Sticker news

WEYMOUTH resident Simon Wilkins is supporting next summer’s Olympic and Paralympic sailing events.

The 53-year-old from The Esplanade has claimed one of the latest batch of 10,000 Bring on the Games window stickers produced by the Dorset Echo, in partnership with the Weymouth and Portland 2012 Operations team, the borough’s Chamber of Commerce and NHS Dorset’s Team Dorset Chall-enge. He said: “I’m not interested in sailing at all but, like a lot of local people, I will probably watch it on the TV just to see my house on there.

“I think it’ll be good for the town because it will be on the news.”

Screen shocks

THE London Live Site at the Olympic Park in Stratford is expected to charge spectators £10 or more to watch the big screens by the River Lea.

But the borough 2012 Operations Team has pledged that the Live Site on Weymouth Beach will remain ‘completely free’.

Team communications manager Duncan Flint said: “Wey-mouth and Portland is looking forward to welcoming up to 15,000 people free of charge on Weymouth Beach where they will be able to enjoy not only Olympic sailing but also other Olympic sports.

“Additionally, Weymouth and Portland harbour authorities will also establish two temporary viewing areas at sea so that visiting boat owners can view the sailing on the water.”

Selection news

PORTLAND Paralympic sai-lor Steve Thomas has been announced as one of the newest members of Team Volvo.

With only 154 days to go until one of Britain’s biggest ever sporting events, Volvo Car UK have boosted their support of the country’s best sailing talent.

Paralympic Sonar keelboat sailor Steve Thomas has joined Portland’s 470 Men’s dinghy duo, Luke Patience and Stuart Bithell as the newest additions to Team Volvo.

Inspirational British athletes Ben Ainslie, Paul Goodison, Nick Dempsey, the 470 Girls - Saskia Clark, Hannah Mills, the Match Race Girls – Lucy Macgregor, Annie Lush and Kate Macgregor and Para-lympian Helena Lucas are already part of the group supported by the official car supplier of Skandia Team GBR.

All the sailors except Helena Lucas, whose selection trails for the 2.4mR have been extended, have been selected to represent Team GB at 2012.

Headline act

BLUR have accepted an invite to headline the Olympics’ Closing Ceremony Celebration Concert in Hyde Park on August 12.

Weymouth windsurfer Nick Dempsey greeted the news as: “NICE” on Twitter.