London Prepares series

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.

London Prepares series logo

Purpose

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

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
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
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

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

References
  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. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/london-2012-first-olympics-test-182588
  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
  9. The BLOG Archived August 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  10. Artistic Gymnastics World Championships 2009
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