Eton's Dorney Lake course will be used for 2012 and has hosted the world rowing championships yet lacks public address system, timing, scoreboard, starting gates, finish line seating for spectators and female toilets. Buoyage is not possible for canoeing lanes and the prices charged are twice those at Nottingham.

Canoeists have held their first major regatta there but will return to Nottingham next year for all national regattas instead of getting competitors and officials familiar with the Olympic site.

Prospects are worrying as half our 2004 Olympic medals came from watersports.