Weymouth and Portland

Weymouth and Portland Harbour will be the venue for the Olympic and Paralympic Sailing competitions.

About Weymouth and Portland Harbour

Weymouth and Portland Harbour provides some of the best natural sailing waters in the UK, with facilities on land to match.

Where is it?

The venue is located adjacent to Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA), which is in Dorset on England’s south coast.

It has kick-started the regeneration of the former Naval Air Station at Portland, now known as Osprey Quay, where new residential, commercial and marina facilities are already underway. It is an exposed spot at the western end of the English Channel, providing some of the best natural Sailing waters in the UK, with facilities on land to match.

Getting ready

A new slipway, 70 moorings and associated facilities are being developed at WPNSA. A new 600-berth commercial marina is also being built nearby. This will form part of the Sailing venue, with 250 of the berths used for test events and during the Games.

A planning application to improve the marine facilities was approved in June 2007, following detailed public consultation. A construction contractor has been appointed, with construction due to begin in early May.

Construction work is due to finish by the end of 2008, so Weymouth and Portland will be one of the first of the venues to be ready for the 2012 Games.

During the Games

Sailing will be a non-ticketed event: it will be free for spectators who will be able to view the Olympic and Paralympic Sailing competitions not only from the shore, but also from the many high points around the coastline overlooking Weymouth and Portland Harbour.

After the Games

The National Sailing Academy will benefit from the improved facilities that the Games will leave behind, providing a state-of-the-art facility for elite training, competition and local community use.