About Dorney Lake

Dorney Lake is a modern world-class rowing and flat-water canoeing centre set in a 450-acre parkland near Windsor. It is the venue for the Rowing and Kayak events in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012. Dorney Lake was conceived as an idea by Eton College rowing teachers in the 1960's. They thought that a still-water rowing course would offer greater safety than the River Thames, with its fast currents, varying widths and increasing traffic. Over 40 years later their dream came true. Planning took place over several years between the 1980's and 1990's and construction started in 1996. The lake was finished in 2006. The Lake is 2,200 metres long and has eight lanes each 13.5 meters wide. Dorney Lake has hosted the Rowing World Cup 2005, the Coupe de la Jeunesse 2005 and the World Rowing Championships 2006.