Lee Valley Olympic Velodrome

The Lee Valley Olympic Velodrome hosted the finale of the UCI track champions league this weekend, packing the venue and being broadcast to millions on Eurosport. A big part of the success of these events relies on technology, with the track itself transformed into a colossal screen, and a flying camera criss-crossing above the infield. This comes with challenges…! The tension net form of the Velodrome roof is amazingly efficient for evenly distributed loads, like its own weight or the wind, but it can be vulnerable to damage by the sharp point loads, like those created by heavy items of AV equipment hanging from it. Expedition supported venue operator Lee Valley in showing that, with care and planning, the roof can support these heavier point loads, as well as supporting on site in the lead up to the event. We amused the AV teams by weighing items of kit and constantly firing laser measures at the roof, and learned lots about rigging in the process. Now the Velodrome has shown its versatility, and its ability to host the biggest (and most tech-heavy) events in cycling and beyond.