70 days 8,000 runners 8,000 miles Torch relay FAQs

2. 1158: We will soon be switching to the live text commentary here, where you can follow the rest of the relay and stay across all the news and events until 18:30.
   From all of us here in the BBC 2012 team we'd like to say a MASSIVE thank you to all of you for joining us on this amazing 70-day torch relay.
   We know from your messages that you've been thrilled, excited, inspired, moved - and have been largely united in your support of #bbctorchcam.
3. 1151: The Gloriana is expected to reach Tower Bridge at about 12:45.
   It is there that the final torchbearer of the morning's relay, 22-year-old basketball player Amber Charles, who played a key role in London's winning bid, will carry the flame in front of City Hall and Tower Bridge.
4. 1145: The pictures have just shown the Gloriana passing underneath Westminster Bridge.
   The next torchbearer will carry the flame when the barge passes the Tate Modern.
5. 1142: And here they are, wonderful images of the London Eye as the helicopter flies past. Now zooming down on the Gloriana and the flotilla.
6. 1140: We're hoping to bring you pictures from the helicopter soon.
7. 1121: The lighting of the cauldron at the Olympic Ceremony this evening is "one of the best kept secrets," according to IOC President Jacques Rogge. "I would love to know (who will light it), but I don't know," he has said.
   We'll all have to watch tonight to find out. Coverage of the Olympic Opening Ceremony starts from 19:00 BST on BBC One - the main event begins at 21:00 BST.
8. 

   1112: BBC London 94.9 reporter Jason Rosam tweeted this picture and added: "Crowds starting to gather in Battersea Park to see the #OlympicFlame on its last day."
9. 1108: More suggestions coming in for additional Olympics sports. This one is from Dick Mowbray, who tweets: "@BBC2012 Restore the 'race in armour' to the Olympics - and get all the olympic athletes to swear the Olympic oath before 'Zeus horkios'."
   
10. 1107: Robert Hall is now reporting about the "ceremonial finale" as the torch prepares to pass Westminster and the Houses of Parliament. "I think the crowds are only going to get bigger," he adds.
11. 

    1101: Here is a picture tweeted by the London Port Authority of torchbearers waiting at Imperial Wharf for Gloriana:
12. 1059: We had one extra bank holiday this year but maybe we should have had two, and allowed everyone out of the workplace for the fnal day of the torch relay.
    Andrew Bennett tweets: "@BBC2012 just leaving the office to see the torch pass Bishops Park. Only one person left in the office #oops."
    And he's not the only, as The Backstage Centre reveals: "The #olympictorch will be near @CCSkills office again today! Big group of us headed down to #towerbridge to watch it float by @bbc2012."
13. 1054: A vote coming in to see the Tug of War back in the Olympics. Dailyexpresslol tweets: "@bbc2012 - it has to be tug of war - what greater team sport is there and not being completely in shape is a bonus for the anchor."
14. 1053: Sound on torchcam at the moment will be intermittent, but you can still enjoy the river views.
15. 1048: This current shot you can see is coming from the media boat not far from Gloriana. You will see the occasional shot of BBC reporter Robert Hall, who is reporting on today's events, but this feed will also bring you up close and personal with the torchbearers! Get your sea legs ready!
16. 1040: Just getting a view of the underbelly of the helicopter which has been providing our amazing images of the torch going down the Thames. Watch this space for more torch shots when they come through!
17. 

    1036: Carrie Forde tweets: "Happy Olympics day! The #OlympicTorch passed through #Richmond on it's final leg to the Olympic Stadium. #London2012."
18. 1032: Not sure if this was the wisest tweet from Simon RJ: "@LBRUT great to see the Olympic tourch go past on the river - I wonder of my boss has noticed I am not in the office yet! ;)
    However, special dispensation HAS to be granted today, surely!
19. 1025: The Groovini tweets: "Oh geez, torchcam is making me teary. What am I going to be like when the Games actually begin? Yay Olympics!"
20. 1025: Good knowledge from Stephen E Morgan, who makes a very good point in his tweet: "@BBC2012 Bring Rugby back to the Olympic Games, USA must be tired of holding the Gold since the last Rugby event in 1924 :@)"
21. 1020: The president of the International Olympic Committee) Jacques Rogge has said at a press conference: "This morning we had a meeting with Locog and I am pleased to say London is ready and we are eagerly waiting the opening ceremony."
    Excellent news. No last-minute dusting or hoovering to do? That was always the case when my mum had visitors. I should add that she keeps an impeccable household!
22. 1015: Anastasia won a silver medal at the World Junior Rowing Championships racing in the GB coxless four.
23. 1014: Anastasia Chitty stands, holding the torch aloft, and waves to spectators overhead on the bridge.
24. 1012: We can see one of the torchbearers carrying the flame on the Gloriana.
25. 1007: Are there any former Olympic sports that you'd like to see re-instated to the Games?
    How about any of these? Tug of War, Rope Climbing, Swimming Obstacle Race.
    BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat have produced an image gallery of some of the more unusual sports.
26. 1000: Interesting soundtrack at the Olympic Park, as Claire Heald tells us in a tweet: "Waiting for Jaques Rogge in the IOC press conference. They're playing out Kung Foo fighting on the PA."
    Fast as lightning? A little bit frightening? It's a cult classic, yeah, but today I'd advise you to get your ears around some magnificence from Elbow instead.
27. 0954: Is this a new form of tourism? Campievanner tweets: "@BBC2012 Thanks to torchcam I revisited parts of UK I have been to & seen parts I need to visit without leaving work,home or bed. Miss you."
28. 0952: On board the Gloriana are seven young torchbearers, who will each get a trun to carry the flame over the course of the morning.
    Akosua Scantlebury, 25, works with youth clubs and she carried the flame past Richmond Riverside.
    Junior rower Anastasia Chitty, 18, will carry it in Chiswick. Nathalie Murphy, 25, who makes fundraising films, gets a turn at Putney. Football coach Terry Bobie Agyekum, 20, is up at Battersea Park. Weightlifter Jimmy Hazard, 19, will take the flame past Parliament and the London Eye. Yusuf Jimacale, 21, who works with a community football programme, will carry his torch from Millennium Bridge.
29. 

    0945: BBC 2012 team journo Martin Gough tweeted us this picture and said: "Crowds out in force at Barnes Bridge. Still 30 mins or so before Gloriana arrives @bbc2012."
30. 0940: For those of you who wanted to see this morning's Archery, there will be highlights on the BBC Sport website later. More details to follow.
31. 0930: Is it going to rain on the parade later? Check out the weather forecast here. Regardless, surely nothing will dampen the spirits!
32. 0923: At the moment you are seeing shots of the barge from helicam, but we will switch to some closer shots very soon.
33. 0921: Matthew Pinsent said the experience of carrying the torch was "wonderful, wonderful" and he added he liked the "rowing theme" of the event.
34. 0920: London Mayor Boris Johnson told BBC London's Breakfast Show that 3.9m people in London alone have seen the Torch. They were estimating that about 1.5m would see it so they're more than double that, he said.
35. 

    0919: Claire adds: "From tomorrow, this expanse of Park will be filled with spectators heading to the first sports sessions of the XXXth Olympiad. It's the last morning the staff and volunteers have it to themselves."
36. 0914: Meanwhile, BBC's Claire Heald tells us: "Overcast skies, reflected in the artwork on the Olympic Park this morning, are adding to the muted atmosphere before tonight's celebrations for the opening ceremony.
    "The drill noises and final dressing the Park activities of yesterday afternoon seem to have abated. Although they may just not have started yet...
    "What you can hear is the constant whirring of golf buggies, speeding about those who are important, busy or lucky enough to need one.
    "And people's feet crunching on the still-new gravel, as they walk to their Games time jobs."
37. 0909: The Gloriana is back on the move. And the oars are lowered into the water once more.
    Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream, merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily... 2012 is but a dream!
38. 0908: And Aquiss Broadband tweets: "@BBC2012 Lets not forget the torchcam convoy running team. They will be really missed! Surely we can give them a role tonight?!!!!"
39. 0906: So much love coming from you guys on twitter for the BBC 2012 team. Dougal Murphy tweets: "@BBC2012 Ian, Sarah, Ian, Claire, Jenny, Mike, Jane, Christine, Martin, Neville and all on #bbctorchcam #TorchRelay team: #gonnamissyouguys."
    All we can says is rightbackatcha - and thanks a million to everyone who has watched and supported the relay.
40. 0855: The Gloriana and the flotilla have come to a stop at Teddington lock.
41. 0850: If you missed the mass bell ringing this morning, where were you?? You can, however, read all about it here.
42. 0848: The torch relay will pause at 12:40 BST between London Bridge and Tower Bridge for the "final" torchbearer to step from the Gloriana onto the giant Olympic rings barge, moored in front of City Hall.
43. 0846: A BBC torchcam welcome to Jon Greko in the Unityed States, who tweets: "@bbc2012 Watching live from Kalamazoo, Michigan! It maybe 3:45 in the morning but I can't wait for the @London2012 @Olympics to start."
44. 0836: Excitement reaching fever pitch? You betcha.
    Here's what British diver Tom Daley thinks. He tweeted: "I can't believe the @Olympics @London2012 start today!!!! So excited!! So my #FF goes to @PeterWaterfield (my synchro partner for the games)".
    All the very best to Tom and Peter for the Games!
45. 0833: What a creative lot we are in the UK. Evidence provided by Laura's tweet: "@BBC2012 my daughters just went mental on pan lids to join in with the bell ringing :)."
    
46. 0830: Cook for London tweeted this picture of bell ringers at Borough Market.
    

    
47. 

    0825: PA Photographer Ben Birchall has tweeted this amazing picture: "I'm not often proper amazed... But this truly IS amazing. The crowds are phenomenal."
48. 0822: I wonder how many people joined in across the country.
    Kathryn Louise Geels ‏abstained but she did have a good excuse as she explained in this tweet: "I'm not ringing the cow bell I have because my housemate is asleep #London2012 #Bells @BBC2012."
49. 0821: Martin Creed, the creator of All The Bells, has told BBC Breakfast about his motivation behind his piece.
    "I was initially thinking of making a scuplture but then people would have had to go to one place to see it. So I thought of music, as it would go out across the county," he said.
50. 0820: Stunning helicopter shots on BBC torchcam of the flotilla making its way down the Thames - rowboats galore and cyclists on the river path. What a sight!
51. 0815: Did you find a bell to ring out? That was brilliant!
52. 0813: An incredible cacophony of sound as Big Ben - and thousands of other bells across London and the UK - chime.
53. 0812: The bells, the bells!
54. 0810: Want to know more about what's happening this evening? Catch up on all the latest build-up to the opening ceremony here.
55. 0806: It really is a truly spectacular sight as the Gloriana leads the flotilla down the River Thames. The golden flags on board the royal barge are gently fluttering in the breeze.
56. 0802: What a day for messing about on the river!
    Faheem Aslam tweets: "@BBC2012 what a glorious sight of the flame being rowed down the thames.our day is finally here 2nyt.will miss the torch relay bigtime."
57. 0756: If you want to know how the BBC's 2012 theme music was made, here's a brilliant behind-the-scenes video.
    It'll be available as a digital only download very soon.
58. 0754: It's not the first time the Gloriana has starred in such spectacular fashion - the £1m royal barge Gloriana led the river pageant during the Diamond Jubilee in June.
    Right now it is being rowed by 16 crew, who were chosen from a squad of 28 on-board rowers on the day.
    The squad is made up of former British Olympic rowing crews going back to the 1948 Games as well as future Olympians and includes Games gold medal winners James Cracknell and Jonny Searle.
59. 0753: Jennifer Schmidt tweets: "@BBC2012 can't believe it's the last day of #torchcam! The last 70 days watching from America have been very special. Gonna miss it!"
    We know just how you feel Jennifer!
60. 0750: The team of oarsmen and women on board the Gloriana are rowing the flame down river to Tower Bridge.
61. 0749: To the sound of three cheers from the crowd, the Gloriana sets off down the River Thames.
62. 0749: BBC London 94.9 reporter Jason Rosam tweeted this picture of the moment when Matthew Pinsent lit the caudron on the Gloriana.
    

    
63. 0742: Matthew walks down some steps to the river, where the Gloriana awaits.
    A magnificent sight as Matthew lights the cauldron on the boat.
64. 0740: Lauran passes the flame to four-time Olympic rowing gold medallist Matthew Pinsent.
    He is the final torchbearer at the palace and will carry the flame through the Great Gate and taken on board the royal rowbarge Gloriana.
65. 0738: The next torchbearer is Lauran Ferebee.
    The 15-year-old is a young carer, helping her mother look after her younger sister who is 10.
66. 0736: Whoops and cheers for Mark, who is sporting a massive grin. And who wouldn't??
67. 0734: For the past 14 years Mark has travelled the world producing TV programes showcasing the inspirational stories of Olympians and unique cultural aspects of the host countries for the American audience.
68. 0733: With the palace providing a glorious backdrop, Jane and Mark Levy kiss torches.
69. 0730: Next up with the flame is Jane Caldwell, who works for a children's charity and also mentors young people.
70. 0730: Are you ready for the mass bell-ringing at 08:12?
    Conceived by Turner Prize-winner Martin Creed, All The Bells encourages everyone across the UK to ring a bell for three minutes.
    Thousands of bells are expected to be rung including church bells, hand bells, bicycle bells and doorbells.
71. 0727: The flame has emerged from the maze and has now passed to Cara Dartnell-Steinberg
    The 13-year-old was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of six. She was one of the first children in the UK to use the insulin pump and has subsequently helped many other children learn about the pump.
    She works on behalf of Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and has led a walk team of dozens of people each year since she has been diagnosed and helped raise thousands.
72. 0723: She's leading the way confidently while the Torch Security team follows. Great shots form helicam, showing the relay negotiating its way through tthe maze.
73. 0722: Klara is in the middle of the maze at Hampton Court Palace now.
74. 0720: The next torchbearer is Klara Weaver, a promising rower who was double junior European champion when she was 16, she has won four national titles, and has won Women's Henley twice.
    Klara volunteers at an Alzheimer's charity and is working on completing a medical degree at Imperial.
75. 0719: Alain sets of at a decent clip and soon makes it to the gates of Bushy Park.
76. 0717: Alain is a sports journalist. He has been travelling all over the world for more than 35 years going from one event to another, from Olympic Games to Olympic Games.
    He has been President of the Association of the Olympic journalists (OJA) since 2006.
77. 0716: Richmond Council tweets: "1,000 people now standing on Hampton Court Bridge! 1,200 at Pier 3 and 100 a Tedd Lock! #london2012."
78. 0714: Richard Todd Bradley sets off for his stint with the flame. A crisp jog from Richard and he passes the flame to Alain Lunzenfichter.
79. 0710: The flame is now with Ed Berman.
80. 0700: And our first torchbearer of the day is Rosie Hynes, nominated for her basketball achievements. She played womens basketball for England U16s and England U18s, and is currently part of the Great Britain under 20s squad.
81. 0657: Your writers this morning are Ian Hughes and Helen Bushby.
    We are delighted to have your company and look forward to hearing from you. You can tweet us here @BBC2012 or send a message on our BBC London 2012 Facebook.
82. 0655: Hello, fancy seeing you here!
    So it's Friday, 27 July 2012. It's been seven years in the making and it's finally here - the London 2012 Olympics open this evening!!
    Bit first we have the final day of the torch relay, which will kick off very shortly at Hampton Court Palace.
    The Olympic flame will negotiate the maze at the palace before boarding the royal rowbarge Gloriana.
    A team of oarsmen and women will transport the flame down the River Thames in a cauldron to Tower Bridge.
    The relay ends late in the evening with the lighting of the Olympic cauldron during the Games' opening ceremony.
    It is set to be a cracking day. So sit back and enjoy the ride.