A MAJOR £1.5 million partnership between British sport and one of the world’s leading engineering organisations was announced today to help British athletes prepare for the 2012 Olympics.

 

The five-year deal has been agreed between UK Sport, the nation’s high-performance sports agency that invests in and supports our brightest medal hopes and BAE Systems, the global defence and aerospace company with an outstanding record of innovation.

 

BAE Systems will deliver expertise in structural and mechanical engineering, aerodynamics, hydrodynamics, mathematical modelling and simulation, human factors and materials science to some of Britain’s major medal winning sports.

 

Projects which focus on cycling, sailing, canoeing, rowing and bob skeleton have already been specified, helping heroes such as Chris Hoy, Ben Ainslie and Shelley Rudman achieve further success. 

 

The partnership will also support a number of Paralympic disciplines.

 

The deal is a value-in-kind activity brokered by UK Sport, with BAE Systems’ expertise channelled directly into the areas of sports development where it is needed most.

 

While it is worth approximately £1.5m in engineering time, UK Sport claims the real value is the ability of sports to tap into the considerable knowledge and expertise of BAE Systems’ 18,000 UK-based engineers.

 

The partnership is similar to a technology relationship BAE Systems has shared with the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula One Team for over 10 years.

 

UK Sport chief executive John Steele said:  “This deal represents a terrific opportunity for some of our best medal prospects and I am delighted that UK Sport has been able to bring it together.

 

"BAE Systems is recognised as one of the world’s most innovative companies and its commitment to helping sport in this way is fantastic.   

 

“It is also needed, as the margins between success and failure on the world stage get ever smaller. In Athens in 2004 Chris Hoy won his Olympic cycling gold medal by 0.185 seconds, while the coxless four succeeded in the rowing by just 0.08 seconds. 

 

"There is no doubt whatsoever that the equipment they used helped them in their endeavours, and it is these fractional margins of victory we are looking to help secure for the future.”

 

Dick Olver, chairman of BAE Systems, said: “BAE Systems and its heritage companies have been responsible for many of the technological breakthroughs of the last century and before.

 

"Our partnership with UK Sport demonstrates the vital role that engineering plays in every aspect of day-to-day life and allows us to share our expertise to benefit the sporting heroes of today and tomorrow.

 

“As the largest employer of engineers in the UK, we are committed to maintaining and strengthening Britain’s skilled workforce and this technology partnership will harness the skills of BAE Systems’ employees across Britain.”

 

Through UK Sport, BAE Systems has already provided benefit to the all-conquering British Track Cycling squad, through its expert advice, guidance and understanding of aerodynamics.

 

Chris Boardman, coach of the GB cycling team and the 1992 Olympic gold medallist, said: "UK Sport's partnership with BAE Systems provides British Cycling with a great opportunity to access a vast array of knowledge and expertise, helping to answer performance questions.

 

"The most significant barrier to innovation in sport is the limited access to new ideas, and through this partnership we hope to overcome that barrier."

 

Sailing is another sport that has already benefited informally from the relationship with BAE Systems.

 

Stephen Park, RYA Olympic Manager said: “Sailing has worked successfully with BAE in the past to help develop world class equipment, notably with the Finn mast for Iain Percy’s Finn dinghy that he sailed to the gold medal in Sydney in 2000.

 

"The sport of sailing continues to utilise technology to maximise medal winning opportunities, both in terms of on and off the field of play developments.

 

"Working in partnership with UK Sport and BAE Systems will give us access to world class minds and technologies that otherwise Skandia Team GBR simply could not afford to get involved with.

 

"I am sure this relationship will directly impact on medals in 2012, and possibly even as quickly as 2008, or 2010 for the winter sports.”