Olympic rings

GIANT Olympic rings were launched on to the River Thames on Tuesday to mark 150 days until the start of the London Games.

The rings, standing at 11 metres (36ft) high and 25 metres (82ft) wide, travelled on a barge and passed landmarks including Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson also announced a programme of free cultural events that will take place during this summer’s Games.

There will be free cultural events in every London borough, which will include a floating opera inspired by The Owl And The Pussycat to be staged on the city’s canals.

The Rings on the River will be kept in storage until the start of the Olympics, when they will again appear on the Thames.

Paralympic torch

THE London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) unveiled the Paralympic Torch yesterday to mark six months to go until the start of the Paralympic Games.

Made from an aluminium alloy which was developed for the aerospace and automotive industry, the Paralympic Torch has been given a mirrored finish to reflect the light from the Flame onto the teams of Torchbearers that carry it and the communities it travels through.

From August 24 to 29, the Paralympic Torch Relay will be lighting the way to the start of the Paralympic Games, with national flames lit in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The four flames will be united at the Paralympic Flame Lighting Ceremony at Stoke Mandeville, the spiritual home of the Paralympic Movement and transported to the London Olympic Stadium in a 24-hour Relay ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games.

STEM

MORE than 150 school teams from across the UK are taking part in STEM Challenge 9: The Paralympic Torch Relay Challenge.

It is an Inspire mark project, where groups of 11 to 14-year-old students are investigating how to create a spark by the energy of human endeavour to light the Paralympic Flame.

STEMNET is shortlisting finalists, with the final taking place on Saturday March 17 at The Big Bang UK Science and Engineering Fair 2012.

The winning team will receive prize money to support their school STEM Club and access to a Paralympic Torch Relay event.

For more details please visit stemchallenges.net

Celebrations

THIRTY-THREE communities from across the UK have taken the opportunity to host Flame Celebration’s over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Each celebration will be unique and have a flavour of the local area but will have the Paralympic values at its core.

To find a celebration near you, visit london2012.com/ paralympic-torch-relay In addition to the Flame Festivals and Flame Celebrations, the whole of the United Kingdom will be encouraged to help light the way to the Paralympic Games by lighting a lantern.

To get involved, visit london2012.com/getinvolved/local-leaders/lantern-festival/

Spring series

Sailing athletes are being urged to sign up for the RYA Olympic Classes Spring Series 2012 before the late entry fee deadline kicks in on Monday. The series gets underway on March 10 to 11 at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, followed by a second weekend from April 14 to 15.

It provides a focus for new and aspiring talents and is compulsory for all Skandia Team GBR development and transition squad members.

For more information visit ryaracingevents.org.uk