Will you be going to the Olympics in the uk?

[flopstock]

Originally Posted by spot

Hear hear. Thread integrity is the first essential to all serious discussions on any forum. The London Olympics is a disaster in the making at the moment, all the more so if it's going to be run on a volunteer basis instead of paid professional staffing. I'm startled to find they're organising it that way.

Really? I thought the Olympic workforce was always mostly made up of volunteers... live and learn

[spot]

Originally Posted by flopstock

Really? I thought the Olympic workforce was always mostly made up of volunteers... live and learn

It turns out you're entirely correct floppy, "volunteerism" is an essential component of the modern Games. I had no idea. There's a 4-page pamphlet about it on the international Olympics site:

The role of volunteers in the Olympic Games has
therefore expanded and undergone a process of
specialisation in response to the wider organisational
demands of the Games. In economic terms, volunteers are
without doubt a major cost saver for the organisers, who
have come to rely on their economic role in saving
considerable labour expenses. But apart from this economic
role, the volunteers also embody the universal values that
form part of the Olympic Movement, including peace,
solidarity, mutual understanding and multiculturalism.
While Olympic volunteerism still depends on the
principle of altruism, volunteers may also increasingly see
the Olympic Games as an opportunity to live an
unforgettable experience; learn new skills; gain
professional experience, meet people from all over the
world; see the pinnacle of sporting achievement; be part
of the world’s biggest sporting event; and make history in
the process. For many, being an Olympic volunteer is a
life-changing experience.

http://www.olympic.org/upload/news/o...8171923_UK.pdf

[lou lou belle]

Originally Posted by spot

It turns out you're entirely correct floppy, "volunteerism" is an essential component of the modern Games. I had no idea. There's a 4-page pamphlet about it on the international Olympics site:

The role of volunteers in the Olympic Games has
therefore expanded and undergone a process of
specialisation in response to the wider organisational
demands of the Games. In economic terms, volunteers are
without doubt a major cost saver for the organisers, who
have come to rely on their economic role in saving
considerable labour expenses. But apart from this economic
role, the volunteers also embody the universal values that
form part of the Olympic Movement, including peace,
solidarity, mutual understanding and multiculturalism.
While Olympic volunteerism still depends on the
principle of altruism, volunteers may also increasingly see
the Olympic Games as an opportunity to live an
unforgettable experience; learn new skills; gain
professional experience, meet people from all over the
world; see the pinnacle of sporting achievement; be part
of the world’s biggest sporting event; and make history in
the process. For many, being an Olympic volunteer is a
life-changing experience.

http://www.olympic.org/upload/news/o...8171923_UK.pdf

This is true, i along with other friends and family members have volunteered.

There is approximately 10,000 of us.

I volunteered as i was a competetive swimmer, and always dreamed of getting to the Olympics, but never did.
I would train 6 times a week, in the pool at 6.00am, it was very gruelling.
My parents would sit by the poolside every day and i could,nt have been able to do that without them. I really do know how hard these guys train and the committment required to get to that level.

So to be part of such an exciting event will be worth it, whatever i get to do.
I think the Olympic organisers will manage to make it an event worth watching, and hopefully pick up some golds along the way.

[fuzzywuzzy]

Well if it goes the same way it did here none of you will see the inside of a stadium.

Have they begun moving hte homeless gypsies underprivalaged and blacks out of the area yet? (like they did in Sydney?)

[Rapunzel]

Originally Posted by flopstock

But I don't have any idea.. are some events in scotland, some in wales, some in england or are all in one of those countries but its just referred to as the collected group UK, if you know what I mean..

for instance, if equestrian is in one country of the UK rather then another that might affect plans. if I wasn't imagining everyone cramming into one small land mass, I'd probably not be so confused..

I'd best go google, eh?

Most events will be in London Floppy, but some events need larger arenas and so will take place around the country. Also, with so many events/races/competitions occurring you need to have several events running at the same time so they can all be completed within a few weeks.

We will be having all the yacht races around the Isle of Wight off the south coast.

Yachting is one of the oldest sports on the Olympic programme and its Olympic history is littered with many heroes including some of the sporting world’s great figures. In the early Olympic Games, sailing was dominated by bigger boats, sometimes with as many as 10-12 sailors, and time handicaps were used to adjudicate the races. Starting from 1924 and increasingly from the 1950s onwards, the trend has been towards smaller and smaller one-design boats with fewer crew members. In the last 20 years, equipment trials have resulted in several new boats reflecting the latest developments in the sport. Currently the line-up of boats is a mixture between classes with a long and distinguished history, like the Star and the Finn, and those reflecting the design and technology advances in the sport, such as the 49er. Women have always been allowed to compete in Olympic sailing with men, but in 1988, separate sailing events were introduced exclusively for women. The Olympic sailing programme in 2004 consisted of men's, women's and open events. In effect, sailing made its Olympic debut in Sydney, as it became the first Olympic sport to make a name change. The sport had always been called yachting in the past.

Events

470 - Two Person Dinghy Men
Laser - One Person Dinghy Men
RS:X - Windsurfer Men
Star - Keelboat Men
470 - Two Person Dinghy Women
Laser Radial - One Person Dinghy Woman
RS:X - Windsurfer Women
Yngling - Keelboat Women
49er - Skiff Mixed
Finn - Heavyweight Dinghy Mixed
Tornado - Multihull Mixed

[flopstock]

Originally Posted by Rapunzel

Most events will be in London Floppy, but some events need larger arenas and so will take place around the country. Also, with so many events/races/competitions occurring you need to have several events running at the same time so they can all be completed within a few weeks.

We will be having all the yacht races around the Isle of Wight off the south coast.

Yachting is one of the oldest sports on the Olympic programme and its Olympic history is littered with many heroes including some of the sporting world’s great figures. In the early Olympic Games, sailing was dominated by bigger boats, sometimes with as many as 10-12 sailors, and time handicaps were used to adjudicate the races. Starting from 1924 and increasingly from the 1950s onwards, the trend has been towards smaller and smaller one-design boats with fewer crew members. In the last 20 years, equipment trials have resulted in several new boats reflecting the latest developments in the sport. Currently the line-up of boats is a mixture between classes with a long and distinguished history, like the Star and the Finn, and those reflecting the design and technology advances in the sport, such as the 49er. Women have always been allowed to compete in Olympic sailing with men, but in 1988, separate sailing events were introduced exclusively for women. The Olympic sailing programme in 2004 consisted of men's, women's and open events. In effect, sailing made its Olympic debut in Sydney, as it became the first Olympic sport to make a name change. The sport had always been called yachting in the past.

Events

470 - Two Person Dinghy Men
Laser - One Person Dinghy Men
RS:X - Windsurfer Men
Star - Keelboat Men
470 - Two Person Dinghy Women
Laser Radial - One Person Dinghy Woman
RS:X - Windsurfer Women
Yngling - Keelboat Women
49er - Skiff Mixed
Finn - Heavyweight Dinghy Mixed
Tornado - Multihull Mixed

I like the ones that have a bunch of folks lined up in long skinny boats and the camera angle is always off so someone down the row crosses the line ahead of the guys i'm watching...lol

i like the equestrian stuff too.. all the things i never imagined doing growing up.

[flopstock]

Originally Posted by spot

It turns out you're entirely correct floppy, "volunteerism" is an essential component of the modern Games. I had no idea. There's a 4-page pamphlet about it on the international Olympics site:

The role of volunteers in the Olympic Games has
therefore expanded and undergone a process of
specialisation in response to the wider organisational
demands of the Games. In economic terms, volunteers are
without doubt a major cost saver for the organisers, who
have come to rely on their economic role in saving
considerable labour expenses. But apart from this economic
role, the volunteers also embody the universal values that
form part of the Olympic Movement, including peace,
solidarity, mutual understanding and multiculturalism.
While Olympic volunteerism still depends on the
principle of altruism, volunteers may also increasingly see
the Olympic Games as an opportunity to live an
unforgettable experience; learn new skills; gain
professional experience, meet people from all over the
world; see the pinnacle of sporting achievement; be part
of the world’s biggest sporting event; and make history in
the process. For many, being an Olympic volunteer is a
life-changing experience.

http://www.olympic.org/upload/news/o...8171923_UK.pdf

No WAY! I'll have to bookmark this page..

Your post had just made me think that there was a lot of talk about volunteers during the LosAngelos games... I thought maybe that was just for local events leading up to..

[Peter Lake]

Originally Posted by fuzzywuzzy

Well if it goes the same way it did here none of you will see the inside of a stadium.

Have they begun moving hte homeless gypsies underprivalaged and blacks out of the area yet? (like they did in Sydney?)

I think the law will protect the gypsies here. The amount of volunteers sounds impressive but all these volunteers will not be in some glamour role as the armed police will be. Many are needed for manning car parks and the public toilets also. Only high ranking officers will get to do the exciting crowd control or security for the international athletes. I hope the UK does well but i will not be watching.

[Bryn Mawr]

Originally Posted by fuzzywuzzy

Well if it goes the same way it did here none of you will see the inside of a stadium.

Have they begun moving hte homeless gypsies underprivalaged and blacks out of the area yet? (like they did in Sydney?)

East London would be empty if they did - where would they put them all?

[K.Snyder]

Originally Posted by lou lou belle

I have volunteered to be help out at the Olympics which is being held next in the UK. Are any of you going? What would be the event you would choose to watch?

Most enthusiastically, I will be watching football/soccer!

As well as basketball.