25.07.09 – The BLUE MILE was officially launched by Paul Deighton, Chief Executive of London 2012, at the historic Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, UK. Attended by BLUE Ambassadors Sara Campbell, Bryony Shaw, Ben Skinner, Sam Davies and Conrad Humphreys, who founded the BLUE Project and conceived the big idea for The BLUE MILE.

Quotes:

Paul Deighton, CEO of London 2012: “This is absolutely brilliant what you are doing – there is no better example of a project than the Blue Mile, what the atheletes are doing and how this filters through to how people can get involved”. “Sometimes I think of the Olympic games is happening in the SW with a peripheral activity in London!”

European longboard champion Ben Skinner, “It’s all about getting into the ocean and enjoying it for what it is, recognising that we need to keep it clean and respecting the fact that it provides us with an exciting and healthy lifestyle. After that, when you see someone throwing rubbish into the ocean, hopefully you will stop them.”

Sara Campbell, World Record holding Freediver, “This is a brilliant concept and a great opportunity for everybody to take part and appreciate the water environment.”

Conrad Humphreys, Triple Round the World Sailor “Today’s launch was stunning. It had all the ingredients with passionate atheletes and VIP’s, children having fun on the water and a fantastic backdrop for host city Plymouth. I am very excited that the Blue Mile has been launched and am really looking forward to seeing as many people as possible taking part in the Blue Mile and enjoying our natural environment.”

 THE BLUE MILE – Race for the Environment is the UK’s newest mass-participation event designed to engage people actively with our BLUE Environment. It will be open to everyone to take part and complete a mile in, on or next to a water environment. Plymouth has been selected to host the inaugural event in the summer 2010 with additional waterfront cities being invited to take part in future events.

Plymouth has been selected as host city for next summer’s inaugural BLUE MILE –event where thousands of participants of all ages and abilities will complete one mile – in, on or next to – water, in an incredible ‘race for the environment’.

Children from the Mount Batten Centre joined on the water by Beijing windsurfing Olympic medallist Bryony Shaw, 2009 Vendée Globe yachtswoman Sam Davies and freediving world record holder Sara Campbell at the launch event. 

The launch was also attended by Paul Deighton, chief executive of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Deighton also used his visit to the South West  to mark the start of the London 2012 Open Weekend (24 – 26 July 2009), a series of events across the country enabling access to excellence in the arts, culture and sport and celebrating three years to go until the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Deighton said: “The Open Weekend and BLUE Mile events are aimed at inspiring people to open up to try new things, and they will help to build the excitement towards the Games in 2012. The Games are expected to transform lives and communities in the South West and deliver a discernible and lasting legacy to thousands of people in the region.

“We hope that people and communities from Plymouth – and across the wider South West – seize the opportunity to challenge themselves to do something truly different and exciting during Open Weekend.”

The BLUE Mile is being run in partnership with Plymouth City Council and Team South West, the South West RDA-led partnership working across the region to maximise the opportunities presented by the London 2012 Games.

In summer 2010, the BLUE Mile will see swimmers, sailors, rowers and paddle-boarders take to the water in a bid to encourage young people to get actively involved with sport and the environment. Plymouth Hoe will be transformed into a BLUE village, with the creation of the city’s first natural sand beach to host a series of beach games to sit alongside a BLUE village which will include impressive experiential learning and activity zones.

Plymouth council leader Vivien Pengelly said: “I’m thrilled that Plymouth is hosting the first ever BLUE MILE. As a city boasting one of the world’s most spectacular natural harbours there could no better starting point for one of our most important races to date – the race to protect our oceans and natural environment. I fully intend to take the plunge myself and urge as many Plymothians as possible to join me in rising to the challenge of completing a mile – either on the water, in it or alongside it.”

With plans to grow the event each year, The BLUE MILE also aims to be replicated throughout cities nationally and internationally with Plymouth at the forefront of the initiative.  To find out more about the BLUE MILE and how you can get involved visit www.thebluemile.org