West Sussex – Ahead of the Game is delighted that the Olympic Flame will be coming to the county in July 2012 on its route around the UK. The Olympic Torch Relay will be in West Sussex for two days with plenty of opportunities for local people to welcome the Olympic Flame.
West Sussex will host the Olympic Flame on the 16th and 17th July, when it will pass through sixteen local communities, including Chichester, Worthing, Crawley and East Grinstead. With so many local communities on the route, people across the county will be able to share the excitement of the Torch Relay, the events happening around it and to celebrate the achievements of the local Torchbearers.
The Deputy Leader of WSCC, Lionel Barnard, said, West Sussex was quick to realise the benefits to be gained from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and I am very pleased to welcome the Olympic Flame. This will shine a light on many of our communities and be a special opportunity for us to see the Torch Relay. I hope many people will take up the opportunity to make this a really special two days.
Sally Gunnell, Olympic gold medalist and Deputy Lieutenant of West Sussex added, The Olympics are such a wonderful inspiration to young people. Having the Olympic Torch travelling through West Sussex is a brilliant chance for communities to celebrate this once in a lifetime event, and to cheer the local people who have been chosen to run with the Olympic Flame?.
The 70 day Olympic Torch Relay, which starts at Land's End, Cornwall on the morning of 19 May 2012, will travel an estimated 8,000 miles around the UK.
In announcing the villages, towns and cities, LOCOG has realised the aspiration of taking the Olympic Flame to within an hour's journey time of 95% of the population. It will be carried by 8,000 inspirational Torchbearers each of whom will have a story of personal achievement and/or contribution to the local community. Torchbearer places will start to be confirmed from February 2012 onwards and the street-by-street detail of the route will be confirmed next year.
You can view the interactive map at www.london2012.com/olympictorchrelaymap to find the nearest community to you through which the Olympic Flame will be carried.
On the final day of the Olympic Torch Relay, the Olympic Flame is expected to travel down the River Thames to the Olympic Stadium on 27th July 2012 for the lighting of the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony, signifying the official start of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Click here to watch the London 2012 Torch Relay animation.
To read our news story released on the 7th November please click here