Teesside could be a winner if the Olympics comes to London.
The head of the 2012 Olympic Bid visited the area yesterday to see for herself how sport has boosted regeneration.
And the message is that a successful bid could have spin-off benefits for the area thanks to our "fantastic" facilities.
Barbara Cassani, chairman of the London Olympic Bid, toured several key watersport centres along the River Tees. She was mightily impressed - and thought lessons could be learned from our success.
She took a boat tour of the Castlegate Quay Watersports Centre in Stockton before looking at the facilities at the Teesside Rowing Centre and Tees Barrage.
She said: "The watersports facilities on the Tees have played a key role in the redevelopment of the area and there is a great deal that we can learn from the experience of the North-east.
"A successful Olympic bid must benefit all sections of the community and all parts of the UK."
The Castlegate Quay centre has 16,500 users each year with boats for all levels of ability and a yacht that is suitable for children in wheelchairs.
Centre manager Bob Bond, a former coach of the US Olympic sailing team, said: "The spin-off of a successful Olympic bid would be that other countries may use our facilities to train.
"Teams may choose the River Tees instead of London because the facilities here really are fantastic."
Shaun Appleton, a teaching assistant at Abbey Hill School Technology College in Stockton, attending the centre with a group of youngsters, said visits boosted pupils' confidence. "They get to learn team work, water safety and how to rig the boats," he said.
Barbara Cassani's visit to the North-east also included talks with representatives of the Tees Valley Partnership, One NorthEast, civic leaders and key figures involved in sports and culture in the area.
Email Tees Pride at the Evening Gazette, or phone Karen McLauchlan, Deputy Business Editor on 01642 234651. Write to: Tees Pride, Evening Gazette, Borough Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 3AZ.
Email Tees Pride at the Evening Gazette, or phone Karen McLauchlan, Deputy Business Editor on: 01642 234651 Write to: Tees Pride, Evening Gazette, Borough Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 3AZ
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