Olympic Newsdesk -- Opening Ceremony for Dow; Smooth Sailing for London 2012

Dow Proudly Waives Olympic Flag

Dow Chemical isn’t bashful about its support of the IOC.

The industry giant raised the Olympic Flag on Tuesday at its headquarters in Midland, Michigan four months after becoming the first new TOP sponsor in three years.

Similar ceremonies at Dow’s many international offices will follow later in the week.

"We look forward to joining with our employees and communities around the world in our own opening ceremonies to raise Olympic flags above our sites, signifying an exciting next step in Dow's relationship with the Olympics," Dow Olympic VP George Hamilton said in a statement.

Hamilton told Around the Rings in August he expects the partnership to yield more than $150 billion in infrastructural spending and, in turn, a minimum of $1 billion in incremental sales over the life of the 10-year deal.

Dow’s Olympic involvement began in 1980 when it donated Styrofoam insulation for use in Lake Placid’s skating rinks and bobsled runs. The chemical giant regularly sponsors U.S. Speedskating, USA Cycling and the USA Bobsled Team and was VANOC’s official supplier for the 2010 Winter Games.

The TOP sponsorship makes Dow the official chemistry company of the Olympic Movement through the 2020 Summer Games, including all Youth Olympic Games.

Sailing Scores Olympic First

The International Sailing Federation tells Around the Rings all is swell with preparations for London 2012.

"They’re coming along really well," ISAF spokesman Tim Sewell told ATR, noting that the sport will be ticketed at the Olympics for the first time ever.

"We’ll be working with the organizing committee to make sure that it’s presented really well," he said, "and that we put on a really good show for the public."

More than 500,000 people to date have registered interest in the tickets on LOCOG’s website. Prices range from $40 to $90.

With Weymouth a three-hour drive south of London, sailing is one of very few sports in which athletes will not be able to stay in the Olympic Village during their competition.

"It’s not always the easiest place to get to, but we’re pretty confident LOCOG will look at that and they’ll address it and make sure there’s a good route there."

For the first time at an Olympics, ISAF must consider the transportation not just of athletes and officials, but also of ticketholders.

"We’re confident the organizers and the local authorities in and around Weymouth will take the measures that they need to in order to ensure people can get to the event," Sewell said.

Dorset’s Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy is no stranger to Olympic class competition.

The Royal Yachting Association stages its annual Sail for Gold regatta at the future Olympic venue. Though not an official test event, this year’s edition used by and large the same race officials and support staff that London 2012 will employ in less than two years’ time.

"It’s a tried and tested venue," Sewell told ATR.

"The wind conditions in August in Weymouth are good, and there’s nothing really for us to suggest that there’ll be any major problems."

ISAF will stage its official London 2012 test event in August and its next world championships in December. Perth 2011will be the primary Olympic qualifier.

"It’s a big year for sailing next year," Sewell said.

Russian, Romanian NOCs Cozy Up

Russia and Romania will be buddy-buddy in the run-up to the 2012 and 2014 Olympics.

Their NOCs signed an agreement Tuesday to share resources and exchange knowledge throughout the next four years, Russian news channel RT reported.

"I think we share common past and that is something we need to treasure and appreciate," Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee president Octavian Morariu told the network. "But what is more important is that we have common future."

The partnership provides for joint training sessions, collaboration among sports scientists and cooperation with international policy.

Russian Olympic Committee president Alexander Zhukov joined Morariu at the signing ceremony.

"We have long-standing friendly ties with Romanian athletes and coaches," he told RT. "I think that these days there are many kinds of sport in Romania that can be of great interest for Russia."

Pentathlon Correction

An item in the Nov. 8 Olympic Newsdesk was incorrect.

Matt Pound, spokesman for the modern pentathlon federation, confirmed Tuesday to Around the Rings that coverage of UIPM’s weekend congress contained an error but would not yet specify what that error was.

UIPM will issue a statement Wednesday.

ATR regrets any confusion caused by said error.

Olympic Producer Head of CBC Sports

David Masse, one of the Canadian Broadcast Corporation producers of the 2008 Olympics, is the new interim head of CBC Sports. Masse was appointed to the position Tuesday when it was announced that Scott Moore, the executive director for CBC Sports, was stepping down. Masse is currently the senior director for CBC Sports. In addition to the Beijing Games, Masse has produced CBC coverage of the World Cup and Commonwealth Games. CBC was outbid by the CTV consortium for the right to broadcast the Vancouver Olympics, the first time in 20 years CBC had not broadcast the Olympics.

Written by Matthew Grayson and Ed Hula III.