Oxford Brookes University plans £1m rowing centre at Cholsey within a year (From The Oxford Times)

Oxford Brookes University plans £1m rowing centre at Cholsey within a year

12:08pm Friday 12th March 2010 in

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OXFORD Brookes University has launched a £1m fundraising campaign for a new rowing centre near Cholsey.

The university wants the centre to help prepare its athletes for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Brookes, which has produced four Olympic rowing gold medallists since 2000, has won planning permission for the new training base on the River Thames.

It hopes to build the centre within the next 12 months.

Olympic gold medallist Steve Williams, from Henley’s Leander club, and Brookes University head coach Richard Spratley launched the campaign.

Mr Spratley said it was “crucial” that the crews had world-class facilities.

He said: “Oxford Brookes has produced some of the best rowers in the world, who have won medals at Olympic and World Championship competitions stretching back a decade now.

“The Centre for Rowing is a really important next step for the rowers and coaches here, as the building will mean our athletes have the best facilities available, with every chance of getting into the Great Britain team. I am very proud of the athletes’ achievements and believe it is crucial they have world-class training facilities.”

He added: “The sport is always moving on and the new training areas will allow the athletes to take part in the intense sessions now demanded at the highest levels of the sport.”

The centre will be based off the A329, about one mile from Cholsey.

University spokesman Ed Reed said: “Oxford Brookes University Boat Club is the most powerful undergraduate rowing team in the UK and a feeder squad for Team GB’s Olympic crews.

“Completing the centre within the next year will allow the squad as much use of the new facilities as possible before the London Olympics in 2012.

“The training base brings vital facilities under one roof and provides the capacity for athletes to realise international success.”

l In January, Wallingford Rowing Club launched a £300,000 appeal to replace an old shed in the Cattle Market car park, used as a weights room and gym, with a purpose-built gym in time for the 2012 Olympics.