The Olympic Torch Relay is coming to York on 19 and 20 June 2012. The route will start at the Askham Bar park and ride site and runners will proceed down Tadcaster Road.

The Torch Relay is the one part of the Games that goes across the UK, so it’s the perfect opportunity to showcase the people, communities and scenery that make the UK great. In York, with our York 800 celebrations in full swing, it will collectively be our moment to shine in the Olympic Torch light.

The Olympic Flame is lit at the Temple of Hera, at Ancient Olympia in Greece. It is created uniquely for each Winter and Summer Games by focusing sunlight in a parabolic mirror. At this point, it is the only place in the world where the Olympic Flame is alight. It then travels round Greece for seven days before being passed to the UK, where it begins the Relay in Land’s End.
The Torch arrives in the UK on 18 May 2012 and the Relay starts the next day from Lands End.
The Flame will travel for 70 days – 63 days around the UK and the final seven days around London.
The Torch will cover approximately 8,000 miles across the UK, through Torchbearing and travelling in convoy mode.
There will be 8,000 Torchbearers who will carry the Torch for approximately 300 metres each.

Olympic Torch Relay evening celebration locations – Yorkshire
Mon 18 June: HULL
Tue 19 June: YORK
Sun 24 June: LEEDS
Mon 25 June: SHEFFIELD
Tue 26 June: CLEETHORPES

Evening celebration, York
The early evening event in York will be on 19 June 2012 at York Racecourse on the Knavesmire. As part of the early evening celebrations, we will be co-ordinating opportunities for residents to try out new sports or games activities. More information will be shared nearer the time as much of the event will be presented by LOCOG’s presenting partners (see below).

If you intend coming along to the evening celebration the organising partners would appreciate some idea of numbers, how you are getting there and where you are coming from? http://www.yorkgold2012.co.uk/register.php

A typical day for the Torch
A day of the Torch Relay starts at 7am and finishes at 8pm. The Torch will be carried by an average of 110 Torchbearers a day and will travel for around 100 miles. When not being carried by a Torchbearer, the Torch will travel in convoy mode, on various forms of transport, to cover a larger distance. There will be photo opportunities, lunchtime stops and time adjustment breaks along the way, until the Torch reaches the location of the evening celebrations.

Presenting and supporting partners
These partners are Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung. They will have a strong presence at the evening events and will present circus, popular music and digital events. There will also be six ‘supporting partners’ who will provide support services and expertise: Aggreko, BMW, Holiday Inn, BT, Visa, EDF.

Olympic Torch Relay – the media
The BBC will be the broadcast partner for this major media opportunity. The BBC will provide a blend of news and general programming from now until the end of the Relay. They will have a position in the formal convoy to capture individual Torchbearer experiences. The broadcast plans are as follows:
15 nations and regions specials
A special outside broadcast for every local radio station
BBC News specials along the route
Radio 2 and 5Live involvement
Special reports from the One Show and Blue Peter.

Key considerations in route development
These were the considerations when planning the route of the Torch Relay:
The aim was for 95% of the population to be within an hour’s journey of the route
The length of day, operational logistics and financial feasibility were also taken into account
LOCOG is responsible to the IOC for planning the route
The number of Torchbearer slots have been allocated based on the plotted route.
Torchbearers were nominated during the summer of 2011. 90% of the 8,000 Torchbearer slots are available to the public.

Working in Partnership
The following will all be working together on the Torch Relay Route:
LOCOG Torch Team
Presenting partners and supporting partners
MPS (Metropolitan Police Service)
NRG (Nations and Regions Group)
TRAG (Torch Relay Animation Group)
Local authorities
Local police forces
Highways agencies
Community task Fforces
Other government departments and organisations

Volunteering
York Cares, working with the City of York Council are organising stewards for the Olympic Torch Route. Stewards will act as ambassadors for both the City and the torch, helping their fellow residents and visitors to the City to safely enjoy what will be a true ‘once in a lifetime’ experience for most people. Further details will be available in due course.
Other York Gold 2012 events

Further updates will be made to this web site http://www.yorkgold2012.co.uk/