Virgin Atlantic Airways and UK Sport have announced they have joined forces to launch a unique scheme that will help Britain s top medal hopefuls across the Olympic and Paralympic spectrum train and compete on the world stage in the coming years.
Virgin Atlantic s Flying Start initiative will offer 450 of Britain s elite athletes including the Skandia Team GBR performance squad a range of added value travel benefits, including flight discounts, a dedicated booking line, excess baggage waivers, lounge access and upgrades.
Athletes often spend long periods of time overseas preparing for key events, so travel support is essential. The Virgin Atlantic package is worth up to 1million over the next year in a deal intended to be extended for future years.
Flying Start is in addition to the performance funding already provided by UK Sport and will help to ensure the athletes already identified as the best in the country in their chosen sports can train and compete to the best of their ability, with the ultimate goal of bringing home more gold medals.
In tandem with the UK Sport partnership, Virgin Atlantic has separately selected 12 young rising stars across a range of sports who have been identified as future gold medal prospects. These athletes which include Skandia Team GBR Laser sailor Giles Scott will receive an enhanced package of benefits and will also help launch an onboard fitness programme for Virgin Atlantic travellers to experience after 2008.
Youth World Champion Scott, aged 18, joins aspiring young talents from Olympic and Paralympic disciplines in swimming, cycling, athletics, triathlon and table tennis who are also supported by Virgin Atlantic through this new initiative.
Skandia Team GBR will also be flying to China with Virgin Atlantic this summer.
It s great to have this support, said Scott. With Virgin Atlantic taking care of my travel requirements, it will make training and competing at the various venues around the world a whole lot easier, and allow me the time to concentrate on my own sport and performance.