Gordon Brown Announces 6-Day for London

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

[quote]
Story posted June 26, 2008

Event Press Release

6 Day for London in 2009

Downing Street hosted a reception today to announce plans for a cycling festival to take place in London next year headed up by Tony Doyle MBE. The event will be held in the London Borough of Newham at the beginning of October 2009. For the first time, those in London will be able to watch and experience track cycling ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games. The unique 6-Day event combines world class sporting entertainment and the opportunity for the public and local communities to learn to ride on an indoor track.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said at the launch “I would like to thank Tony Doyle and his team for all the hard work in making 'On Track 6 Day' a reality. It’s a real pleasure to meet people who are so passionate about involving our communities in sport. It is a unique event that will ignite energy and excitement in the local community. It is great to see the event coming back to London at a time when Britain is celebrating such success in the sport and I’d like to thank to thank the London Borough of Newham for hosting this event”.

“Getting more people involved in cycling is part of the commitment in our Legacy Action Plan to get 2 million more people active by 2012. As we move towards a low carbon culture in our efforts to tackle climate change, the place of cycling in our society is set to grow and I am committed to doing everything possible to encourage that. That is why the department for transport announced £140 million for England’s first major Cycling City and our 11 new and 6 existing Cycling Towns”.

Former Six Day star Tony Doyle MBE who started his career in the Six Days in London at Wembley, said of this major initiative “this is going to be fantastic for both London and the UK, ahead of the permanent Velodrome in London. The public will be able to watch world class cyclists and then have a go themselves! We are delighted the government have recognised the potential of this event and I and my team look forward to developing the plans over the coming months.”

World Junior champion Peter Mitchell and Peter King (Chief Executive British Cycling) outside Number 10.

“The Great Britain track cycling team is now recognised as the world’s most successful track team. Our success at Manchester in March this year when we won nine world titles means that all the riders in the GB track team will be contenders for Gold medals in Beijing.”

Sir Robin Wales, Mayor of Newham: "This is fantastic news. We are absolutely thrilled that Newham will have the best cycling facilities in the world after 2012, and the festival will boost our cycling development programmes, giving our residents a real taste of what is to come in 2012 and beyond. Cycling is an activity that we have been promoting extensively in the borough and is an integral part of our delivery of sports provision. This new facility will be a major boost to encouraging more people of all ages to experience track cycling either as participants or spectators."

The launch was also attended by many from the world of cycling including Chief Executive, British Cycling Peter King, Junior World Champion, British Cycling Olympic Development 2012 Team Peter Mitchell as well as Liv Corbishley (Technical Director, On Track 6 Day London), Joe Duckworth (Chief Executive, London Borough of Newham), Gary MacGowan (TfL), Heidi Truman (Visit London), Mark Smith (Evans Cycles), Simon Theobald (Peadlite) and Representatives from Keir Hardie Primary School in Canning Town, Newham.

[-Adam-]

[quote="mrP(Boonen)VT"]I guess this is conditional upon the velodrome being completed

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

Cynic......(me too)

[Ivor]

well it says:
[quote]said of this major initiative “this is going to be fantastic for both London and the UK, ahead of the permanent Velodrome in London.

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

Marco,
Just for the record, not wishing to be pedantic...

The old Skol 6 track was taken down and reconstructed at Calshot, but because it was too big, a couple of the straight sections were removed, which is why it was such a short track.

When the new one was constructed within the given space allowed, it is bigger and smoother, and the old track was dismantled and stored ....in Sweden.

It was offered free to anyone with a room big enough to put it in, and despite several good intentions, I don't think anyone has stepped forward yet, so if you want an indoor track to play with........

[-Adam-]

[quote="mrP(Boonen)VT"]Cynic......(me too)

[kieran]

[quote]For the first time, those in London will be able to watch and experience track cycling ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games.

[huw williams]

[quote="kieran"] A six-day walking contest [/b].

[Roy Green]

An important fact from the press release is that the Newham track is only intended to be specific to this 6-Day venture alongside another, the kosher one for the actual 2012 Games. So it is likely to be a more modest, perhaps temporary, track. On that basis, there seems a real chance that the 6-day will happen. Anyway, I have more faith in T Doyle's optimism than G Brown's. And just as well for Gordon that the intended date is 2009, as he ain't going to be in charge by 2010 ...

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

[quote="Roy Green"] the kosher one for the actual 2012 Games...

[Mark Leedham]

Lat week's Cycling suggested that they would use the track used for the Rotterdam 6. This as this is a temporary track that can be stored when not in use.

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

"Is that Big Yellow ---yes...can we have our track please...."