Test Event - CIC** Greenwich Park Eventing Invitational

The CIC** Greenwich Park Eventing Invitational takes place in Greenwich Park, the venue that will host the Equestrian events at both the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. Greenwich Park will also host the Riding and Combined Run/Shoot elements of Modern Pentathlon at the Olympic Games.

Sport: Equestrian

Venue: Greenwich Park

Dates: 4 July to 6 July 2011

Event: CIC** Greenwich Park Eventing Invitational

Event format: The event is an international CIC** individual event, with Dressage on day one, Cross-Country on day two and concluding with Jumping on day three. All grading points usually gained at an international CIC** will apply.

In order to reflect the Olympic format of an Eventing competition there will be two Jumping rounds on day three. The first round will decide the international qualifying result with any relevant points taken after the first round of Jumping. The final result of the international CIC** itself will be decided after the second round of Jumping (which also reflects the Olympic format of an Eventing competition).

The Cross-Country course will follow some of the planned course for the Olympic Games.

There will be demonstrations of the other Olympic Equestrian disciplines of Dressage and Jumping, and the Paralympic discipline of Dressage to further test the facilities.

Who is competing?

Twenty nations have confirmed their attendance, including the six teams already qualified for the London 2012 Games – France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and New Zealand. Other nations in attendance include Belgium, Canada and USA. Riders expected include:

Michael Jung (GER) – Current World Eventing Champion (Kentucky 2010 World Equestrian Games)

William Fox-Pitt (GBR) – Silver medallist at the Kentucky 2010 World Equestrian Games

Andrew Nicholson (NZL) – Bronze medallist at the Kentucky 2010 World Equestrian Games

Mark Todd (NZL) – Winner of the 2011 Badminton Horse Trials

Pippa Funnell (GBR) – Double Olympic silver medallist (Sydney 2000, Athens 2004)

What is being tested?

London 2012 will be testing key aspects of its operations in preparation for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, including the field of play, timing and scoring technology, venue installation and workforce.

The surface of the main arena has been built on a custom-designed platform to achieve a flat field of play – this will be the first time this system has been used in an Equestrian competition and will be of particular focus during testing.

As well as allowing spectators the chance to see some world class Equestrian, the event also provides an ideal opportunity for athletes and team officials to compete at the venue ahead of the 2012 Games and offer feedback on LOCOG’s plans.

The venue:

Spanning more than 180 acres, and offering tremendous views across London, Greenwich Park is London’s oldest enclosed Royal Park, dating back to 1433. It will provide one of the most picturesque and iconic venues of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The park, which is part of the Greenwich World Heritage Site, is home to many historic buildings, including the Royal Observatory, the Royal Naval College and the National Maritime Museum.

The park was a gift from King James I to his wife, Queen Anne, who commissioned a home for herself on the site – now known as the Queen's House.

Sometimes described as the ‘place where time begins’, the Meridian Line - the line of zero degrees longitude which separates the world into the eastern and western hemispheres - passes through the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park. As a result, the area gives its name to Greenwich Mean Time, by which the world sets its clocks.

The observatory itself was commissioned by King Charles II in 1675 and was designed by renowned English architect Sir Christopher Wren. It was Great Britain’s first purpose-built scientific research facility.

Elsewhere in the park, the truncated shape of some of the trees is testament to World War II, when they were cut to expand the firing line of guns in the Flower Garden.

Greenwich Park is also home to remains of a Roman building dating from AD43-AD410.

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