March 12 - British Swimming today unveiled a £15 million six-year sponsorship deal with British Gas that will help it prepare for London 2012 and also encourage participation at grassroots.

 

The boost from British Gas, which is owned by Centrica, came after the success of the team at last year's Beijing Olympics where they won six medals and finished third in the medals table.

 

British Swimming chief executive David Sparkes said: "British Gas are joining us at what couldn't be a better time for us."

 

The deal, which will run through until 2015, was announced as it was confirmed that British Swimming would also continue its partnership with sportswear manufacturer Speedo until 2016.

 

Sparkes said: "I'm really looking forward to working really closely with British Gas on some of the challenges that face us, face swimming pools and face the sport."

 

The exact breakdown of the funding is still to be determined, but it will be split roughly 50/50 between elite and community swimming, with money also going to boost the number of televised swimming events.

 

The partnership will see British swimmers, divers and water polo teams wear branded costumes in the World and European Championships.

 

Dennis Pursley, the American appointed as Britain's new head coach last October, said: "With the incentive of the home Games of 2012, with the support that's already in place and now with the additional support that British Gas is bringing to the table we're in a good situation."

 

Some of the money will also go to water polo, whose funding from UK Sport was cut by more than half after a 50 million-pound funding shortfall for the London Games to put the participation of the men's team at 2012 in doubt.

 

Part of the money could also be used to promote a Ryder Cup-style event in the pool between Europe and a United States teams featuring the likes of Britain's Rebecca Adlington (pictured) and Michael Phelps, who won a record eight Olympic gold medals in Beijing.

 

Sparkes said: "We're looking at the possibility of doing a European select event against the USA.

 

"There are serious discussions going on about doing something like that in 2009.

 

"It would be a select event drawing on a number of European countries taking on the mightiest swimming nation in the world - the United States.

 

"We're hoping to do it later this year in Manchester.

 

"The idea is based on a model the Americans and the Australians used called the 'duel in the pool' off the back of the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

 

"We think there is a real opportunity now that Europe is a powerhouse of swimming to do something similar."

 

Sparkes confirmed the US has "committed" to bring a team to England but that exact participants or event details were still under discussion.

 

The money generated by the link-up with British Gas was unveiled with the slogan 'From paddling pool to podium' at a ceremony in Hackney.

 

Sparkes saidd: "What we're trying to do is quite simple - win gold medals.

 

"To do that we need to be a cutting edge governing body.

  

"There are over 200 nations swimming and about 140 take it pretty damn seriously.

 

"To be competitive is getting tougher and tougher and this deal will help us to do that.

 

"But the partnership is also about getting more people swimming more often.

 

"Swimming is the number one participation sport in Britain and we're set on growing that business.

 

"So we're about community but we're also about success and we make no apologies for that.

 

"We've got a fantastic opportunity with London 2012 and preparations are going well.

 

"With the added bonus of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014 British Gas are joining us at what couldn't be a better moment going into London and beyond."

 

Rick Vlemmiks, the marketing director at British Gas, said: "We're very proud to be partnering with British Swimming and working together to get more people in Britain reaching their potential in the pool.

 

"Our role is to support British Swimming across the board.

 

"This means nurturing the talent of Britain's brightest hopes for London 2012 and beyond, but also, with many local pools under threat of closure, working hard to help pools cut their running costs and stay open.

 

"We want to get children enthused about swimming and more adults involved in what is already Britain's biggest participation sport.

 

"From paddling pool to the podium, we are committed to getting people from all walks of life and all standards involved in, and enjoying swimming."