Federation (IF) events, delivered by LOCOG in partnership with IFs and national governing bodies (for example the UKA 20 km Race Walking Championships)
* International events organised by national governing bodies and other organisations, with LOCOG testing operational aspects (for example World Badminton Championships and the London round of the triathlon world series and Wimbledon)[1]

## Ticketing

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Unlike the tickets for the Olympics themselves, which were distributed via a ballot, tickets for the London Prepares events were sold on a first-come first-served basis. As part of their Olympic sponsorship, only Visa cards were accepted.[2]

Additionally, some tickets were offered for free to local residents.[3]

## Reception

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Stitched panorama of the interior of the London Aquatics Centre during a London Prepares synchronised swimming event

British equestrian athlete William Fox-Pitt praised Greenwich Park as the equestrian venue in July 2011: "I've been here a few times when it has been empty to get a feel for the place, and when you walk in, you just go 'wow'. It has an Olympic feel already, and this is just the test event."[4]

However, there was criticism of the London–Surrey Cycle Classic on 14 August 2011, due to road closures causing delays for motorists in the area.[5]

Following the IOC visit in October 2011, IOC Coordination Commission Chairman Denis Oswald said "We have once again been impressed by the overall level of planning and by the results of the first group of test events that were held this summer."[6]

In January 2012, LOCOG stated that the gymnastics test event at the North Greenwich Arena "went well as workforce delivered the competition in a pre-existing venue and gymnastics technology including timing, scoring and results were tested and performed well. The transition of apparatus on the field of play between disciplines was also successful."[7]

## Test events

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Date  | Sport  | Competition  | Venue

|
|
|

30 May 2011  | Athletics – Marathon  | BUPA London 10,000 | The Mall & London roads
30 May 2011  | Athletics – Walking  | 2011 UKA 20km Race Walking Championships | The Mall & London roads
20 June – 3 July 2011  | Tennis  | 2011 Wimbledon Championships | All England Club
4–6 July 2011  | Equestrian  | Greenwich Park Eventing International | Greenwich Park
9–10 July 2011  | Modern Pentathlon  | 2011 UIPM World Cup Final | Greenwich Park / Crystal Palace
20–24 July 2011  | Volleyball  | London Prepares International Invitational | Earls Court
28–31 July 2011  | Canoe Slalom  | London Canoe Slalom Invitational | Lee Valley White Water Centre
31 July 2011  | Cycling – Mountain Bike  | Hadleigh Farm Mountain Bike International | Hadleigh Farm
31 July – 13 August 2011  | Sailing  | 2011 Weymouth & Portland International Regatta | Weymouth and Portland
3–7 August 2011  | Rowing  | 2011 FISA World Rowing Junior Championships | Dorney Lake
6–7 August 2011  | Triathlon  | Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series 2011 London | Hyde Park
8–14 August 2011  | Badminton  | 2011 BWF World Badminton Championships | Wembley Arena
9–14 August 2011  | Volleyball – Beach  | VISA FIVB Beach Volleyball International | Horse Guards Parade
13 August 2011  | Aquatics – Marathon Swimming  | London 10km Marathon Swimming International | The Serpentine, Hyde Park
14 August 2011  | Cycling – Road  | London – Surrey Cycle Classic | Roads of London and Surrey
16–21 August 2011  | Basketball  | London International Basketball Invitational | Basketball Arena
19–20 August 2011  | Cycling – BMX  | UCI BMX Supercross World Cup 2011 London | London Velopark
1–4 September 2011  | Canoe Sprint  | London Canoe Sprint Invitational International Regatta | Dorney Lake
3–10 October 2011  | Archery  | London Archery Classic | Lord's Cricket Ground
23–27 November 2011  | Handball  | London Handball Cup | Copper Box
24–27 November 2011  | Boxing  | International Invitational  | ExCel Arena
24–27 November 2011  | Table Tennis  | 2011 ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals | ExCel Arena
26–27 November 2011  | Fencing  | International Invitational  | ExCel Arena
3–4 December 2011  | Judo  | International Invitational  | ExCel Arena
3–4 December 2011  | Taekwondo  | International Invitational  | ExCel Arena
3–4 December  | Goalball  | London International Invitational Women's Goalball Tournament | Copper Box
10–11 December  | Wrestling  | London International Invitational  | ExCel Arena
10–11 December  | Weightlifting  | London International Invitational  | ExCel Arena
10–13 January 2012  | Gymnastics – Artistic  | FIG 2012 Olympic Games Gymnastics Qualification tournament | North Greenwich Arena
13 January 2012  | Gymnastics – Trampoline  | FIG 2012 Olympic Games Gymnastics Qualification tournament | North Greenwich Arena
16–18 January 2012  | Gymnastics – Rhythmic  | FIG 2012 Olympic Games Gymnastics Qualification tournament | North Greenwich Arena
17–19 February 2012  | Cycling – Track  | 2011–2012 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics London | London Velodrome
20–26 February 2012  | Aquatics – Diving  | 2012 FINA Diving World Cup | London Aquatics Centre
3–10 March 2012  | Aquatics – Swimming  | 2012 British Gas Swimming Championships | London Aquatics Centre
April 2012  | Football  | Men's Olympic Qualifier | City of Coventry Stadium
18–19 April 2012  | Wheelchair Rugby  | International Invitational  | Basketball Arena
18–22 April 2012  | Aquatics – Synchronised Swimming  | FINA Olympic Games Synchronised Swimming Qualification Tournament | London Aquatics Centre
18–28 April 2012  | Shooting  | 2012 ISSF World Cup | The Royal Artillery Barracks
2–6 May 2012  | Hockey  | London International Invitational Hockey Tournament | Hockey Centre
3–6 May 2012  | Wheelchair Tennis  | Eton Manor International | Eton Manor
3–6 May 2012  | Aquatics – Water Polo  | London Water Polo International | Water Polo Arena
4–6 May 2012  | Paralympic Archery  | London Paralympic Archery International | The Royal Artillery Barracks
4–7 May 2012  | Athletics – Track and field  | 2012 British University & Colleges Sport Championships | Olympic Stadium
5–7 May 2012  | Boccia  | International Invitational  | Basketball Arena
8 May 2012  | Paralympic Athletics  | 2012 London Disability Grand Prix | Olympic Stadium

[8]

## Other events

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Other events which took place, but were not designated official test event status were:

* 2011 IFDS World Championships, which took place at the Olympic and Paralympic venue in Portland[9]
* 2009 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships which took place at the North Greenwich Arena (O2 Arena) where the event was held at the 2012 Olympics[10]

## References

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1. ^ London 2012 announces sports testing programme London Prepares Series, 24 February 2011.
2. ^ London Prepares Series Ticketmaster
3. ^ Free tickets to London 2012 test events Archived 2012-02-13 at the Wayback Machine Tower Hamlets Council, 1 November 2011.
4. ^ "London 2012: First Olympics test event takes place in Greenwich Park". 4 July 2011.
5. ^ Drivers fume as cycling test event leads to 'gridlock' across London Evening Standard, 15 August 2011.
6. ^ IOC wraps up penultimate visit to London Olympic Movement, 7 October 2011.
7. ^ Testing success for Gymnastics Archived 2012-02-27 at the Wayback Machine London2012.com, 19 January 2012.
8. ^ London Prepares Series[dead link]
9. ^ The BLOG Archived August 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
10. ^ Artistic Gymnastics World Championships 2009

## External links

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* Official website (April 2012 archive)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to London Prepares series.