London Prepares series is the banner under which the test events for the 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games were held. The events which make up the series took place in 2011 and 2012.

Purpose The test events focussed primarily on the testing of the field of play, results, scoring and timing systems, as well as key operational procedures and functions.

The programme was made up of three different types of events, namely:

International invitational events, created and delivered by LOCOG (such as basketball, handball and volleyball) International Federation (IF) events, delivered by LOCOG in partnership with IFs and national governing bodies (for example the UKA 20 km Race Walking Championships) International events organised by national governing bodies and other organisations, with LOCOG testing operational aspects (for example World Badminton Championships and the London round of the triathlon world series and Wimbledon)London 2012 announces sports testing programme London Prepares Series, 24 February 2011.

Ticketing Unlike the tickets for the Olympics themselves, which were distributed via a ballot, tickets for the London Prepares events were sold on a first-come first-served basis. As part of their Olympic sponsorship, only Visa cards were accepted.London Prepares Series Ticketmaster

Additionally, some tickets were offered for free to local residents.Free tickets to London 2012 test events Tower Hamlets Council, 1 November 2011.

Reception

British equestrian athlete William Fox-Pitt praised Greenwich Park as the equestrian venue in July 2011: "I've been here a few times when it has been empty to get a feel for the place, and when you walk in, you just go 'wow'. It has an Olympic feel already, and this is just the test event."

However, there was criticism of the London–Surrey Cycle Classic on 14 August 2011, due to road closures causing delays for motorists in the area. Evening Standard, 15 August 2011.

Following the IOC visit in October 2011, IOC Coordination Commission Chairman Denis Oswald said "We have once again been impressed by the overall level of planning and by the results of the first group of test events that were held this summer."IOC wraps up penultimate visit to London Olympic Movement, 7 October 2011.

In January 2012, LOCOG stated that the gymnastics test event at the North Greenwich Arena "went well as workforce delivered the competition in a pre-existing venue and gymnastics technology including timing, scoring and results were tested and performed well. The transition of apparatus on the field of play between disciplines was also successful."Testing success for Gymnastics London2012.com, 19 January 2012.

Test events Date Sport Competition Venue30 May 2011Athletics – MarathonBUPA London 10,000The Mall & London roads30 May 2011Athletics – Walking2011 UKA 20km Race Walking ChampionshipsThe Mall & London roads20 June – 3 July 2011Tennis2011 Wimbledon ChampionshipsAll England Club4–6 July 2011EquestrianGreenwich Park Eventing InternationalGreenwich Park9–10 July 2011Modern Pentathlon2011 UIPM World Cup FinalGreenwich Park / Crystal Palace20–24 July 2011VolleyballLondon Prepares International InvitationalEarls Court28–31 July 2011Canoe SlalomLondon Canoe Slalom InvitationalLee Valley White Water Centre31 July 2011Cycling – Mountain BikeHadleigh Farm Mountain Bike InternationalHadleigh Farm31 July – 13 August 2011Sailing2011 Weymouth & Portland International RegattaWeymouth and Portland3–7 August 2011Rowing2011 FISA World Rowing Junior ChampionshipsDorney Lake6–7 August 2011TriathlonDextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series 2011 London Hyde Park8–14 August 2011Badminton2011 BWF World Badminton ChampionshipsWembley Arena9–14 August 2011Volleyball – BeachVISA FIVB Beach Volleyball InternationalHorse Guards Parade13 August 2011Aquatics – Marathon SwimmingLondon 10km Marathon Swimming InternationalThe Serpentine, Hyde Park14 August 2011Cycling – RoadLondon – Surrey Cycle ClassicRoads of London and Surrey16–21 August 2011BasketballLondon International Basketball InvitationalBasketball Arena19–20 August 2011Cycling – BMXUCI BMX Supercross World Cup 2011 LondonLondon Velopark1–4 September 2011Canoe SprintLondon Canoe Sprint Invitational International RegattaDorney Lake3–10 October 2011ArcheryLondon Archery ClassicLord's Cricket Ground23–27 November 2011HandballLondon Handball CupCopper Box24–27 November 2011BoxingInternational InvitationalExCel Arena24–27 November 2011Table Tennis2011 ITTF Pro Tour Grand FinalsExCel Arena26–27 November 2011FencingInternational InvitationalExCel Arena3–4 December 2011JudoInternational InvitationalExCel Arena3–4 December 2011TaekwondoInternational InvitationalExCel Arena3–4 DecemberGoalballLondon International Invitational Women's Goalball TournamentCopper Box10–11 DecemberWrestlingLondon International InvitationalExCel Arena10–11 DecemberWeightliftingLondon International InvitationalExCel Arena10–13 January 2012Gymnastics – ArtisticFIG 2012 Olympic Games Gymnastics Qualification tournamentNorth Greenwich Arena13 January 2012Gymnastics – TrampolineFIG 2012 Olympic Games Gymnastics Qualification tournamentNorth Greenwich Arena16–18 January 2012Gymnastics – RhythmicFIG 2012 Olympic Games Gymnastics Qualification tournamentNorth Greenwich Arena 17–19 February 2012Cycling – Track2011–2012 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics LondonLondon Velodrome20–26 February 2012Aquatics – Diving2012 FINA Diving World CupLondon Aquatics Centre3–10 March 2012Aquatics – Swimming2012 British Gas Swimming ChampionshipsLondon Aquatics CentreApril 2012FootballMen's Olympic QualifierCity of Coventry Stadium18–19 April 2012Wheelchair RugbyInternational InvitationalBasketball Arena18–22 April 2012Aquatics – Synchronised SwimmingFINA Olympic Games Synchronised Swimming Qualification TournamentLondon Aquatics Centre18–28 April 2012Shooting2012 ISSF World CupThe Royal Artillery Barracks2–6 May 2012HockeyLondon International Invitational Hockey TournamentHockey Centre3–6 May 2012Wheelchair TennisEton Manor InternationalEton Manor3–6 May 2012Aquatics – Water PoloLondon Water Polo InternationalWater Polo Arena4–6 May 2012Paralympic ArcheryLondon Paralympic Archery InternationalThe Royal Artillery Barracks4–7 May 2012Athletics – Track and field2012 British University & Colleges Sport ChampionshipsOlympic Stadium5–7 May 2012BocciaInternational InvitationalBasketball Arena8 May 2012Paralympic Athletics2012 London Disability Grand PrixOlympic Stadium London Prepares Series

Other events Other events which took place, but were not designated official test event status were: 2011 IFDS World Championships, which took place at the Olympic and Paralympic venue in PortlandThe BLOG 2009 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships which took place at the North Greenwich Arena (O2 Arena) where the event was held at the 2012 OlympicsArtistic Gymnastics World Championships 2009

References

External links Official website (April 2012 archive)