"It's going to be a sensational time for London but you have to have ideas and venues in place that keep people involved in sport once the Games are over," said the 35-year-old Australian.

"I never attended the 2000 Sydney Games but would love to be in London next year for the Games.

"It would be fantastic to return to Lee Valley White Water Centre to watch the Olympic canoe slalom competition."

With his Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel looking odds on to clinch the F1 title for the second year in a row, the best Webber can hope for realistically is to overtake two previous world champions, McLaren's Jenson Button and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, to finish second overall.


The Buckinghamshire based driver is also gearing up for the Mark Webber Tasmania Challenge, which involves kayaking, mountain biking, running, swimming and climbing, and after rafting the course at Lee Valley Webber says that it has given him a taste of things to come when the challenge takes place later this year.

"Rafting and kayaking at Lee Valley has given me a good idea of what to expect in Tasmania," he said.

"I have rafted and kayaked in some amazing rivers in Tasmania and Australia but going down the course at Lee Valley White Water centre was equally challenging.

"It's incredible to think that a course like this has been built so close to London."

Of his prospects in this year's driver's championship, he added: "I'm looking forward to getting some wins under my belt and my goal is now to finish second.

"There are four of us in total going for second place and I am determined to make it mine."

The Lee Valley White Water Centre, just outside of the London, will host five days of Olympic action next year, and is the first Olympic venue to have won the right to host a major post Games world championships when the canoe slalom worlds come to London in 2015.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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