Margate Beach, Olympic Training Camp

Volleyball: Beach

Margate provides the perfect natural beach setting to prepare for the London 2012 Beach Volleyball competition, with a fine granular, flat sand surface above the high tide line. This is set on the main seafront in a northerly facing, natural bay. The beach has regularly achieved the European Blue Flag award for water quality, beach cleanliness and high-quality facilities. Margate benefits from long hours of sunshine and a warm climate for much of the year.

Margate has a range of shops, cafe bars and entertainment outlets within close proximity to the venue. The immediate area also has a host of accommodation to suit different tastes with which the district council has strong links. The area also boasts a diverse range of historic attractions ranging from the Royal port of Ramsgate to local museums and cultural opportunities.

The town is located in the south east of the country within two hours commuting time to the Olympic site. Good transport infrastructure includes Kent International Airport within five kilometres of the venue (available for charter flights), motorway roads for easy access by car/public transport and train services through the fast link to London Victoria.

The venue has played host to many national and international competitions and can provide up to six international standard courts. These courts can be floodlit with the use of portable lighting, making the facility fully-flexible for training schedules.

Training camps can be tailored to the relevant needs of individual athletes/teams. The venue will be available for exclusive use throughout the entire period of the arranged camp and will be fenced off from the main beach area. There will be other optional security arrangements possible.

It is fully-accessible to disabled athletes through use of wooden boardwalks and beach wheelchairs. A range of ancillary features can be organised on-site, including changing rooms, relaxation areas, first aid and coaching rooms in the form of temporary buildings.

The beach is readily accessible with road and rail links; local transport providers will make arrangements for travelling teams.

There are a number of public and private health and fitness facilities and other sports specific venues (such as Marlowe Academy athletics track, which is also include in the programme) within easy travelling distance, that can be used for general training purposes. Similarly arrangements can be made with these facilities to provide exclusivity.

Thanet has many years of experience of cultural exchanges through the locally-based language schools and twinnings with European countries/towns.

Hosting experience
The county has had considerable experience in the hosting of international sports teams over the last fifteen years, all of which can be called upon in the run up to the London 2012 games.

The beachfront at Margate (Thanet) has been the location for World Grand Prix Beach Volleyball and teams from Brazil, Holland, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada and France have all participated. Thanet District Council has also operated a leg of the Volleyball England Beach Tour over a number of years showing an aptitude for delivering top-class sporting events. Previous competitors have commented positively about the hospitality received and have continue to return year after year.

Thanet has hosted the National Powerboat Grand Prix on numerous occasions and will play host to the European Water Skiing Championships in the summer of 2008.

The district council has a dedicated events team that has delivered many large scale events, ranging from air shows to international cross country championships, beachcross motorsports events and smaller regional events. The sports development team work actively with the community to provide high-quality sporting opportunities to the local population.

Sport facility specifications
Olympic sports
Volleyball - Beach
Floodlights for beach volleyball
Number of 28m x 14m beach volleyball courts : 6