Lord Sebastian Coe visited Portland Marina yesterday to commemorate the role it played in hosting last summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Sailing events.

The Chairman of the London Organising Committee for last year’s Games unveiled a permanent Portland Stone sculpture at the Osprey Quay site.

He said working with the sailing venue was by far the easiest of all the Olympic sites, especially because the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) and International Sailing Federation (ISAF) stated right from the start that Portland and Weymouth was the only place to hold the racing.

The sailing venue was the
first Olympic site to be finished on time. 

During the Games, Portland Marina and the adjacent Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academwas, were under lockdown as a secure unit
for all athletes, race officers, safety boats, international judges and protest
committees.

All marina berth holders were found alternative locations as the site needed to
be 100% secure and the pontoons were needed for the army of RIB’s, press and
support boats.

The marina, built and run by Dean
& Reddyhoff, has a 5 Gold Anchor Award rating from The Yacht
Harbour Association (TYHA).

Former Naval base rejuvenation

Marina Manager, Russ Levett said: ‘We are very proud to
have been involved but were equally very happy to have the marina back and
welcome our berth holders home.

‘This is such a glorious sailing area and we are
seeing more sports boats arrive at Portland to take advantage of the new Dry
Stack facility, enabling smaller boats to explore the Jurassic Coast without
the cost of being permanently in the water.

‘The once derelict site that is now Osprey
Quay is developing well, with Sunseeker and Cove Yacht Brokerage, Marine
Tec and Bussell’s Chandlery well established and recently joined by KTK Prime
Motor Yachts & Scimitar Dive School, making Portland, once more, a thriving
base but this time for the marine industry rather than the Navy.

‘I am sure the
coverage of the Olympics has helped put Portland on the map and encourage
businesses and families to re-locate here. A fine legacy.’

The Olympic gold medallist Lord Coe also visited the Olympic Rings at Portland Heights ahead of the anniversary of the Olympic sailing events on 27 July, and unveiled a plaques
at the Fine Foundation Chesil Beach Centre.

He praised the ‘extraordinary start’ towards an Olympic legacy that the borough of Weymouth and Portland has made.