The London Organising Committee Olympic Games (LOCOG) and Department of Community, Culture and Leisure today announced the detailed route for the visit of the Olympic Torch Relay to the Island on Saturday 2nd June 2012.
Arriving by special plane from Liverpool, the Torch will arrive at Ronaldsway and be transferred to the National Sports Centre Stadium where its journey around the Island will commence.
Given that the Relay coincides with the TT Festival, one of the highlights of the Relay will be a short trip along the TT Course from Quarterbridge to Braddan Church on a sidecar driven by local TT legend Dave Molyneux.
After leaving the TT Course the Torch will travel to Battery Pier joining the Douglas Lifeboat to launch down the slipway, commemorating the unique role of the Island in the RNLI.
Returning to dry land at Circus Beach, the Torch will proceed along Douglas Promenade with a stint on board a double deck horse tram. At Derby Castle, the transport theme continues with the Torch joining the Manx Electric Railway for a trip to Laxey for a photoshoot at the iconic Laxey Wheel before making its way to the Island’s ancient capital of Castletown.
The route offers major opportunities for the Manx public and visitors to see the Olympic Torch and feel the excitement which London 2012 is bringing across the British Isles.
The streets along the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, which can be viewed in full at www.london2012.com/olympictorchrelay, gives street-by-street details and proposed start times for when the Olympic Flame will travel through the Island.
The Torchbearers today confirmed to carry the Flame in the Island include those that were successful through the public nomination processes run by LOCOG and the Presenting Partners, Coca Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung. Each Torchbearer will wear a white and gold uniform which been designed by adidas.
The local elements of the Olympic Torch Relay are being co-ordinated by the Department of Community, Culture and Leisure and Minister the Hon Tim Crookall M.H.K. said “This is a unique opportunity for everyone on the Island to feel the power of the Olympic spirit in the run up to London 2012”
Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG added: ‘Today we bring the Olympic Torch Relay to life. The Flame symbolises the Olympic spirit and its journey around the UK will bring the excitement of the Games to our streets. Now the people know the route the Olympic Flame will be carried along and the Torchbearers for their community, they can start planning how they might celebrate and make it the Island’s moment to shine.’
An average of 115 Torchbearers a day will carry the Olympic Flame during its 8,000 mile journey around the UK before it arrives at the Olympic Stadium on 27 July 2012 for the lighting of the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony, signifying the official start of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
LOCOG has worked closely with representatives from a number of sectors in each Nation and Region of the UK to devise the route and is taking the Olympic Flame to within ten miles of over 95% of the population.
Schools across the UK can now access free learning resources linked to the Olympic Torch Relay through Get Set (london2012.com/getset), the official London 2012 education programme. The activities are designed to help schools and colleges make the most of the Relay by lining the route, and cheering on their local Torchbearers. Resources include ideas for making Flame hats and shakers to welcome the Flame, an assembly presentation to get the school behind a Torchbearer and a film showing one Get Set network school's preparations for the Relay.
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