The Olympic rings converge above the stadium at the London 2012 opening ceremony. (Picture; Reuters)

The prime minister was at the memorable Danny Boyle-created opening ceremony and has maintained that the UK is ready to host the Games despite tough economic conditions.

‘The opening ceremony has been a great showcase for this country. It’s more proof Britain can deliver,’ he tweeted.

International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge was also full of praise for the event.

‘The opening ceremony was magnificent and demonstrated all that is best about British creativity,’ he said.

‘It was spectacular, hugely entertaining and at times mesmerising but above all it was witty and touching.

‘In just a short time we saw the history and traditions of the country that invented modern sport played out in a fantastic setting.

‘It bodes well for a successful and well executed Games.’

London 2012 began in jaw-dropping style last night showcasing British style and humour to billions around the world – with David Beckham bringing the Olympic flame to Stratford in a speedboat along the Thames, passing fireworks exploding over Tower Bridge, and the screen debut of the Queen alongside James Bond.

David Cameron says the UK is ready for the Games after last night’s much-praised opening ceremony (Picture: Getty Images)

‘This is a time of some economic difficulty for the UK but look at what we are capable of achieving as nation even at a difficult economic time,’ Cameron said yesterday.

The epic 3½-hour opening ceremony was hailed as the funniest and most eccentric ever with even an appearance by Mr Bean.

David Beckham pilots the Olympic torch down the Thames (Picture: Getty Images)

David Beckham ended the mystery of his role in the opening ceremony last night by piloting the Olympic flame down the River Thames in a speedboat.

The footballer was at the centre of intense speculation about how he would fit into the lavish spectacle after playing a pivotal role in securing the Games seven years ago.

Fireworks exploded over Tower Bridge as his boat streaked across the water. It marked the final leg of the torch’s 70-day journey.

It was eventually passed on to seven young British hopes for future Games. They lit fires in tiny copper petals left on the ground by each competing country, triggering the illumination of 200 more petals and sending the fire rising into one ‘flame of unity’.

Famous Olympians from the past joined them for the moment – long jumper Lynn Davies, swimmer Duncan Goodhew, runner Dame Kelly Holmes, pentathlete Dame Mary  Peters, sailor Shirley Robertson,  decathlete Daley Thompson and  rower Sir Steve Redgrave.

Sir Steve Redgrave lifts the torch before handing it over to the seven young athletes (Picture: Getty Images)

The youngsters were each nominated by one of the seven former Olympians – sailor Callum Airlie, 17; Jordan Duckitt, 18; Desiree Henry, 16; Katie Kirk, 18; Cameron MacRitchie, 19; Aidan Reynolds, 18 and Adelle Tracey, 19. The cauldron, designed by Thomas Heatherwick, was kept secret until the very last.

Earlier, director Boyle put the NHS centre-stage during his spectacular £27million curtain-raiser.

He called on the spirit of the NHS to recruit volunteers and they responded in their thousands. Hundreds of nurses danced while children bounced on 320 luminous hospital beds.

Staff and patients from Great Ormond Street Hospital in London were given a special cheer as its name was spelt out by the beds.

Live blog: Catch up on how the opening ceremony unfolded

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BBC Sport’s full line-up of presenters and commentary teams for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Leading figures from the world of sport such as Sir Steve Redgrave, Michael Johnson, Denise Lewis and Tim Henman are joined by household names from BBC television, including Gary Lineker, Clare Balding, Sue Barker, Barry Davies, Jake Humphrey and Matt Baker.

On this page you can find a sport-by-sport breakdown of the BBC’s TV presentation and commentary teams, as well as details of the live TV programmes and presenters you can expect to see each day of the Games on BBC One and BBC Three.

You can also view their profiles by clicking on the links below their respective image.

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The waters of Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour play host to 10 exhilarating Sailing events.

Mastery over ever-changing conditions on open water requires skill and nerve, and both will be essential for competitors in the Sailing events at London 2012 over 14 days of competition.

It should offer plenty of excitement and drama in the beautiful but testing waters on the south coast of England.

Ten events will be contested at this London 2012, six for men and four for women in vessels from dinghies and keelboats to windsurfing boards. There are three disciplines – match racing, fleet racing and windsurfing.

With 24 gold medals since the 1900 Games, Great Britain is the most successful sailing nation in the world and Team GB are strong favourites to top the medal table for the fourth Games in a row.

Hopes are firmly pinned on one of Britain’s greatest ever Olympians, Ben Ainslie, who is chasing his fourth consecutive gold medal.

Great Britain team manager Stephen Park has set a target of four medals – but admits a podium finish is possible in all 10 events.

Ainslie won his sixth Finn world title in May, and other defending champions include Paul Goodison in the Laser class, and Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson in the Star.

Goodison will have his work cut out trying to deny Australia’s five-time world champion Tom Slingsby a gold medal.

Dutchwoman Lobke Berkhout is the most successful sailor in the history of the 470 class and the five-time world champion will be looking to improve on her silver in Beijing, alongside helm Lisa Westerhof.

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Sailing made its Olympic debut in Paris 1900 with both men’s and women’s competitions.

With the exception of St Louis 1904, the sport has appeared at every Olympic Games since.

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Often a difficult sport for newcomers to follow on television, each event consists of a series of races.

With the exception of the women’s Match Racing event, points in each race are awarded according to position: the winner gets one point, the second-placed finisher scores two, and so on.

The final race is called the medal race, for which points are doubled. Following the medal race, the individual or crew with the fewest total points is declared the winner.

CLICK HERE for full details on each of the sailing classes (via London 2012)

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Reports from the Olympic Sailing competition will feature prominently during the BBC’s daytime coverage throughout the Games.

All the races will screened live on one of the 24 dedicated BBC Olympics channels.

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Iain Percy (right) with Ben Ainslie and Shirley Robertson at the Sydney Olympics

I remember the medal ceremony after I won Finn gold, which took place in front of Sydney Opera House.

The 2000 summer Olympics in Sydney was such a great event; the people were so behind it and so friendly.

They partied endlessly but I know us Brits can party better than the Aussies.

If Sydney is anything to go by, the public will have such a great time this summer.

That buzz from the fans is what makes a Games special and for me it was certainly in evidence in Sydney.

For me, the whole regatta went pretty well, right from the beginning. That Olympics just fell together, really for me.

Since then I’ve been much more organised, with my partner Andrew ‘Bart’ Simpson, but Australia was a dream regatta.

Iain Percy is sponsored by investment specialist Skandia Team GBR – http://www.skandiateamgbr.com

children don’t notice long lines of traffic
they hear the windshield wipers going doo-roop, doo-roop
they hear the rain dripping
the cars swooshing by
they see semis, much more enormous than dad’s SUV
they see wind tossing leaves across the interstate
the ten red cars passing
they feel the rain tickle their fingers through the open window
they feel the cool, wet air
the damp seats
and are startled to learn that the windows
MUST BE ROLLED UP NOW!

Shirley Robertson is a poet and blogger from St. Louis, Missouri, former editor of The End, a literary magazine, and Morning Coffee, a newsletter.  Her new e-book of short verse and haiku is now available for free download: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/119212

©Guy Nowell/OC Events

Le bateau britannique BT termine à la seconde position devant China Team skippé par le français Thierry Barot, Shirley Robertson, habituée du circuit européen comme Pete Cumming et Nick Moloney (BT) termine 4ème à la barre de Rumbo Almeira. Suivent The Wave/Muscat et Team Red Bull.

la seconde étape aura lieu à Singapour du 11 au 15 décembre.

Guests at the official evening reception and prize giving for Ladies Day at Cowes Week were treated to a sensational assault on the senses at the G.H. Mumm Champagne bar. Local Michelin-starred chef Robert Thompson served up an impressive outdoor cookery demonstration, preparing a range of dishes for all the top names in the sailing world including Dee Caffari, Sam Davies and Shirley Robertson to showcase the food-matching potential of the G.H. Mumm range.

Working in a temporary kitchen set up on the Harbourside in the centre of all the Cowes Week action, the Head Chef/ Proprietor of The Hambrough in Ventnor prepared three different dishes using locally-sourced ingredients to pair with and highlight the quality of G.H. Mumm de Cramant, G.H. Mumm Rosé and G.H. Mumm Cordon Rouge.

Annabelle Kuhn, Head of Marketing-Champagnes at Pernod Ricard UK, commented: “The gastronomic spectacle marked a fitting end to what is now probably the most popular day at Cowes Week. Even though the sun didn’t shine the mood was buoyant as the great and the good of the sailing world mixed with the crowds and our handsome Champagne G.H. Mumm water butler delivered bottles of Cordon Rouge to the most adventurous and stylish ladies’ crews on the water.”

G.H. Mumm has been the official champagne of Cowes Week for 15 years.

Once and for all, how do you pronounce yngling?

‘Ingling’ and I can categorically say, I will not be racing yngling again. It was removed from the Olympics after Beijing. The ICC seems to think it’s too expensive so they’re replacing it with something else. It’s only been in the Olympics twice and Sarah [fellow crew member Sarah Ayton] and I won gold in Athens [with third member Shirley Robertson] and again in Beijing [with Pippa Wilson], so we have a perfect record that can’t be beaten.

How does a pretty young girl get into sailing?

I started as a six-year-old on gravel pits just south of London, which is not the average way to do it. It was a hobby I picked up from some boys who lived next-door who just took me along one day in October for some reason. It was freezing, not the best time to learn to sail, but I absolutely loved it.

Were you not interested in dolls and dressing up?

Not at all. I was a real tomboy, far more interested in climbing trees, making fires and going camping. I did try ballet for a bit but I stopped it because I wanted to go and play football instead

What’s it like to win Olympic gold?

Out of this world. The first time, my mother and sister were in Athens but my father wasn’t. There was a day between winning and having the medal ceremony and I mentioned on the news that he wasn’t there. He heard that and got on a plane without telling me. As I was about to go on to the podium, I saw him and completely fell apart. The second time was relief that you have achieved what you set out to do and complete elation. I was also newly engaged, so very emotional.

Where do you keep the medals?

They’re in the sock drawer. We’re currently building a house so I might have somewhere special for them when it’s finished.

How many people have tried them on?

Thousands. I recently did a cycle ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats and Sarah and Pippa were in the support team. We did a school assembly every morning and had the golds with us and would let the children touch them. There were probably 100 a day that tried them on. It’s all about inspiring them – that gives a lot of satisfaction.

How was meeting royalty for your honours?

The first time, I had done my cruciate ligament so I was on crutches. Sarah and I were both doing it and it was the Queen who was giving us the MBE. She requested to do us together.

A million puns spring to mind.

Quite! We were told that we had to walk in unison, stop together, curtsy together, do the three steps forward together… it’s hard enough to do on your own, never mind on crutches and with someone else. She did say we were the only people all day to make her laugh, so we were quite proud of that.

And the OBE?

It was Prince Charles. He asked to do us separately, which made it a lot more personal. I had just got back from honeymoon the day before. We got married in St James’s Palace and had to ask permission from the Queen. So I got the opportunity to thank him for letting me get married in his house.

Did the ‘three blondes in a boat’ tag diminish the achievement?

If I introduce myself as a name, a sailor or a yngling sailor, people are none the wiser, if I say: ‘I was one of the three blondes in a boat,’ there is instant recognition. It really helped us as we are in a sport that not many people know. And if we were three dizzy blondes, I doubt we would have won it.

Is there a secret compartment for make-up on the boat?

I’m afraid not. It’s a bit difficult in yngling as the water goes right over you. With the best make-up in the world we would still come in.

© Th.Martinez/Sea&Co/OCEvents

La seconde journée a été très animée sur le plan d’eau, avec un vent plus fort que la veille : 18 à 22 noeuds, tout d’abord du fait de l’abordage d’iShares par un semi rigide spectateur, qui contraint l’équipage a abandonné pour le journée. Holmatro qui avait dématé lors des entrainements a aussi connu son lot de mauvaises surprises avec la casse de la drisse de grand voile les obligeant à renoncer à deux manches puis un problème de solent qui les contraint de nouveau à l’abandon pour la dernière manche de la journée.

L’équipage de Masirah dominait de nouveau cette deuxième après midi de régates avec 4 manches gagnées sur 6 courues, celui de Gitana Extreme profitait de l’abandon d’iShares pour conforter sa deuxième place avec 2 points d’avance sur Renaissance, le second bateau du Team Oman, barré par Loick Peyron.

© Th.Martinez/Sea&Co/OCEvents

Les impressions de Yann Guichard, barreur de Gitana Extreme : « Malgré des départs encore un peu hésitants, nous réalisons une belle journée de régates grâce au très bon travail d’équipe du bord. Avec le courant et le clapot que nous rencontrons, les virements et par conséquent les relances consécutives peuvent s’avérer très pénalisants. Mais je crois que nous sommes l’un des équipages qui nous sortons le mieux de ces situations et cela nous aide beaucoup. Demain, il nous faudra être plus incisif sur les départs. Car c’est évident cela nous manque depuis le début … »

L’équipage de Luna barré par Jean Christophe Mourniac pour cette étape anglaise semble plus à l’aise dans ces conditions musclées avec quelques places sur le podium des manches, l’équipage d’Ecover continue son apprentissage sur ce support et ne semble pas en mesure d’inquiéter les autres concurrents.

© Th.Martinez/Sea&Co/OCEvents

La hiérarchie n’a pas été boulversée aujourd’hui et l’équipage de Yann Guichard sur Gitana Extrême a de nouveau impressioné par sa vitesse et sa constance : trois places de 2nd, une victoire, une place de 6ème, ce qui leur permet de prendre la première place du classement provisoire à Oracle BMW qui point en second.

©Th.Martinez/Sea&Co/OCEvents

L’analyse de Yann Guichard, barreur de Gitana Extrême « Heureux ! Nous avons su être réguliers et prendre des excellents départs tout au long de l’après-midi, ce qui aide incontestablement. Mais le point positif que je veux souligner aujourd’hui c’est la cohésion de l’équipage. Car que l’on soit devant ou derrière l’ambiance reste super, ce qui nous permet de nous sortir des mauvaises passes. Pierre Pennec, qui gère la tactique à bord, a été brillant aujourd’hui car le plan d’eau n’est vraiment pas évident. Je crois que les résultats de cette deuxième journée et notre leadership provisoire reflètent bien ce que nous vivons à bord de Gitana Extrême. En termes de points, nous sommes proches d’Oracle, qui navigue très proprement, et les régates du jour ont une nouvelle fois démontré que tout pouvait basculer très rapidement. Rien n’est encore joué, demain la bagarre s’annonce serrée mais c’est aussi cela qui nous plaît ! »

©Th.Martinez/Sea&Co/OCEvents

Viennent ensuite les deux bateaux de l’Oman Sail avec Masirah mené par Pete Cumming et à 3 points Renaissance barré par Loick Peyron qui réussit à revenir dans le match malgré des départs moyens. Carolijn Brouwer sur Holmatro s’est aussi montrée régulière en terminant trois manches sur le podium ce qui conforte son avance sur l’équipage d’Erik Maris (Luna) qui pointe à la 6ème place.

Luna, BT, Groupama et iShares respectivement 6,7,8 et 9ème se tiennent en 4 points et essaieront demain de se relancer dans la compétition.

Mike Golding (Ecover) qui découvre ce support semble quand à lui devoir fermer la marche à l’issue de cette première étape avec 14 points de retard sur iShares.

© Gilles Martin-Raget/BMW Oracle

Le classement à l’issue de cette deuxième journée :

1/ Gitana Extrême- Groupe LCF Rothschild (Yann GUICHARD) – 78 points
2/ BMW Oracle Racing (James Spithill) – 74 points
3/ Oman Sail Masirah (Pete Cumming) – 69 points
4/ Oman Sail Renaissance (Loïck Peyron) – 66 points
5/ Holmatro (Carolijn Brouwer) – 59 points
6/ BT (Nick Moloney) – 45 points
7/ Luna (Erik Maris) – 45 points
8/ Groupama 40 (Gildas Philippe) – 44 points
9/ iShares – Shirley Robertson – 41 points
10/ Ecover – Mike Golding – 27 points
A suivre sur le site officiel : iShares Cup Venise

Les vidéos du Gitana Team : ICI et de l’organisation : ICI

Le compte rendu de la conférence de presse sera disponible en fin d’après midi sur Voile-Multicoques.com.

D’autres photos sont disponibles ICI.

Quelques vidéos à voir sur YouTube.

Both teams had their medal races delayed for 24 hours because of light and unsettled wind conditions on Saturday but clinched their gold medals in style as strong winds and heavy rain descended on Qingdao.

The British Yngling crew held only a slender one-point advantage over the Netherlands but secured the gold with a seven-second victory against Germany in the medal race.

Ainslie’s Finn medal race was delayed again for nearly two hours after the rain became heavier but the 31-year-old clinched a gold medal for the third straight Olympics by also winning his race.

The Briton only needed to finish within five boats of second-placed Zach Railey of the United States to claim victory and could have secured it on Saturday as he was leading the American when the race was abandoned due to the dying wind.

‘You know it’s hard the pressure you feel when the conditions are like that and I was very happy today when the wind was blowing and I could sail my own race a little bit more,’ he said.

Ayton and Webb also stood at the top of the medal podium four years ago in Athens with Shirley Robertson. They shared the glory this time with Wilson. Ayton said: ‘Winning an Olympic gold medal, you’re the best at what you do in the world.

‘It’s been incredible and words can’t even put any kind of feeling on it.

‘Just the look we have, we know we’re the best, just us.’

A 5 a.m. start yesterday found me queueing for the floating bridge as it tried to dodge the many yachts making their way out into the Solent for the Round the Island Race 2008.  I could see Hugo Boss and others readying for the start as I drove past The Parade and a few minutes later I watched the race leaders pass Gurnard as I enjoyed an Americano at the Outlook (well done for opening at 6 specially for the occasion).  The weather was very overcast, but much worse at Fort Victoria, just outside Yarmouth where I again caught the leaders.  The first boat through, with ICAP emblazoned on it’s hull had the top of it’s mast disappearing into the mist.  There was quite a bit of wind at this point and the water was quite choppy.  The trimarans were particularly impressive over this stretch, I believe it was one skippered by olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson that I saw come flying past, with very little of the hull in the water at all.  Later in the day I was at the Shoreside Cafe in East Cowes, where there was an excellent view of the finishers streaming in for literally hours.  This afternoon I saw Ellen MacArthur in B&Q (the store) wearing her B&Q t-shirt and looking very relaxed.  Presumably she had some diy to do on her own craft following her experiences yesterday.  Both photos were taken at Fort Victoria.