Vancouver Olympics

Pamela Anderson, waltzes home and Train whizzes by in Week 7's........

2010-05-06T14:16:00.001-07:00

On the week 7 elimination episode of Dancing With the Stars, Pamela Anderson, the magically babelicious pop culture icon who reduced Tom Bergeron to a 12-year-old boy, said farewell to sequins, fringe, and the daily execution of splits. Her poise, ability to assume characters, and sweet nature will be missed. Honestly, it seemed like she knew she'd be gone. She was calm and cracking jokes, as if she'd already had a decent cry before the liiiiiive taping. Due to a vague-sounding injury, Pam got to close out her DWTS experience in a lovely pastel princess gown and perfect makeup instead of a black pleather raincoat and streaks of sweat. Hey, you gotta keep it classy, even on reality TV.

Your votes had set the stage for a shocking elimination! I wouldn't call Pam's oust that shocking, but it did provide the graphics department with a great excuse to splatter sliver lightning bolts all over the contestants' headshots. I have to say, when Tom said ''One of these couples will be in the bottom two'' and the audience gasped, I thought it would be Nicole and Derek. Alas, the ''fast, furious, and fabulous'' Erin and ''her Russian'' could not survive the unflattering bloodbath (of light) of the dreaded bottom two.

My favorite part of Tuesday's show was Niecy's previously taped outburst backstage. ''Why do people keep asking me that? Did I think .............

Read More:ezto.in

Sale news

2010-04-06T19:25:00.000-07:00

Source: G news

Inward Eye Pay Tribute To Vancouver At Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony

2010-03-01T01:20:00.000-08:00

The 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver ended with a massive victory for Team Canada over Team USA in men's hockey, marking one of the single greatest athletic achievements in Canadian history and leading to an energetic and celebratory performance by Winnipeg rockers "Inward Eye" during the closing ceremony Sunday (February 28).

Consisting of brothers Dave, Kevin and Anders Erickson, Inward Eye led the charge as a mass of snowboarders flooded the floor of BC Place and gathered around the lit torches at the center of the stadium. The band provided an upbeat rendition of the song "Vancouver," leading the thousands of people gathered before the stage to leap up and down with unrestrained bliss, chanting the words "Oh, oh, oh, Vancouver" along with the members of the band.

"Wow, that was a crazy feeling stepping out in front of 65,000 people and a few billion watching at home," lead singer Dave Erickson wrote on the band's MySpace page shortly after the energetic performance. "All I could think was, 'Don't fall off the stage!' "

Commentator and sports journalist Bob Costas described the Inward Eye performance as representative of the differences between the Olympic opening and closing ceremonies. "The opening ceremony is long on ceremonial aspects and protocol; the closing is much less so," he assessed. "It's a big party, and it will go long into the Vancouver night."

The sibling trio of Inward Eye have performed together since 1997, but the band only recently launched its debut album, Throwing Bricks Instead of Kisses, in August. Following the conclusion of their worldwide television debut, it's likely Inward Eye status in the global music scene is only just beginning.

"It feels good right now," Erickson said. "Time to kick back and enjoy the moment."

Source:mtv.com

An Euphoric End To A Bittersweet Olympics

2010-03-01T01:07:00.000-08:00

They were the resilient Winter Games — beginning in shock, ending in euphoria.
Opening day was overshadowed by the death of a luger in a training-run crash. The finale couldn't have been more festive — a tribute to the organizers, who persevered despite first-week setbacks, and to the Canadian team, which surged to glory after a shaky start.
A crowd of 60,000 filled BC Place Stadium for Sunday's closing ceremony, many of them Canadians reveling in the overtime victory over the United States just a few hours earlier by their men's hockey team. That win, in the games' final event and in Canada's most cherished sport, gave the host nation a Winter Olympics record of 14 gold medals and set off wild celebrations across Vancouver.
The gaiety in the stadium — capped by a rock concert with Alanis Morissette, Nickelback and Avril Lavigne — contrasted sharply with the moment of silence at the opening ceremony Feb. 12 for Nodar Kumaritashvili, the luger killed in a horrific crash on the sliding track in Whistler just hours before that ceremony.
The speakers of honor on Sunday, chief Vancouver organizer John Furlong and International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge, each paid tribute to the 21-year-old athlete.
"We are so sorry for your loss," Furlong said, addressing the nation of Georgia. "May the legacy of your favorite son never be forgotten and serve to inspire youth everywhere to be champions in life."
Furlong — who even tried to reach out to francophone Canada with some halting words in French — quickly shifted to a more upbeat tone.
"I believe Canadians tonight are stronger, more united, more in love with our country and more connected to each other than ever before," he said. "These games have lifted us up."
He paid tribute to moguls skier Alexandre Bilodeau, winner of Canada's first gold medal at these games.
"Alexandre, your gold medal gave us all permission to feel and behave like champions," Furlong said. "Our last one (the hockey gold) will be remembered for generations."
The stadium literally shook as fans cheered and stamped their feet in appreciation.
Rogge then pronounced the games closed, after describing them as "excellent and very friendly."
Neil Young, the durable Canadian folk-rock star, followed with a wistful version of his "Long May You Run" — and the Olympic flame faded away as he ended.
Canadian officials ensured an extra measure of poignancy at the ceremony by selecting figure skater Joannie Rochette as their flagbearer. Her mother died of a heart attack hours after arriving in Vancouver last weekend, but Rochette chose to carry on and won a bronze medal, inspiring her teammates and fans around the world.
"Yes, it's been a tough week for me," she said before the ceremony. "But I walk tonight into that stadium with a big smile on my face. ... I accomplished my goals, and I want to celebrate with my teammates."
The team was greeted with a mighty roar when they joined the fast-moving, informal parade of athletes into the stadium. Among the cheerleaders was Prime Minster Stephen Harper, wearing a Canada jacket.
The U.S. flagbearer was Billy Demong, a veteran of four Olympics who won a gold and silver medal in Nordic combined.
There were plenty of reasons for Canada and the United States to celebrate after 17 days of competition. The U.S. won 37 medals overall — the most ever for any nation in a Winter Olympics.
Canada, after a slow start, set a Winter Games record with 14 golds and sparked public enthusiasm in Vancouver that veterans of multiple Olympics described as unsurpassed.
The comeback by the Canadian athletes was mirrored by the determination of the Vancouver Organizing Committee. It struggled with a series of glitches and weather problems early in the games, adjusted as best it could, and reached the finish line winning widespread praise for an exceptional Olympics — albeit one tinged with sadness.
Right from the start of the closing show, there was a spirit of redemption as the producers made up for an opening-ceremony glitch in which one leg of the Olympic cauldron failed to rise from the stadium floor. On Sunday, the recalcitrant leg rose smoothly and former speedskating medalist Catriona LeMay Doan — who missed out on the opening-night flame lighting because of the glitch — got to perform that duty this time.
Later came the traditional handover ceremony, during which the Olympic flag was lowered and presented to the hosts of the next Winter Games in 2014.
Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson handed over the five-ringed flag to IOC president Jacques Rogge, who passed it on to Anatoly Pakhomov, the mayor of Sochi, Russia. That was followed by the Russian national anthem and a presentation about Sochi featuring opera, ballet, ice skating and giant glowing spheres called "zorbs."
Other key moments in the closing:
—The awarding of medals for the men's 50-kilometer cross-country ski race, won by Petter Northug of Norway.
—The swearing-in of two new members of the International Olympic Committee chosen by their fellow athletes — U.S. hockey player Angela Ruggiero and British skeleton racer Adam Pengilly.
—The singing of the Olympic anthem by renowned Canadian tenor Ben Heppner.
—A tongue-in-cheek revue of Canadian icons and symbols, featuring singing-and-dancing Mounties, tabletop hockey players, dancing canoes and flying moose and beavers.
—A segment in which Canadian actors — including William Shatner and Michael J. Fox — made fun of national stereotypes.
Fox, who has Parkinson's disease, received a huge ovation.
"I lived in the U.S. for 30 years," Fox said. "But if the U.S. is playing Canada in hockey, I'm sorry, I'm wearing a maple leaf on my sweater."

Source:npr.org/

Vancouver Winter Olympics lowers curtain with joy and sorrow

2010-02-28T20:11:00.000-08:00

VANCOUVER, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- As the Vancouver Olympic Flame was extinguished by "snow" falling from the ceiling of the British Columbia Place, the 17-day winter sports gala went to a touching ending here on Sunday evening in downtown Vancouver.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge declared the 21st Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver closed.

"And now, in accordance with tradition, I declare the XXI Olympic Winter Games closed, and I call upon the youth of the world to assemble four years from now in Sochi to celebrate the XXII Olympic Winter Games," said the IOC chief at the closing ceremony.

Labelling the Vancouver Games as "excellent and very friendly", Rogge praised the Games has presented those glorious days to be cherished forever by the whole world

Source:news.xinhuanet.com/

2010 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony: Closing Ceremonies Start Time February 28, 2010

2010-02-28T09:18:00.000-08:00

The 2010 Winter Olympics closing ceremony will be held at BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, which seats 55,000 people at 5:30 PM PST. The 2010 Olympic opening and closing ceremonies are the first in Olympic history to be held indoors. The 2010 Winter Olympics will going to be broadcast by NBCOlympics.com.

Before the closing ceremony, there is a big attraction of the 2010 Winter Olympics, the Olympic hockey gold medal game. It’s the battle between Canada and USA who struggles to win the gold in 2010 Winter Olympic Ice Hockey event. The two teams have been competing on each other since the start of the Winter Olympics 2010.

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Source:buzzybloggers.com/

Hamelin to be flag-bearer at Olympic closing ceremonies

2010-02-28T09:06:00.000-08:00

Canadian skater Charles Hamelin bites his gold medal for the Men's 500 M short track speed skating, held at the Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, B.C. February 26 2010, during the 2010 Olympics.Photograph by: Gerry Kahrmann, Canwest News ServiceShort-track speed skater Charles Hamelin will carry the Canadian flag at Sunday’s closing ceremony, according to various media outlets.

Hamelin, 25, of Levis, Que., won two gold medals Friday in the 500 metres and the 5,000-metre team relay.

A formal announcement is set for later Sunday.

Source:montrealgazette.com/

Seines of the times: Seinfeld’s “MOlympics Closing Ceremonyarriage Ref” Premieres After

2010-02-28T08:53:00.000-08:00

Jerry Seinfeld makes his long awaited return to TV. This time he’s not taking center stage but is acting as producer. In the “Marriage Ref” it’s all about the dysfunctional couples who agree to be apart of the show. The couple airs there differences and argues their side. Then the Judge decides which side is the winner.

Don’t worry though the vein of the show is light hearted. Not a drag out Springer Fest. The most trouble these folks will be getting into is debating if a pet should be stuffed after it dies. That’s the point of the show after all, to have a good laugh. To make fun of the often silly arguments couples find themselves in and to “survive”. Judge Tom Papa says:

“"This is all light and funny. It's all just silly. And we find in our marriages if you laugh at all these crazy situations, you survive. And that's what this show's about, surviving. We want these marriages to flourish and be OK, so we just want to have a laugh with it all."

Some future guest panelists include Jerry Seinfeld, Tiny Fey, and Alec Baldwin. The Panel will not judge but provide commentary. Tom Papa will be responsible for final judgment.

The “Marriage Ref” airs tonight at 10:30 tonight after the Vancouver Olympics Closing Ceremony. It then slides into its regularly scheduled time slot Thursdays at 10 pm on NBC.

Source:gather.com/

Russian leaders to miss Closing Ceremony

2010-02-28T08:50:00.000-08:00

The Sochi 2014 Winter Games chief confirmed Saturday neither the Russian president nor the prime minister would be at the Closing Ceremony amid discontent over the nation's performances in Vancouver.

When asked whether he was disappointed at the absence of Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin, Sochi organizing committee chief executive Dmitry Chernyshenko insisted both had been closely involved with the bid.

"Since the very beginning of our bid we've enjoyed full governmental support and President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin are personally and deeply involved in the preparation for the Games."

Chernyshenko said he could not comment on the travel schedule of state leaders but added that a number of high-level officials would be present at the closing ceremony, including the mayor of Sochi.

Putin on Friday expressed disappointment at his country's mediocre performance in Canada, vowing personnel changes to get better results in 2014.

Russian officials and media outlets have reacted bitterly to the country's haul of only three gold medals in Vancouver, especially after the painful defeat of Russia's vaunted ice hockey team by Canada on Wednesday.

"This is beneath any criticism," Medvedev's top foreign policy aide Sergei Prikhodko told reporters on Friday, referring to Russia's Olympic performance.

Prikhodko declined to confirm Russian media reports that Medvedev had cancelled plans to go to Vancouver for the Olympics closing ceremony because of the country's poor performance.

The Kremlin never officially announced Medvedev's plans to go to Canada, Prikhodko said. "Maybe there were plans, we have tons of plans," he said.
"We are not going to Vancouver."

A source familiar with the planning, however, told AFP that Medvedev, who is going to France on Monday for a three-day visit, was initially supposed "to fly directly from Vancouver to France on Monday, March 1."

Chernyshenko told reporters in Vancouver that the Sochi project "remains firmly on track" and a series of test events would be held in the run-up to the Games.

"The Games will bring a sporting, social, economic and environmental legacy that will last for generations," he pledged.

Chernyshenko said a team of about 150 people had visited Vancouver to learn lessons for Sochi.

"We've learned that advanced planning is a crucial part of the success, especially the contingency plan for the weather or for the transportation," he said, also highlighting the "great atmosphere" at the Games.

Source:ctvolympics.ca/

Take a bow for the Games of our lives

2010-02-28T08:47:00.000-08:00

We are down to the last day of navigating the ferry slalom course to and from the Island or sock speedskating across the family room to the TV remote control. Actually, you won't need the latter today. Nobody from Victoria to St. John's will be changing the channel. If these off-the-charts ratings for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics are to be believed, there's only one thing the mass of Canadians will be watching today -- the gold medal men's hockey final against the Americans leading directly into the closing ceremonies as B.C.'s 15 minutes are up.

As it often does, international sport again provided the great communal experience. But it may have done more than that in the host nation, where it has delivered a defining moment.

Many are asking: Is this even the same country we knew?

Did we see Canada change before our very eyes? An over-arching thesis seems to be that the last fortnight has profoundly changed Canada, and that it has shed its timidity to become more assertive and sure of its identity. We'll see. Instant pop analysis rarely stands the test of time.

At the very least, one gets the impression we will never again accept being second-rate on the international sporting stage. Yet even that, much like the George Clooney film, is up in the air. Are we willing to pay for continued excellence in international sport through both the public and private sectors? All that glitters is not gold -- these medals will fizzle into the dank Summer Games air of London in two years and the mists of the Caucasus mountains of Sochi in four years if programs are not maintained. Olympic medals don't just happen. They are bought and paid for by governments.

But this turned out to be more than the sum of all the Canadian medals. As with the 1994 Victoria Commonwealth Games, it is the pulsating excitement on the streets of the host city that has been most revealing as the people seized the Games from Vanoc, the IOC and government and made them their own. The world saw the emergent cultural makeup of the host province, evident in the TV images of the many of South Asian and other Asian ancestry from the Lower Mainland proudly wearing the Team Canada hockey jersey. That, too, is the changing Canada, and which needs to be represented at least equally alongside the aboriginal and francophone cultures in today's closing ceremonies as B.C. hands off to Sochi, a Russian port city the same population and size as Victoria, only with the Caucasus as a backdrop instead of the Olympic range.

Islanders had plenty to be proud of in connection to the 2010 Winter Olympics. Although the Island didn't have the ample athlete representation it does at the Summer Olympics, being a home-province Winter Games it was inevitable the relationship would be tight and immense, regardless. It was. Nearly half the Vanoc vice-presidents are Islanders and John Furlong himself cut his administrative teeth in Nanaimo. More than 1,000 people from the Island worked these Games as employees or volunteers, from military and police security personnel to Nordic-event course officials and everything in-between. The hugely popular and defining HBC apparel for these Games came about because of Islanders, and the Richmond Olympic Speedskating Oval was designed by Victoria architect Bob Johnston and Victoria firm Cannon Design. The Island, particularly the ever-opportune Mount Washington, provided a training home for hundreds of Winter Olympians from around the world before their Games competitions in Vancouver and Whistler. And every Island taxpayer is involved with these 2010 Winter Olympics, whether they want to be or not.

It concludes today when the entire country grinds to a halt for the Canada-USA gold medal hockey game -- move over England and Brazil, this is our World Cup moment -- before the scene shifts to B.C. Place and what should be an emotive closing ceremony.

No Games marred by the death of a competitor, as these were, can ever be awarded gold. But B.C., and Canada, have earned at least silver in so many other respects.

Source:timescolonist.com/

Chile won't participate in Closing Ceremonies

2010-02-27T11:48:00.000-08:00

Athletes and coaches from Chile are planning to skip the Olympic Closing Ceremonies following a magnitude-8.8 earthquake that has devastated their country.

Team spokesman Luis Alberto Santa Cruz said Saturday morning that the athletes and coaches are trying to get home from Vancouver as soon as possible because of the quake.

Chile has three Alpine skiers representing the country at the Vancouver Games. Noelle Barahona, Maui Gayme and Jorge Mandru are all finished competing, so they won't miss any remaining events.

Santa Cruz says that some of the coaches and athletes have been able to contact family and so far, they have found out that their loved ones are fine.

The quake sent potentially deadly waves across the ocean and a tsunami warning - the highest alert level - was issued for Hawaii.

Source:ctvolympics.ca/

Kim wins ladies' figure skating gold medal

2010-02-26T00:24:00.000-08:00

VANCOUVER (AP) -- All that pressure, all those expectations. Kim Yu-na could feel the weight on her dainty shoulders.

The "Queen" took it all on and delivered royally.

A gold medal.

A world record.

A women's figure skating performance that likely will be remembered as one of the best of all time.

The South Korean soared to the Olympic gold medal Thursday night, scoring 228.56 points and shattering her previous world record by more than 18 points. It is South Korea's first medal at the Winter Olympics in a sport other than speedskating, and it's sure to set off wild celebrations from Seoul to Pyongchang.

Even Kim seemed to be dazzled by the show she put on, gasping when she saw the monstrous score. Coach Brian Orser gave a Rocky-like victory pump, shaking his clasped fists over each shoulder.

"I still can't believe it," Kim said. "I waited a long time for the Olympics, and it feels like a large weight has been lifted
The 19-year-old grinned as she hopped up to the top spot on the podium, tugging at the bottom of her dress. When the gold medal was slipped over her head, she kissed both sides and held it up. Her lip quivered when the South Korean anthem began, and then came the tears.

She made a beeline for someone holding the South Korean flag as she set off on her victory lap, and carried it triumphantly as fans serenaded her with cheers and applause.

"Truly I still can't believe that I did what I wanted to do at the Olympics," she said.

Longtime rival Mao Asada of Japan won the silver medal, but it was no contest _ even with Asada landing both her triple axels, one in combination with a double toe loop. Asada was more than 23 points behind Kim, a margin so big Kim could have done nothing but figure 8s for the last half of her program and still finished in front.

In fact, Kim's score was so off the charts, it would have put her ninth in the men's competition _ even though they skate 30 seconds longer and do an extra jump.

"It's one of those programs that, when it's done like that, when it's perfection ..." Orser said, his voice trailing off.

Joannie Rochette, skating four days after the sudden death of her mother, won the bronze, giving Canada its first women's medal since Liz Manley's silver in 1988.

"I had to be out there as Joannie the athlete and not the person," she said. "It's not easy at some points. There's always some moments when emotions take over. But I really tried to be strong to make my mother proud and my father, who was in the stands."

The Americans, meanwhile, are going home without at least one medal for only the second time since 1952. The other time was 1964, three years after a plane crash wiped out the entire U.S. team on its way to the world championships.

But there is hope on the horizon with 16-year-old Mirai Nagasu finishing fourth. U.S. champion Rachael Flatt dropped two spots from the short program and was seventh.

Kim came in bearing almost incomprehensible pressure. Not only was the reigning world champ the biggest favorite since Katarina Witt in 1988 _ she's lost just one competition during the last two seasons _ she carried the weight of an entire nation. Maybe her sport, too.

The most popular athlete in South Korea, she's been dubbed "Queen Yu-na" _ check out the sparkly crowns that twinkle in her ears _ and she needs bodyguards whenever she returns home from her training base in Toronto. Anything she does creates a frenzy, and even a simple practice draws a rinkful of photographers.

Figure skating is also counting on her to bring back the sass and star power that has traditionally made the women the must-see event of the Olympics. Think of some of the greatest Winter Olympians ever and Dorothy, Peggy and Michelle _ no last names needed for die-hard fans _ immediately come to mind. But the sport has lost some serious luster since Michelle Kwan stopped skating.

Kim seemed to shrug off any jitters earlier this week, saying after the short program that it felt like any other competition. But it was clear Thursday that it meant so much more _ for her and Orser, a two-time Olympic silver medalist who was devastated when he lost to Brian Boitano at the 1988 Calgary Games.

"It's more gratifying," Orser said. "(But) it's definitely her medal. She's a champion."

There were simply no visible flaws in Kim's performance, from her skating to her expressions to that lovely cobalt blue dress. While other skaters slow down as they approach their jumps to steady themselves, she hurtles into them at full speed yet touches down with feathery lightness. Her connecting steps are like art on ice, and her edges show not even the slightest hint of a harsh scrape. Her spins were centered so perfectly the tracings looked as if they were made with a protractor, and she must be quadruple-jointed to pull off all those positions in her combination spins.

What really makes her transcendent, though, is her performance skills. She breathed life into Gershwin's "Concerto in F," moving across the ice like notes on a score. As the music lifted the first time, she put one hand on the small of her back and gave a flirty little smile that set shutters clicking throughout the building.

When she finished, you could almost see the pressure fall away as Kim bent over and cried. So many stuffed toys and flowers littered the ice the full complement of sweepers had to be deployed _ not once, but twice.

"It's not any time to hold back. It's not a time to be conservative or cautious. Be Olympic," Orser said. "We've talked about that, coming here. You've got to be Olympic. You've got to be a competitor. Yes, you're beautiful. Yes, the programs are beautiful. Beautiful lines. Great presentation and choreography.

"But you've got to be Olympic and you've got to be fierce. And she was."

It almost wasn't fair that Asada, skating next, had to try and one-up that.

She couldn't. Not even close.

"Because there was so much noise from the crowd, I was not able to hear her score," Asada said. "But judging from the loud reaction, I knew she must have had a great performance."

Asada, who has swapped titles with Kim since their junior days, is one of the few women who even tries a points-packing triple axel, and she did two on this night. But she melted down later, stumbling on the footwork into her triple toe and forcing her to cut it to a single. She did only four clean triple jumps, two fewer than Kim, and did not do either a triple lutz or a triple toe.

Asada looked stone-faced as she waited for her marks. She didn't even crack a smile when she got her silver medal.

"The triple axel I landed I'm happy with," Asada said, "but I'm not satisfied with the rest of my performance today."

For Rochette, the medal is a culmination of "a lifelong project with my mom." Therese Rochette, 55, had a massive heart attack just hours after arriving in Vancouver to watch her daughter skate, and Rochette has been the picture of courage this week.

Supported by her father, Normand, and longtime coach Manon Perron, Rochette decided to go ahead and compete. Her performance Thursday wasn't perfect; she two-footed and stepped out of a triple flip, and had shaky landings on a couple of other jumps. But she made up for those errors with an emotional and expressive portrayal of "Samson and Delilah."

When she finished, Rochette blew a kiss skyward.

Source:nbcolympics.com/

Olympic Village makes home pampered for athletes in Vancouver

2010-02-26T00:21:00.000-08:00

VANCOUVER — Allison Baver's fifth-floor flat at the Winter Olympics comes with two masseuses on call, a chiropractor, access to a rooftop garden with sweeping views of the city and a private lounge where big-screen televisions stream live coverage from every Olympic venue.
If the 29-year-old U.S. speedskater, whose short-track relay team won the bronze Wednesday, didn't have to compete, there'd be no reason to leave.

This is the Reading, Pa., athlete's third Winter Games, but she says life in this Olympic Village — home to the 2,760 skaters, curlers, hockey players, coaches, trainers and officials — is better than good.

"When you are away from home, at a competition like this, you want everything to be as simple as possible," Baver said. "The Canadians have really raised the bar."

U.S. MEDALS TRACKER: Recap every medal won by the Americans

For most who now occupy the $1.1 billion complex of sleek condos on the banks of False Creek, the village is just that — an exclusive retreat for exclusive residents to eat, rest and prepare for the competition ahead.

There is a giant dining hall that caters to every taste and dietary regime. Here, pro hockey players mingle with their amateur colleagues.

"I was sitting with some of our women's hockey players when they spotted (Canadian star) Sidney Crosby," U.S. village spokesman Keith Bryant said. "They were going, 'Hey, that's Sid! That's Sid!' "

There also are shops, a cafe, full-service training center, bank, post office and a billion-dollar view of the city's skyline across the water. And most of the services don't cost the athletes a single Canadian loonie. Similar accommodations exist at a separate village in Whistler for the athletes competing in the mountains.

Nejat Sarp, who oversees operations at both villages, said the communities deliver on two central themes planners identified more than four years ago.

"The first priority was to minimize stress," said Sarp, a former hotel executive. "Then we said, 'Let's create a home.' "

Few average homeowners, however, can boast of the comforts here.

For example, Sarp said, 100 mattresses were tested before a winner was chosen. Each is dressed in 250-thread-count bedding and topped with a goose-down duvet.

"In the city, we wanted to create an urban oasis; in the mountains, an alpine escape. We think we have achieved that."

Although formally designated as Olympic "venues," the villages are places few non-athletes will ever see.

Since the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes and coaches at the 1972 Summer Games in Munich, the villages have been among the most secure locations at every Olympic Games since.

It is no different here. There are layers of fencing, a network of surveillance cameras and officer patrols.

But Baver said nothing about the security apparatus has spoiled the experience.

The U.S. residences — there are about 190 people in the downtown delegation — are in the "ideal" location, Baver said.

"We're about a half-block to the gym and a half-block to the dining hall," she said. "When you are skating every day, you've got to save your legs."

For Bryant, too, there are some perks. When he twisted an ankle the other day, the doctor who tended to him was former Olympic champion Eric Heiden, part of the U.S. medical staff.

"VANOC (the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee) is going to have to kick us out of here when this is over," Bryant said.

Source:usatoday.com/

Olympic roundup: What Canada did on Day 14

2010-02-26T00:08:00.000-08:00

Marie-Philip Poulin scored twice in the first period and Shannon Szabados made 28 saves as Team Canada beat the United States 2-0 to win the gold medal at the Vancouver Olympics on Thursday.

It's Team Canada's third consecutive gold medal.

But it had been a while since the Canadian women had beaten the Americans in a meaningful game. The past two world championships had seen Canada lose to the U.S. — and that stung.

"I was standing there on the blue-line after and I thought to myself, 'I can't believe I got a shutout,'" said Szabados, who made 28 saves. "But I would have been satisfied with a 9-8 score as long as we won."

Szabados was particularly brilliant in the second period. Poulin of Quebec City, the youngest player on Canada and its fourth-line centre, scored twice in the first period. Then the game was turned over to Szabados, who made half her stops in the middle frame.

"She was like a rock," Canadian defenceman Colleen Sostorics said.

Canadian coach Melody Davidson could have started any of her three standout goalies. Charline Labonté and Kim St-Pierre are the others. But Davidson made the right choice in the stingy Szabados.

Plays against boys
The 23-year-old Edmonton native made headlines earlier in her career when she played against the boys in the Alberta Junior Hockey League and later in a game with the Tri-City Americans in the WHL.

She also played minor hockey with current Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Dion Phaneuf while growing up in Edmonton.

She still has plans to one day play pro hockey against men. But first she yearned for an Olympic gold medal with the women.

"I looked up in the stands and saw a sign that said "Proud to be Canadian" and that's what I am today," said Szabados, who plays with men at Grant MacEwen College in Edmonton.

The exuberant crowd of 16,805 at Canada Hockey Place included Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Wayne Gretzky, Canadian snowboard cross gold medallist Maelle Ricker, actor Michael J. Fox, defenceman Scott Niedermayer and most of the Canadian men's team, as well as head coach Mike Babcock and assistant coach Lindy Ruff.

Some wondered if this would be the last hurrah for 31-year-old Hayley Wickenheiser, who with teammates Jennifer Botterill, Becky Kellar and Jayna Hefford has played in four Olympics. But Wickenheiser indicated she will likely stick around for the Games in Sochi, Russia, in 2014.

"I think I could have another Olympics in me," Wickenheiser said. "It's very demanding, hard on my family, I have a young son. We'll see. But I'm really forward to taking it year by year and see how the program evolves."

Canadian figure skater Joannie Rochette won the hearts of the Pacific Coliseum crowd with a gutsy performance to earn an Olympic bronze medal four days after her mother's death.

Thérèse Rochette, 55, died of a heart attack early Sunday, shortly after arriving in Vancouver to support her daughter.

"That's what my mother would have wanted me to do," Rochette said of her decision to compete. "That's how she raised me. She was always by my side. She was my biggest fan."

Rochette, from Île Dupas, Que., came out strongly with a triple Lutz/double toe/double toe sequence while skating to Saint-Saens's Samson and Delilah, but landed awkwardly on a triple flip.

The 24-year-old regained her composure and impressed with her spiral sequence. Her remaining jumps weren't technically the best, but Rochette displayed her mettle by fighting to land them.

She scored 202.64 points to earn bronze. Kim Yu-Na of South Korea won the gold with 228.56, breaking her own world record, and Mao Asada took silver with 205.50.

Rochette is Canada's first Olympic medallist in women's figure skating since Elizabeth Manley took silver in Calgary in 1988.

Rochette wiped away tears after accepting her bronze medal.

Cynthia Phaneuf, 22, of Contrecoeur, Que., finished 12th.

Also on Thursday, Kevin Martin earned the chance to defend Canada's Olympic title in men's curling while getting his own second shot at gold after his rink dispatched Niklas Edin's Swedish foursome 6-3 in a semifinal.

Martin's team of Marc Kennedy, Ben Hebert and John Morris are now undefeated through their 10 games in the tournament and will look for their 11th straight victory to repeat Canada's gold-medal performance of 2006, won by Brad Gushue in Turin, Italy.

Saturday's final against Norway puts Martin in gold-medal position again after his 2002 Olympic final, where he had to settle for silver against Norwegian Pal Trulsen.

Gold on line
Canada's Cheryl Bernard will play for Olympic gold in women's curling after defeating two-time silver medallist Switzerland 6-5 in Thursday's semifinals.

The Calgarian wasn't at her best for much of the day, curling 74 per cent as she battled a cold, but she delivered when it mattered most.

Bernard made a difficult takeout in the ninth to extend her lead to two heading into the final end. There, she nailed another tough shot to remove one of two Switzerland shot stones, then watched Swiss skip Mirjam Ott roll her own takeout throw out of the house to settle for one with the game's final rock.

Other Canadian results from Thursday:
Alpine skiing, women's giant slalom: Marie-Michele Gagnon of Lac-Etchemin, Que., finished fifth in 1:11.48; Britt Janyk of Whistler, B.C., was eighth (1:11.66); Marie-Pier Prefontaine of Saint-Sauveur, Que., was 23rd (1:12.50); and Shona Rubens of Canmore, Alta., was 26th (1:12.87).
Cross-country skiing, women's 4x5K relay: Canada (Perianne Jones, Madeleine Williams, Chandra Crawford, Daria Gaiazova) was 16th in 1:00:05.0.
Freestyle skiing, men's aerials finals: Kyle Nissen of Calgary was fifth (126.92); Steve Omischl of North Bay, Ont., was ninth (112.39) and Warren Shouldice of Calgary was 10th (94.03).
Nordic combined skiing, men's long-hill individual: Jason Myslicki of Calgary was 44th.

Source:cbc.ca/

Watch Vancouver Olympic 2010 Men Hockey: USA Vs Canada Live stream.

2010-02-21T12:14:00.000-08:00

The Vancouver Olympic 2010 Group -A Men’s hockey USA Vs Canada clash is one of the most hyped in recent past; match will at last answer a lot of questions for both teams; will telecast game time live on NBC at 19:40 ET on Sunday 21 February, 2010.

The Olympic Men’s hockey has a big day ahead for both USA and Canada and the winner of this game reserve an automatic berth for the quarterfinals.

The loser of today’s match will need to play an additional game in their gold medal hunt – and most specialists believe that loser will be the US, although both countries are 2-0, it would still be a major disappoint if the Canadians lost today’s game.

Today’s Olympics schedule will also decide the top seeds from Group B and C respectively, with two equally dominant rivalries renewed. Russia will try to bounce back from their loss to Slovakia against the winning Czech Republic, whereas Group C top Sweden and Finland clashes.

Source:freakygossip.com/

Vancouver Games Get High Marks for First Week

2010-02-21T12:11:00.000-08:00

The 21st Winter Olympics in Vancouver enter their final week Sunday. Local organizers have received high marks for the way the Games have gone so far.

The first eight days of the Winter Games in Vancouver have had plenty of controversy. Before the Games began, Georgian luge slider Nodar Kumaritashvili was killed during practice.

The Whistler and Cypress Creek venues have been dealing with a lack of snow and warm temperatures. Some events have been rescheduled because of the warm weather.

Several thousand fans had their tickets to snowboarding and freestyle canceled because conditions were unsafe and Vancouver Organizers had to pay back more than $1 million to fans.

There were also complaints about a chain-link fence that surrounded the Olympic Cauldron. The fence has since been replaced with Plexiglas so fans can see and photograph the flame.

But despite the challenges, International Olympic Committee Executive Director for Olympic Games Gilbert Felli says that Vancouver organizers have done an excellent job.

"So altogether we are pleased now after eight days," said Felli. "Of course we still have got eight days to go, but there is no reason to believe that those next eight days will not operate as smoothly as we have done so far."

David Cobb is the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee deputy CEO. He says organizers plan to continue making every effort to solve problems with transportation, venues and other issues so everyone has a positive experience.

"The volunteer spirit is as high now as it was on the first day," noted Cobb. "They are smiling every day and I think enjoying what they are doing. And they are extremely proud of what they're doing. But all of us - volunteers, workforce, everybody involved - has to keep their eye on the ball, work hard right to the end. And we have to be as prepared as best as we possibly can."

Both the IOC and Games organizers know that significant challenges lay ahead. Several events are scheduled for the Whistler resort, as well as Cypress Mountain, but weather forecasters are calling for warm temperatures to continue. Once the Games end February 28, safely and effectively getting all fans, athletes, and officials out of Vancouver will be a huge task as well.

Source:voanews.com/

Shaun White Vancouver 2010 Video Snowboarding's Best Viral Hit

2010-02-21T12:05:00.000-08:00

Shaun White's Vancouver 2010 video has been viral for days and may be the most downloaded video from the Olympic Games so far. Snowboarding fans, as well as some new ones, have been raving over this gold medal winning performance since Wednesday night. It has made the snowboarding legend one of the Games' biggest stars, and brought new attention to his board. However, the Shaun White Vancouver 2010 video isn't the only way that snowboarding has spread online - but it is the least embarrassing.

In this first full week of Olympic competition, America's biggest stars have broken out. But while Lindsey Vonn, Shani Davis and Apolo Anton Ohno have made their usual headlines, Shaun White has broken out into the Olympic pantheon. He won his second straight half-pipe gold on Wednesday, and barely broke a sweat to do it.

The best part of White's Vancouver 2010 video came at the end, well after he sealed up the gold medal. But he ended things with a bang by performing his signature Double McTwist 1260. His victory lap became one of the signature moments of the games, and one of the most downloaded.

Snowboarding has broken out in the Winter Olympics this year, thanks in part to the Shaun White Vancouver 2010 video. But the sport is experiencing the good and the bad side of Internet stardom, thanks to bronze medalist Scotty Lago. His photo controversy over his use of the bronze medal represents the bad side so far.

Lago had to leave Vancouver because of the racy pictures, putting a bad light on snowboarding - or at least giving the Olympics and the press a chance to put it in a bad light. Even White's run was not without controversy, since his coach was caught cursing by NBC cameras after the performance.

The best and worst of snowboarding has been put on display at the Winter Olympics 2010. However the worst only involves the athletes' behavior off the course, and fans and supporters are more inclined to forgive that. On the course, snowboarding has become an audience favorite, with the Shaun White Vancouver 2010 video as the best example.

Source:associatedcontent.com/

Lindsey Vonn won only bronze in the women's super G on Saturday.

2010-02-21T11:59:00.000-08:00

Did you want more off-course/ice drama with your Olympics? You're going to get it in child-sized doses, thanks to a couple of American Olympians and a coach opening their mouths and speak in recent days.

Lindsey Vonn won only bronze in the women's super G on Saturday. That probably had more to do with a tentative run that did not attack the course as it could have, but it didn't take long for her coach/husband, Thomas, to accuse an Austrian coach of foul play. He said:

"I know for a fact that the Austrian course setter said that he was setting [the super-G course] against Lindsey, which is kind of silly, considering. I know he made a comment to some people that ‘we studied all the tapes, and we found out that the one from Val d'Isere is the one she did worst in,' which happened to be third place."
That Austrian course setter won a lottery to set the course, and as Chris Chase notes, merely took advantage of a system that begs for exploitation. (Could you imagine an NFL team being able to choose where the Super Bowl is?) If Thomas Vonn had won the lottery, wouldn't he have tailored the course to Lindsey's strengths?

This is a tempest in a teapot, but one that will help create a "rivalry" storyline for NBC. So get ready to be sick of it.

Lindsey Vonn's comments went heavier on humor that drama. Her Tiger Woods jokes, though, were like a tap dance on the third rail for someone with sponsors.

Vonn, after piecing together the Tiger whatever-that-was from Friday, had some things to say about it, according to Time's Sean Gregory:
And like millions of Americans, Vonn can't help poking fun at Woods' staged event. When a member of her Vonn-tourage tells her that Woods gave a few friends hugs after ending his statement, she cracks, "They're like, 'Yeah, you're awesome, you go have that sex.' " The room breaks into a laugh. Then she describes a skit she would want to perform if asked to host Saturday Night Live: picture Vonn at Woods' podium, blue backdrop and all. "There's something you don't know about me," Vonn says in a faux solemn, apologetic voice. "Tiger, you're like my idol, and I too have a sex problem." More laughter. "That would be freaking funny."
That's not quite Bill Hicks in his heyday, but it is a bit of color from an athlete whose image hasn't deviated much from the stoic hero mold. One problem with praising that personality: the Vonn camp is reportedly claiming those comments were off the record, and refusing to talk to Time as a result. Because, after all, why would anyone want to sponsor an athlete with opinions? Opinions are liabilities and should be eschewed in favor of more training.

Meanwhile, the United States and Canada play in men's hockey today, and tensions between the nations are running as high as they have since the South Park movie. American Ryan Kesler put it bluntly, saying "I hate them" more than once before backpedaling on that statement. The U.S. and Canada are both medal contenders, so tensions would run high based only on that fact, but there's certainly a big brother-little brother component to the rivalry as well.

For the unaffiliated fan who wants a rooting interest, I submit Brian Burke's emphatic defense of these games, the prospect of the U.S. to wearing 1960-inspired jerseys, and the Canucks' talent advantage as reason to cheer for the U.S. in a rare underdog role.

The unaffiliated fan who doesn't care who wins doesn't even need to root for a good game. That's more or less guaranteed, with the only two teams made up entirely of NHL players taking the ice.

Source:sportingnews.com/

Amy Williams holds back tears at emotional Vancouver medal ceremony

2010-02-21T11:54:00.000-08:00

Amy Williams shows off her Winter Olympics gold medal after the ceremony in Vancouver. Photograph: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images

Amy Williams promised to toast her Olympic skeleton gold medal with "a sip of champagne" after being presented with it in front of a cheering crowd at the Whistler Medals Plaza.

Williams held back tears as the Union Jack was raised over a Winter Olympic podium for the first time since Rhona Martin's curling team took gold at the Salt Lake City Games in 2002.

But she admitted she had shed tears earlier in the day, when she paused to view internet footage of her brother and twin sister cheering her home on TV in the local pub in Bath. Williams said: "I'm going to have a sip of champagne tonight but I'm going to save the party for when I get home. I did have tears when I saw the scenes at my local pub. It really choked me up."

Williams insisted the experience of being awarded her medal in such a public way had scared her and her two German rivals, who won silver and bronze, far more than throwing themselves head-first down a 90mph ice track.

She added: "All three of us were just shaking before going on. To have the medal now is just incredible. I didn't think I would get a medal – I was just hoping to do better than my training runs.

"I've been in a bubble since I won and it feels like it's got thicker. It feels a little bit more real now that I'm holding the medal. I've had a message of congratulations from the Prime Minister and the whole thing is amazing."

Source:guardian.co.uk/

Davis ends bittersweet Vancouver Olympic Games

2010-02-21T11:50:00.000-08:00

VANCOUVER, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- With one gold and one silver, Shani Davis of the United States has finished his Winter Olympic Games and left in a mixed mood of bittersweet.

Davis, who won the men's 1,000 meters in 2006 Turin Olympic Games, competed in four events in Vancouver, including 500m, 1,000m, 1,500m and 5,000m.

The 27-year-old finished 12th in the 5,000m and quit the race 2 of the 500m before he retained his 1,000m title.

Davis's dream of becoming only the third man to achieve the 1,000-1,500 golden double, was crushed at the Richimond Olympic Oval here on Sunday when Mark Tuitert of the Netherlands clocked one minute 45.57 seconds in the 1,500m, 0.53 ahead of Davis.

Only Canada's Gaetan Boucher at the 1984 Sarajevo Olympic Games and American Eric Heiden in 1980 at Lake Placid had swept the two speed skating events.

Davis said his silver medal in the 1,500m made him feeling bittersweet.

"For the most part it kind of is because four years ago I found myself in the same situation in Torino. Four years later I trained really hard and I told myself it was now or never. I'm pumped up. And it's Silver medal again," he said.

Davis was one step away to achieve the double at the Torin, winning the 1,000m but conceding to silver behind Italy's Enrico Fabris in the 1,500.

"It's bittersweet but there's always someone out there who wishes to be in your shoes. It's a weird feeling but it could have been worse. I'm happy to have what I have."

Davis revealed at a press conference in the Main Press Center that he actually knew how fast he could be to win the event.

"I was the last pair and I knew exactly what I needed to do. I was very familiar with what I could do but just today the stars weren't aligned for me."

"This is just how the Olympics go, I guess. You can't get too far ahead of yourself, you can't underestimate your competitors or you might be really sad at the end of the day," Davis said.

After a silver in the 1,500m, Davis has closed his Vancouver trip and boosted more eager desire to be the King of 1,500m.

"I'm happy right now that my job is done. I'm extremely satisfied with my accomplishments. I really wanted that title in 1500m so badly."

"I want to be the king. Personally I don't like to think I would have quit had I won the race. I guess in the big scheme of things this is going to keep me going in the sport for another four years," Davis said.

Source:news.xinhuanet.com/

Olympics: Thousands of happy visitors jam Vancouver streets

2010-02-21T11:44:00.000-08:00

VANCOUVER -- How do you like us now, Lawrence?

The Vancouver Winter Games, which British golf writer Lawrence Donegan -- after only three days! -- suggested might go down in history as the "worst ever," put on their best face Saturday.

Under blue skies and a warming sun, thousands of people from around the world took to the city's streets, clogging major thoroughfares like Robson and Granville that have been converted to pedestrian malls.

Street performers could scarcely believe their good fortune as people lined up five and six deep to watch the shows. On every corner, two traffic cops struggled to control the rivers of people, never mind cars.

For those from Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, it was unlike anything they'd ever seen before.

"Never," said Kevin Neustaedter, 52, from Coquitlam. "I bought tickets to one event and I was only going to go for one event." But then people kept telling him how much fun it was downtown, so he showed up Saturday to soak up the carnival atmosphere and take in the evening fireworks.

"The hype is building on the hype," he said. "There's no doubt about it."

Over at the Royal Canadian Mint Pavilion, Shavi and Melissa Morsara and friends Megan Kennedy and Shannon Nichol expected to wait up to seven hours to see Olympic medals up close.

"Our city's known to be not too exciting," Shavi Morsara said. "This is an indication if you bring the right venues to town how people come out. It's good to see. It's so positive, a good vibe and different types of culture." Tourists from other countries raved about the party atmosphere. The orange-clad Van Denboom family from Holland -- mother, Fieny, in a traditional Dutch bonnet -- wandered Robson posing for pictures with Canadians in red hockey jerseys.

"It's wonderful," said Rob Van Denboom.

"Awesome," added brother Bram.

"And the people are friendly as well," said father Jos.

The British media, they said, have no idea what they're talking about.

"It's only the British," said Jos. "They were always separate." German tourist Torsten Danke, who got his picture taken with two Mounties in red serge at the corner of Granville and Hastings, said he was most taken with the friendly service and the number of people who stopped to ask where he was from.

"You don't have it in Europe like this," he said.

Even Olympic organizers and tourist officials have been surprised at the level of enthusiasm.

"The reaction of our city and I think the entire country has been overwhelming," said Dave Cobb, deputy chief executive officer of the Vancouver Organizing Committee. "I've lived in this city my whole life and have never seen this type of excitement." The crowds have got so big, in fact, that Vancouver police have asked for reinforcements to deal with the numbers at night. But Const. Lindsey Houghton said that, except for a number of liquor-fueled incidents, there have been relatively few problems. Crime, in fact, is down nearly 40 per cent over the same period last year.

"The attitude and vibe has been unbelievably positive," he said.

Will it all be enough for Vancouver to shed the early criticism about a malfunctioning cauldron, early transportation glitches, and the lack of snow on Cypress Mountain?

Tourism Vancouver president Rick Antonson believes it will. He likens the Games to the performance by B.C. snowboarder Maelle Ricker.

"She came out of the gates on her first trial that morning and slipped and got up and by the end of the day, we saw what she was made of. And she was gold.

"I think what we're seeing, despite the early glitches with these Games, is what British Columbians are made of."

Source:vancouversun.com/

Is Ohno the Greatest Winter Olympian of All Time?

2010-02-21T11:39:00.000-08:00

Usually, when you witness a bit of sports history, euphoria sweeps through the building. But when short-track speedskater Apolo Ohno finished third in the 1,000 meter event on Saturday night, giving him seven career Olympic medals, the most-ever by an American Winter Olympian, you couldn't help feel a little bit like ... "ack." Maybe it was the third-place finish. America tends to like its triumphs golden. But the truth is, while Team USA is now trumpeting Ohno as the "most-decorated" American Winter Olympian of all time, the label is a bit contrived.

Ohno passed Bonnie Blair, the long-track speedskater who won six medals between 1988 and 1994, as the U.S. Winter Olympian with the most hardware. After he crossed the finish line, and saluted the fans waving American flags and Ohno signs — some even sported Ohno's signature soul patch — Ohno held up all five fingers on his left hand, and two on his right.
(Watch a video of Ohno training.)

But let's not get overly excited about his medal count. Blair won five golds and a bronze. By any kind of accounting, her haul is more valuable than Ohno's two golds, two silvers, and three bronzes. You can't take away anything from career of Ohno, whose hip looks, fast feet, and dashing name (if he was Frank Smith, would have snared that spot on Dancing With the Stars?) have allowed him to become a rare Winter Olympian who enjoys mainstream fame. He has won medals in three consecutive Olympics, trains ten hours a day to keep his frame chiseled, and is the best chess player in a sport that requires exquisite strategy. In short-track speedskating, you either jump out front and will yourself to hold the lead, or trail the pack and outsmart your opponents at the finish. Luckily for us, Ohno prefers the latter approach: he's awfully fun to watch.

Consider his performance Saturday night. In Ohno's quarterfinal heat, he sat in third place for most of the race (the top two finishers advance to the next round). With the other skaters crowded together in front of him — the athletes are so bunched up while circling around the 111-meter track, it looks like they're competing in somebody's kitchen — Ohno's quest was in serious danger. But his patience and mental acuity finally paid off. Ohno spotted an opening, and quickly slipped past Germany's Tyson Heung. If you looked down to take a sip of your soda, you might have missed this maneuver. Ohno held on to advance.
(See the latest photos from the Olympics in Vancouver.)

In the semifinals, Ohno waited until the last lap to make his move. Running third once again, he floated to the outside, then zipped inside pass another skater. How he didn't scrape the blocks and get disqualified was a miracle. And in the finals, he was ensconced in second place with two and a half laps to go. "In my head I thought the race was mine," he says. Then he slipped and fell from second to fifth but summoned the strength and speed to recover from this seemingly disastrous error, and finished third to win the bronze.

In clinching his seventh medal, Ohno turned in a clutch performance. On the whole, however, Ohno has been extraordinarily lucky in the Olympics. During the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City, Kim Dong-sung from South Korea crossed the finish line first in the 1,500-meter race. Ohno trailed behind him, and finished second. After Dong-sung started waving the Korean flag during his victory lap, the judges disqualified him for blocking Ohno. South Korea was furious, and took out their frustration on the American. Ohno received death threats.
(Watch a video of future Olympians in Vancouver.)

South Korea's anti-Ohno sentiment was rekindled in Vancouver. In the 1,500-meter race on Feb. 13, two South Koreans skaters crashed on the last turn, allowing Ohno to move past them into second place. Afterward, Ohno said he might have won gold if the winner, South Korea's Lee Jung-Su, hadn't obstructed him. The Koreans accused Ohno of playing dirty. "Ohno didn't deserve to stand on the same medal platform as me," said Lee. When asked Saurday night if she liked Ohno, A Reum Han, a skating fan who traveled from Soeul to be at the Games, slowly shook her head. "No, to be frank," she said.

After Saturday's race, I asked Ohno if he felt, in his mind, like he was the greatest Winter Olympian of all-time. He dodged. "That's a very hard question," he said. "How do you answer that? ... I never came into these Olympic games trying to break records. I do this sport because I love it. My goal here was to pour my heart and soul into these Olympic games. I have no regrets."

Ohno has two more races left in Vancouver, the 500 meters and the 5,000-meter relay. (The finals for both events are Feb. 26.) Another gold would more firmly cement his Olympic legacy. "There's not many athletes that come in back-to-back Olympics games and medal," Ohno says. "Very, very few. For me to be able to do it three games, I'm very happy. I'm very blessed." And he's justifiably proud of Saturday's finish. "I had that big slip, lost my speed, then I saw everybody flying by me," he says of the 1,000-meter final. "And I'm like, 'oh boy, there's not a lot of time left, I have to kind of crank it up.' I was able to fight hard, come back, regroup mentally. I was very happy I was able to win a bronze medal. Number seven." A record. It's just too bad a few more aren't gold.

Source:time.com/

Winter Olympics 2010: London keen to learn lessons from Vancouver for next time

2010-02-12T01:42:00.000-08:00

Ploughing on: A shortage of snow has been one of the problems the organisers of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver have had to overcome Photo: AFP/GETTY IMAGES
If there was a message from the Vancouver Olympic Games organising committee chairman John Furlong to his London brethren who are here as observers, it is to expect the unexpected. It could also be, don’t make anything too complicated. Sometimes the obvious is the most simple.

“We are capable of delivering an Olympic Games,’’ deadpanned Locog chairman Lord Sebastian Coe, when his video presentation to the IOC members suffered a glitch on Thursday. The London Games have been praised for their plans so far, which he attributed to “the quality of work going on 24/7.”

At the Vancouver Winter Olympics there has been not only no snow for one of the local venues, Cypress Mountain, but the unseasonally warm nights have prevented any of the 35 contingency snow machines from kicking into action.

London 2012 won’t have those particular problems, but there will be other challenges.Security, moving millions around the Tube, train and buses, and ensuring that the British are fully connected to the Games. And on that last point Furlong stressed how important it is to use them for social benefit. Furlong said he tried to use them to bring all of Canada together. Sustainability was their buzz word, Legacy is London’s. Vancouver uses the slogan ‘The Best of Us’. London will use the mantra ‘Personal Best’.

Furlong said: “These are Canada’s games and a rallying point for the whole country.’’

To ensure all Canadians felt involved, particularly local businesses, organisers conducted more than 5,000 community consultations. Local disaffected women – former sex workers and victims of violence – have been employed putting together the floral tributes to the medal winners, while the

down-and-outs have been hired in the local fabrication plant.

Locog chief executive Paul Deighton said getting in touch with the rest of the country was one of five key points for the coming year. The others were focusing on the venues, working with their partners to ensure a co-ordinated delivery, the Paralympics and the budget. Locog will spend about £700 million next year.

“At the moment five million people are being inspired, benefiting and delivery parts of the London Olympic Games,’’ Lord Coe said.

The Canadians also drew upon a nationalistic fervour to try and present the country in the best possible light to its international visitors.

Traditional Olympic price gouging has been bought under some control: hotels for instance capped their price rise to 15.8 per cent from the previous 12 months.

One of the key lessons, says IOC President Jacques Rogge, is for the London team to focus on operational readiness.

“The venues are totally different,’’ said Rogge, but it will be interesting for London to see how the Canadians prepare their venues and how the operational aspects take precedence.’’

Coe said the next few weeks were an important step for the London preparations: “We will have the opportunity to validate our current thinking, revisit our assumptions and develop our own detailed planning around the London city organisation.”

To that end, London has key Metropolitan Police embedded with the Canadian security forces, and Locog has officials working in all areas of operations and issues management here. The Canadians have also shown London how the international media can interpret local issues in different ways to the locals.

So far the Vancouver Olympics has a global image of no snow, yet the five other venues, including the snow-critical alpine events at Whistler, are blanketed in the white stuff.

A three-storey high flag of the Australian team’s informal mascot, the Boxing Kangaroo, battling the tight marketing rules of the IOC has been a early news story of the Games. Certainly none of the organisers expected that the issues of poverty in Vancouver’s East side would rank as high internationally alongside media complaints about the hefty prices of internet access (£340 each).

But Furlong said in a timely warning to London: "There is no perfection when you turn on a system this large’’.

Meanwhile London organisers have abandoned a bold plan to have just one torch that was to be passed through 7,000 torch runners because of security fears that it would be too tempting a protest target.

Source:telegraph.co.uk/

NBC boss soaks up Vancouver

2010-02-12T01:39:00.000-08:00

It was, he said, the experience of a lifetime, humbling and unforgettable, and that's saying a lot for a guy who has been at the helm of network news coverage that has included 9/11 and the election of the first black U.S. president, a guy who has won four Emmys and six Edward R. Murrow awards.

But there was Steve Capus on Tuesday morning, outfitted head to toe in official 2010 Olympic regalia, right down to the red mittens with the iconic white leaf, jogging down a cobblestone street in a Vancouver suburb, holding the Olympic torch high as thousands of locals cheered both him and the flame as it headed into the home stretch of its 106-day run.

For Capus, president of the NBC News division, Vancouver makes his sixth Olympics and he'll tell you that his broadcast troops, who number about 350 for these games, cover the Olympics like a well-oiled machine.

He'll also tell you that every Olympic Games, summer or winter, are magnificent unto themselves, but being able to carry the torch, well, that's something else.

It was Dick Ebersol, who's in charge of sports and Olympics for NBC, who asked Capus last November if he wanted a spot in the relay. He hesitated for not one second.

"It was so cool," said Capus. "Jumping off that [torchbearer] bus into those crowds. They made me feel like a rock star."

So did his staff back at the International Broadcast Centre in downtown Vancouver, who started taking photos of the boss when he showed up after the relay still wearing his torchbearer uniform and carrying the soot-covered torch.

Capus's 300-metre relay leg was all downhill, on New Westminster's cobblestoned Fourth Street as it heads toward Columbia, and the Fraser River, and Capus says he was overwhelmed by the energy and enthusiasm of the crowds who lined the road, by the diversity of the faces of the young and old, and by their unabashed patriotism.

"It's a wonderfully unifying thing. All these generations, and these beautiful children. I felt like I'd been dropped into a storybook."

Capus is here to work, of course, in charge of the NBC News operation for the duration of the games, including the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams and The Today Show with Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieria and Ann Curry, broadcasting every morning from atop Grouse Mountain.

NBC has aired the Olympics since 1964, and for the 2010 Games decided, rather fittingly Capus says, to repatriate popular NFL commentator Al Michaels, who last covered the Olympics in 1988 in Calgary. Michaels will handle daytime hosting throughout the games, leaving the evening slot to veteran Bob Costas. Costas will also co-anchor tonight's opening ceremony with Matt Lauer.

The network plans 800-plus hours of coverage, (about twice that of the 2006 Winter Games in Turin), expects upwards of 200 million viewers, favoured by time zones allowing them to broadcast much of the action live.

And while the network will be up against some stiff prime-time competition, like American Idol, it also has some serious sporting stars to keep American viewers glued to their sets, including speed skater (and Dancing With The Stars winner) Apolo Anton Ohno, carrot-topped snowboarder Shaun White and multi-medal hopeful, alpine skier Lindsey Vonn, who may or may not compete following news this week that she has a serious shin injury.

Capus, who is 46, cut his broadcast journalism teeth in newspapers and radio in the Philadelphia area before joining NBC in 1993, working in various positions, including executive producer for NBC Nightly News. In 2005, he was named president of NBC News.

Source:vancouversun.com/

Winter Olympics turning into the Great White Warm

2010-02-12T01:34:00.000-08:00

VANCOUVER, B.C. — Snow, white and deep, powdery and plentiful. I've always believed it should play an important role in the Winter Olympics.

Seriously, I mean without snow — and, again, this is just my opinion — what you have is, well, maybe, the Summer Olympics.

The Winter Olympics should have a pervasive, up-in-the-mountains village feel to it. Hans Brinker meets Jean-Claude Killy. It should be "Dr. Zhivago" meets "Hot Day: The Movie."

When I walk out of my hotel — or, in the case of Lillehammer, Norway, my pre-fab log cabin — I like to sink knee deep in snow.

But Thursday morning, when I left the St. Regis, I sunk knee deep in Seattle. A steady rain was falling. The streets were slick. It was the kind of day that made you think about a bumbershoot, not a bobsled.

Call me a whacky traditionalist, but I like snow with my Winter Olympics. Snow outside my window. Snow that makes the sidewalk feel like a luge course.

A lot of snow, like Sarajevo in 1984 or Lillehammer in 1994. Snow that falls all day and night, a magic carpet of snow that covers the city, the race courses, the streets.

I want the snow falling from pillows of clouds overhead, not from helicopters clattering from above, as has been the case at Cypress Mountain.

I want the majesty of eagles — or at least hawks — soaring over the evergreens every day, not the squawking of seagulls outside the Main Press Centre.

But for Vancouver 2010, the Great White North has become the Great Warm North.

Every morning on CNN we watch the Northeast United States digging out from another record-setting dumping of snow and wonder if the Games shouldn't be moved to Washington D.C.

Imagine a cross-country course that winds its way past the Capitol, the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial.

On Tuesday here, it was so balmy you thought the pitchers and catchers, not the skaters and skiers, should be reporting for training.

These are supposed to be the greenest Games ever. They may become the brownest.

Olympic officials assure us there is plenty of snow both at Whistler Mountain and Cypress. The Games will go on. But their nervousness has been palpable.

Remember the Word Cup stopped coming to Whistler in the late 1990s after every race had to be cancelled for three straight years because of weather-related disasters? (After downhill practices were wiped out Thursday, the men's downhill scheduled for Saturday, could be postponed.)

I want these Games to be frozen. I want to see my breath.

Hunched against the rain, like a long-time Seattleite, and desperate for the feel of snow Wednesday afternoon, I heard rumors that a storm was heading for Cypress. I jumped on a bus and took the 55-minute ride to the mountain.

As we made our way along the winding road to the venue for snowboard and freestyle skiing events, which is at about 3,000 feet, something that looked vaguely familiar — white, wet and persistent — was falling from the sky.

It was snowing at Cypress, a scene so rare this winter, you would have thought this was Cypress Gardens, not Cypress Mountain.

The snow lightly covered the mud and the outcroppings of rocks that bordered the mogul course. It dusted the pine trees to give at least the temporary feeling of winter. Still, this looked like a mountain in trouble.

It looked as if Canada was preparing for War Games, not the Olympic Games. Tons of snow was trucking in from passes three hours away.

Orange helicopters that had been scooping snow from one part of the mountain and dumping it on another part, were parked in the lot, temporarily grounded by the storm.

Dump trucks rolled past security gates, unloaded snow that bulldozers then pushed toward the race courses.

The snow lasted for a few hours, but it felt more like a tease than a trend. The forecast for the next few days is a mix of snow and rain and shrugs from meteorologists.

Cypress could get whiter, or it could get wetter.

Of course, weather isn't everything with these Games. When Apolo Ohno is on the ice and Shaun White is in the halfpipe, Ted Lighty is on the hill and the Canadian hockey team is on the power play, nobody will care if these Olympics don't look postcard perfect.

I can't wait for the Games to begin. I'm just wishing it felt more like winter here. More white, less wet.

Source:seattletimes.nwsource.com/

30 Athletes Banned from Vancouver Olympics for Failing Drug Tests

2010-02-12T01:30:00.000-08:00

Thirty athletes have been banned from the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics for drug use. Those 30 athletes failed drug tests leading up to the 2010 Winter Olympics and are going to be barred from competing this year, according to the ESPN news wire. This is of course bad news for the upcoming Olympic Games, but it was probably expected as something like this has been announced at the previous Olympic Games as well. In the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, it was 70 athletes that were banned from the competition when they failed drug tests, but there are also many more athletes that compete in the Summer Games.

The news of the 30 barred athletes comes from the director general of the World Anti-Doping Agency (David Howman) who told the New York Times that this was taking place. It's sad that so many of these athletes failed their drug tests, but even worse that so many of them felt that there was a need to cheat in order to compete at this high level of their respective sports. The good news for the United States Olympic Team is that they didn't have anyone on the list of the banned athletes, so it means that they won't be missing any of their contingent due to drug suspensions when the Olympics kick off on Friday night. It sounds like many other countries were not quite as lucky.

Testing has been improved a lot in recent years to try and catch cheaters before they can actually make it into the Olympics. There has been far too many medals stripped from competitors who won them and then had it later discovered that they cheated in order to attain them. The ban of steroids is a good thing for sports, and it is really good to see that the Olympic Games are trying hard to keep their events clean again this year. Specific athlete names were not revealed at this time, but it may be easy to figure it out when the update lists of competitors are released and they are compared to the list of athletes that were supposed to attend.

The 2010 Vancouver Winter Games begin on Friday, February 12th, 2010.

Source:associatedcontent.com/

Canadian skiers 'dropping like flies'

2009-12-20T00:38:00.000-08:00

Francois Bourque has been ruled out of the 2010 Olympics after suffering a suspected anterior cruciate ligament tear in his left knee.Photograph by: Herald Archive, Reuters, Canwest News ServiceJust three days ago, Larisa Yurkiw's Olympic dream was still alive.

But in a matter of minutes, in what felt like a snowball to the back of the head, the Canadian national team skier joined the list of spectators for the Vancouver Games when she crashed on Wednesday during a training run in Val d'Isere, France.

There was just one thing going through her mind as she was carried off on a stretcher.

"It was the Olympics," said the 21-year-old native of Owen Sound, Ont. "There's so many sides of this. It was painful and tough, but physical is probably being one of the last. The timing of it obviously sucks, for the lack of a better word."

It also sucks for John Kucera. And Kelly VanderBeek. And Jean-Philipe Roy. And Francois Bourque.

All five members of the Canadian alpine team have seen their season come to an end in the past three weeks, with Kucera suffering a broken leg and the other four suffering knee injuries.

"The list of injuries on the men and women's side is awful," said Yurkiw. "It's kind of spooky, actually. It's easy for me to say now because I'm out and I'm on that list, but as a racer still going, I think there are still a lot of racers questioning what's going on.

"How are you supposed to push out of the start gate with full confidence when they are dropping like flies."

Yurkiw returned to Canada on Friday and was slated to see doctors in London, Ont., to confirm the initial diagnosis of a torn anterior cruciate ligament or medial collateral ligament in her left knee.

Regardless, she'll have nearly a year before her next world cup race. "There's a lot of parts of this that are tough. But from what I've heard, this also may be a rite of passage, too," she said. "There are so many girls in the races that are so competitive, that win world cups and they've all been through this. That alone is comforting, but it's definitely a tough time right now."

Veteran national team member Emily Brydon of Fernie, B.C., knows what some of the skiers are going through. She injured both her knees leading up to the 2002 Winter Olympics. And while she still competed in the slalom and giant slalom races at the world's big show, she wasn't competing at 100 per cent.

On Friday, she finished a career-best seventh in a super combined race in Val d'Isere, but most of the talk was on the hard-luck Canadian team, which is garnering international headlines with its injury woes.

"This has been probably some of the hardest times that I can remember being on the team," said Brydon. "With Johnny and then J.P., it was a real slap in the face. Then, when it hits so close to home, it really makes you think and it really affects you.

"With Larisa, it was really sad and really hard. With Kelly it started to become more of a, 'why,' 'why is this happening?' There is luck involved and it just feels like it is not on Canada's side."

For Yurkiw, she still had to qualify for the Games. There was plenty of work ahead and there was no guarantee she'd be strapping on the boards in Whistler.

Alpine Canada was hoping she'd get her feet wet in February and then build for the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia.

"Stuff like this happens and your route just changes a little. By no means are my goals different. I'm just hoping one day along this career path, I look back and this is somewhat insignificant," she said.

Alpine Canada plans to work with the International Ski Federation to attempt to find a solution to the rash of injuries for the Canadians and the world's other skiers. Yurkiw isn't sure much can be done about a sport where its athletes are expected to hurl down a mountain at breakneck speeds.

"Everyone wants to analyze a situation like this, because you feel like if you can blame it on something or fix something, then it won't happen," she said. "The truth is, what we do is risky, and it's extreme. I think it comes with the job. If things are avoidable, we'll find out what part of it is. It's kind of sick what has happened already this year."

Source:vancouversun.com/

Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay Media 1 convoy vehicle information and technical briefings to be held for Leamington and Windsor

2009-12-20T00:36:00.000-08:00

VANCOUVER, Dec. 18 /CNW/ - The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) will hold media technical briefings for Leamington and Windsor on Monday, December 21 related to 2010 Olympic Torch Relay community celebrations.

The briefings are intended to help media prepare to cover the relay and include an overview of Day 55, Wednesday, December 23 when the Olympic Flame will visit these communities, as well as route materials and community celebration plans. It is critical for media planning to cover these events to participate in, or be aware of, the technical briefings listed below: Please note that this is a technical briefing for media, not a press conference - no spokespeople from VANOC will be available on site for interviews.

No.1 Media Technical Briefing for Leamington
---------------------------------------

What: A technical overview of Day 55 (December 23) when the flame
visits Leamington

Where: Leamington Kinsmen Recreation Complex- 249 Sherk St

When: Monday, December 21 11 a.m. (local time)
(xx)NOTE - NO CONFERENCE LINE AVAILABLE

Participating: VANOC media relations representatives

No.2 Media Technical Briefing for Windsor
------------------------------------

What: A technical overview of Day 55 (December 23) when the flame
visits Windsor

Where: 350 City Hall Square West 2nd floor, Suite 202

When: Monday, December 21 2 p.m. (local time)

Participating: VANOC media relations representatives

Media dial-in information:

Conference ID: 2315464
Local dial in: 604-678-9970
Toll-free: 1 866-792-1316

Media vehicle registration: The registration process for Media 1 is available on FLAME, the torch relay's digital asset management system. You can access FLAME on www.vancouver2010.com/flame, click on visit FLAME and Register Now.

Once on FLAME:

- Select Editorial
- In the drop down menu of categories on the left hand side, select
Media 1 registration and press Search
- Click on the link in the page called Editorial Media 1 and a window
will open
- Click on Download tab above the picture
- Click on Add to download list and download the document
- Follow the instructions in the document

It is critical that you follow the registration process outlined in the document, otherwise we will not be able to capture your request.

For further information: Media contact: Vancouver 2010 Torch Relay Team, Tel: (604) 403-9328, E-mail:

Source:newswire.ca/

Hamilton set out welcome mat for Olympic torch

2009-12-20T00:34:00.000-08:00

Ryan Bennett, left, has his Olympic Torch lit by Mathew Piccioni, centre, in Brampton, Ont.Friday, December 18, 2009. Bennett carried the Torch by sledge hockey sled, a first in Olympic Torch Relay history.Photograph by: Brett Gundlock, National PostHAMILTON — Day 51 of the Olympic torch relay ended as it began Saturday — with boisterous revellers celebrating the passing of the flame in the Canadian cold.

The atmosphere at the day-ending community celebration in Hamilton was slightly smaller, colder and darker than when the torch set out from Toronto in the morning, but the crowd was excited nonetheless when torchbearer Ron Foxcroft ran through the crowd.

Foxcroft, a pro-basketball referee for over 35 years, is known as the inventor of the Fox 40 whistle — which has no moving parts and is used by professional sports organizations.

“This is a life-changing moment,” said Fox. “I’m a lifer Hamiltonian and Canadian and this is unbelievable.”

Songwriter John Ellis and Juno-award-winning singer Tom Wilson were among entertainers, and to bookend the lighting of the cauldron seven former Olympians from the community were invited onstage.

But the running tribute by hosts, presenters and dignitaries alike was to Dr. Gene Sutton — a lifelong supporter of amateur sport in Hamilton and across Canada, who died last August at the age of 64.

“She was a great believer in the Olympic spirit,” said Mayor Fred Eisenberger.

The morning was cold, too, but not quite cold enough to suit torchbearer Barbara Calderone in Mississauga.

“I prefer running in the winter,” said Calderone, a stay-at-home mother of two. “I like the cold air, I like the sound of the snow when I run on it — it’s like our sand in Canada.”

She’s a self-described “proud Canadian” who trains six times a week and ran the Boston Marathon twice. A lack of the white stuff, then, was never likely to hinder her 300-metre leg of the relay. Her only anxiety was a wish to get through without crying in public.

“Seeing my kids, seeing their faces watch me, seeing my husband,” said Calderone. “The pride in being a Canadian is just amazing.”

It was a pride shared by thousands of residents who showed up at a community celebration down by Mississauga’s City Hall, when the torch made a midday stop.

They took time out of their last holiday shopping weekend to wave flags and rattle tambourines. Cameras at the ready, and Canada Olympic gear on, they stopped to pose with hockey players on stilts and the Vancouver 2010 mascot, Quatchi.

Late in the morning, crowds surrounded the stage to watch performances by aboriginal singers, Afro-Franco Canadian dancers and a South Asian dance academy that specializes in the art of Bharata Natayam.

Percussionists, rhythmic gymnasts and MCs kept frostbite at bay, pumping up the crowd with music and cheering in the run-up to the flame’s debut in this west-of-Toronto community.

“The Olympic flame is ours here in Mississauga, Ont.,” was shouted over and over again, as the crowd joined in a spontaneous and enthusiastic round of O Canada.

Cheers for the flame’s reception were rivalled only by chants for Mayor Hazel McCallion, in her Olympic gear.

“Mississauga did it again!” she proclaimed from the stage. “Thousands of you here today ... what a delight, what an inspiration!”

McCallion praised the families and young people for turning out and supporting what she called a symbol of the “peace and harmony” identified with Canada, the “best country in the world.”

“We need more gold medallists from Canada at the Olympics,” she said.

The flame arrived in Mississauga at noon, carried onto the stage by former national women’s hockey team member and two-time Olympic gold medallist Cheryl Pounder.

Pounder said carrying the torch and lighting the community cauldron was an experience that went “hand in hand” with winning gold at Salt Lake City and Turin.

“It was unbelievable,” she said. “Seeing my community and my family, I started crying instantaneously.”

The Olympic Cauldron will be lit in Vancouver on Feb. 12, 2010, to open the Games.

National Post

Source:montrealgazette.com/

Art seller accuses 'monster' Olympics of stealing First Nation brand

2009-12-20T00:32:00.000-08:00

VANCOUVER — The First Nations owner of a B.C. art seller says Vancouver 2010 has “stolen” the authentic aboriginal product brand and put it on items made in China.

“Our branding has been usurped or appropriated or stolen by this monster organization — and now their suppliers stand to profit to the tune of millions of dollars,” said Shain Jackson, owner of Spirit Works Ltd. “Our biggest issue with the Olympics is this: if you Google the term ‘authentic aboriginal products,’ the first item you see is the 2010 site.”

That web page includes a selection of T-shirts, baseball caps and purses manufactured offshore.

Jackson says they don’t look like anything produced by aboriginal people.

And while 2010 sponsors like HBC stand to make millions of dollars in sales, Jackson says his business is on the verge of bankruptcy.

Spirit Works specializes in items like bentwood cedar boxes and jewelry inlaid with abalone.

Its items sell in 70 retail outlets, including the Vancouver Art Gallery, Grouse Mountain, the Museum of Anthropology, the Bill Reid Gallery and the Royal B.C. Museum.

Jackson, a 38-year-old former aboriginal rights lawyer, said he invested $500,000 in the two-year-old company after believing promises about 2010 native opportunities.

“If there is anything that I thought they could never outsource, it’s authentic aboriginal products,” he added. “I’m sitting here and having to consider pink slips pretty soon. We’re going to make it through the Christmas season by the skin of our teeth.”

After that, on the eve of the Olympics, he says he’s going to have to start laying off his four employees.

Jackson, originally from Sechelt, B.C., said he bid on a contract to supply the Four Host First Nations pavilion, but was only offered enough business to make a $300 profit.

“We wanted a substantial opportunity — and that means not sitting here going bankrupt while other companies are making tens of millions of dollars off our culture,” he said.

Jackson said he could have easily doubled his staff and made thousands of bentwood boxes and pieces of jewelry each month, and outsourced jobs to native communities to do sanding, gluing and inlay work.

Jackson said he’s not opposed to the Olympics, but says the event has been “hijacked” by big business.

He plans to post a blog and a petition online for people to sign in support of aboriginal businesses.

Tewanee Joseph, CEO of the Four Host First Nations, denied that Vancouver 2010 stole the “authentic” brand from aboriginal people.

“We define aboriginal products by who creates the artwork behind it,” he said.

He said that while Jackson is entitled to his opinion, there are many definitions of what “authentic” means.

“Even if a totem pole is created today, you probably use a chainsaw, which wasn’t done hundreds of years ago,” Joseph added.

He said B.C. aboriginal artists will get a huge amount of exposure from the Olympics.

“We have a number of products in our aboriginal line,” said Dennis Kim, 2010’s director of licensing and merchandising, “from our Inuksuit sculptures, which are handmade by Inuit, from a single piece of local stone found in the Arctic, to other items that feature authentic aboriginal artwork, which are applied to products produced by our licensees, some with facilities in Canada and some with facilities offshore.”

Kim said one-third of royalties from aboriginal products goes to the Vancouver 2010 Aboriginal Youth Legacy Fund.

Vancouver Province

dinwood@theprovince.com

Source:canada.com/

Olympics Straight Talk,73 percent of Canadians want women's ski jumping in 2010 Olympics, poll finds

2009-12-20T00:29:00.000-08:00

Most Canadians believe women’s ski jumping should be included in Vancouver’s 2010 Winter Olympics, a new poll has found.

Seventy-three percent of Canadians support the inclusion of women’s ski jumping as a medal sport in the Games, according to an Angus Reid Public Opinion survey released today (December 18).

Ten percent are opposed to seeing women’s ski jumping in the Games, while 17 percent aren’t sure where they stand on the issue.

On December 1, a group of female ski jumpers asked the Supreme Court of Canada to hear its appeal of two B.C. court rulings that found the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms doesn’t apply to the selection of Olympic sports.

Those rulings determined that the International Olympic Committee made the decision to exclude women’s ski jumping from the Games, which will include men’s ski jumping.

Support for women’s ski jumping is highest in Quebec, at 79 percent. British Columbians’ level of support is the same as it is nationally, at 73 percent.

Asked if they would support cancelling the men’s ski jumping competition if the women’s event isn’t added, most Canadians (55 percent) and British Columbians (71 percent) disagreed.

However, 51 percent of Quebeckers said they’d support this move.

In addition, 63 percent of Canadians and 75 percent of British Columbians oppose moving the men’s ski jumping contest out of the country if the women’s competition isn’t included in the Olympics.

Sixty-three percent of Canadians and 62 percent of British Columbians support the female ski jumpers asking the Supreme Court to hear their case.

In a July ruling, B.C. Supreme Court justice Lauri Ann Fenlon called the exclusion of women’s ski jumping “discriminatory” but found it wasn’t a breach of the charter.

In response, the IOC issued a statement denying it had discriminated against female ski jumpers.

The IOC stated its decision was “based on technical issues, without regard to gender”.

Angus Reid polled 1,006 Canadian adults from December 7 to December 8. The results of its on-line survey have a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.

Source:straight.com/

Organizers shrug off Lululemon's ploy with big sales numbers

2009-12-20T00:26:00.000-08:00

Pan Pacific general manager Tim Tindle, wearing red Olympic mittens, is ready to welcome the world to Vancouver. He says the Olympics will present new challenges and the hotel’s usual February complement of 375 workers will be expanded to 475.Photograph by: Ward Perrin, Vancouver SunVANCOUVER — The day after harrumphing at a cheeky marketing ploy by Vancouver's Lululemon, 2010 Olympic organizers fired the big guns in the PR battle for clothing supremacy.

They announced they'd hit the million sales mark for $10, red mittens.

And 2010 marketing boss Dennis Kim made it clear that even if Games organizers are frowning on Lululemon's line of clothing, the official merchandise is doing quite well, thank you.

"Early on, we were talking about how, if we reached one million pairs, what a fantastic accomplishment that would be," said Kim. "Here we are with two months left before the opening ceremonies and we've already hit a million pairs."

Not only that, but 2010 hoodies, toques and scarves have been flying off the shelves to the tune of 500,000 units, he said.

In the downtown HBC Olympic "superstore" alone, 70,000 pieces of official merchandise have been sold.

And Kim said that the official Team Canada jersey is on pace to exceed the 120,000 that sold during the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic year.

"Our merchandise revenue target was $53.8 million and we are very confident that number will be hit and we're even hedging that we might exceed that a little bit," he said.

Kim said it was pure coincidence that Vancouver 2010's good news story came out the day after Lululemon's new clothing line made front-page news.

The line is named "Cool Sporting Event That Takes Place in British Columbia Between 2009 and 2011 Edition."

Olympic organizers accused Lululemon of being unsporting, but admitted legal action is unlikely.

"What's clear today is people want the authentic product," said Kim.

Source:.calgaryherald.com/

55 Days until 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics

2009-12-20T00:24:00.000-08:00

Canada ranks seventh all-time in medals won at the Winter Olympics with 119 (38 gold, 38 silver,43 bronze). Ranking ahead of Canada are Norway (280), the United States (217), the Soviet Union (217), Austria (185), Germany (179) and Finland (151).

OLY BITS AND PIECES
Comedian RJ Currie came up with a Beatles Top 5 curling hits during last week's Roar of the Rings in Edmonton. Counting down: 5. Paperback Slider; 4. A Guard Day's Night; 3. Hack in the U.S.S.R.; 2.

You're Going to Lose That Curl; 1. I Should Have Thrown Better... Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke, who is also the GM for the American hockey team, is to carry the Olympic torch today in downtown Toronto and his leg comes between former CFLer Tom Hipsz and John Craig, a member of the 1980 Canadian Olympic track and field team that did not go to the boycotted Moscow Olympics. "People have been very cute about it," Burke told The New York Times. "A guy on the subway the other day came up to me and said, 'Mr. Burke, I'd like to congratulate you on your silver medal.'"... Russian Oly wannabes in the KHL will have one more shot at impressing head coach Vyacheslav Bykov this weekend at the Channel 1 Cup in Moscow. The four-team event also features Finland, Sweden and the Czech Republic.

The Moscow News reports the Russian coaching staff wants to construct two lines from NHL stars,w with the two other lines likely to be drawn from an NHL-KHL combination.

TEAM CANADA WATCH

Hockey Canada will announce its 23-man roster for the Olympic team on Dec. 30. ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun said the brain trust is now down to watching nine defenceman and 16 forwards, with a handful of others still on the radar screen. Here's our take on some candidates who have seen their stock rise or plummet of late:

RISING

Mike Cammalleri, LW, Montreal Canadiens

Entered Friday's action just 17th among Canadianborn players in scoring (18 goals, 12 assists), but highest among left-wingers. He has a superb touch around the net -- his 39 goals last year was fourth-best among Canadians and more than Sidney Crosby, Jarome Iginla and Evgeni Malkin. As well, he has a very respectable +10 plus-minus this season.

Dustin Penner, RW, Edmonton Oilers

Why is it that so many continue to snicker when Penner's name is mentioned as an Oly candidate? Last week, Kevin Lowe suggested the big Manitoban was one of six players who were not originally invited to the summer camp but are now being considered.

He has seven points in his last five games and has played well with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, two former Anaheim teammates who will likely wear Canada's colours in February.

Duncan Keith, D, Chicago Blackhawks

Went through a bad spell at the beginning of December where he was a minus 6 over four games, but has found his game again. Smooth-skating puck handler (born in Winnipeg) who is third among Canadian defencemen in scoring with 25 points (5G, 20A), behind Mike Green (32 points) and Dan Boyle (29 pts).

FALLING
Marc Savard, C, Boston Bruins Some observers wailed when Savard wasn't invited to the orientation camp this summer and with good reason -- his 88 points last year put him among the NHL's top 10 scorers. But he broke his foot in October and, aside from a three-point night against the Leafs last week, has struggled of late with no points in four of his last five games.

Dion Phaneuf, D, Calgary Flames

Love the idea of him lighting up unsuspecting forwards while wearing Canada's red and white, but trade rumours have been following him for a spell for a reason: His play has been inconsistent.

Source:winnipegfreepress.com/

Strong finish puts Powers in good Olympic position

2009-12-20T00:23:00.000-08:00

TELLURIDE, Colo. — Seven years after he won the gold medal in the Olympic halfpipe, Ross Powers has taken a key step toward qualifying for the Vancouver Games in snowboardcross.

The 30-year-old American finished third in a World Cup event Saturday, putting him squarely in the mix for the 2010 Olympic team. It was the second of five World Cup qualifying events for snowboardcross.

"I grew up doing a little of everything, racing gates, doing freestyle," Powers said. "In 2006, I was the alternate in the halfpipe, went over to Torino, watched these guys do snowboardcross, and I was fired up about it."

At least two snowboardcross riders will qualify for the American team based on results in the five World Cup qualifiers. Powers joins defending Olympic champion Seth Wescott and Graham Watanabe as the third American with a top 3 finish.

Powers, who led an American medals sweep on the halfpipe in 2002, finished behind Pierre Vaultier of France and Robert Fagan of Canada. Wescott finished sixth.

America's top woman was eighth-place finisher Faye Gulini. Defending Olympic silver medalist Lindsey Jacobellis finished 11th and hasn't made a final in either of the first two World Cup qualifiers, both of which have both been won by Maelle Ricker of Canada.

Ricker clipped Jacobellis's board in the first heat race, and Jacobellis wiped out.

"Lindsey rode great, and I don't think she did anything wrong," U.S. Snowboarding coach Peter Foley said. "She had a great race, she smoked the top, she and Maelle just tangled it up. Sometimes you can stay on your feet and sometimes you can't, but she went down."

Source:http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i6YD6uU0royELyXz-9Oz4IExe0pwD9CMODQ80

Vancouver 2010 Gameplay Trailer

2009-12-20T00:22:00.000-08:00

0:58 of gameplay footage
SEGA also released a new movie from Vancouver 2010, a game developed by Eurocom Entertainment Software and scheduled for winter of 2010, for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. Vancouver 2010 is a simulation of a host of events from the upcoming Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, focusing on the adrenalin rush that comes from the extreme speed of winter sports. In addition to the new challenge mode, Vancouver 2010 also offers revamped online gameplay and brand new control schemes new to an official video game of the Olympic Games. Local Download:

Source:gamershell.com/

2010 Olympic volunteers begin picking up uniforms, credentials

2009-12-20T00:19:00.000-08:00

Enthusiastic volunteers at the Uniiform and Accreditation Centre in Vancouver. Volunteers started picking up their accreditation and uniforms today for the 2010 Olympic Games.Photograph by: Ian Smith, Vancouver SunThe Vancouver 2010 Olympic Uniform and Accreditation Centre officially opened Monday at the PNE Forum — dispersing credentials and distinctive Wave Blue uniforms to five Games volunteers.

The 44,000-square-foot facility will eventually distribute 25,000 Olympic and Paralympic uniforms, with another 5,000 to be distributed at a similar centre in Whistler

The six-piece uniforms include a jacket, vest, two long-sleeve shirts, a toque and pants. Vancouver area volunteers get "city pants" while Whistler volunteers receive thicker insulated "mountain pants" to cope with colder weather.

The tops of the uniforms are an aquamarine-type "Wave Blue" colour while the pants are a darker navy or "Deep Sea Blue."

Volunteers get to keep the uniforms, which are worth between $700 and $800 each as it cost more than $20 million for 34,000 uniforms sized from extra small to extra large.

Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee vice-president of workforce operations Allen Vansen said Vanoc has received more than 75,000 applications so far for about 25,000 volunteer positions. Applications have come from more than 130 countries but about 90 per cent are from Canadians, with most coming from B.C.

Vansen said most positions have been filled but Vanoc is still looking for volunteers who can drive or be transportation attendants and for people who live in the Sea-to-Sky corridor.

Vancouver education administrator Larry Hoe, who received his credentials and uniform today, said he's thrilled at the prospect of working during the Games. He will drive vans carrying athletes, officials and VIPs from venue to venue during the Olympics.

"It's such a huge global event and to be a part of it is just exciting," he said. "I'm really looking forward to meeting people from other countries and learning about their culture."

bconstantineau@vancouversun.com

Source:vancouversun.com/

Support rolls in for Bramwell Tovey’s stand on declining Olympic offer

2009-12-20T00:16:00.000-08:00

Bramwell Tovey conducts the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.Photograph by: Handout, Vancouver SunVANCOUVER — Internationally renowned conductor Bramwell Tovey said on Friday that the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra has received a flood of support after it refused to allow its name to be associated with the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

The decision came after Tovey, who has led the VSO since 2000, was asked to conduct the recording session, but then was told another conductor would mime his performance at the ceremonies.

Tovey, who has been a guest conductor at the London, New York and L.A. philharmonics, said that what happened was “a shame” but that he had received many letters of support for the decision.

“I’m delighted by the response we’ve had today,” Tovey said on Friday. “We even had people send the VSO money today, but it has been a very special day in terms of people’s support.”

Tovey declined to comment on why Vanoc wanted to use another conductor for the ceremonies. One reason might be that producers of big events often pull together many different artists in an ensemble production.

“I don’t find it surprising that [the VSO] would not want to do that job under those conditions,” said George Laverock, program director for MusicFest Vancouver.

“It’s really a much more complicated issue. These shows have so many elements, and that’s just one section of the show so they have to have someone there that looks like he is conducting the overall thing, but they put together sections and some of it would be more pop and many other different styles of music.”

A Vanoc official contacted Friday said there was nothing to add to the statement issued earlier by David Atkins, the executive producer of the opening and closing ceremonies.

In that statement, Atkins said for “international televised live spectacles of this size and scope, it is standard practice to prerecord the musical segments to ensure the integrity and security of the broadcast transmission.”

He also said sections of the pre-recorded music will feature a larger ensemble than appears on stage.

British actor Christopher Gaze, best known as the artistic director of Vancouver’s Bard on the Beach, praised Tovey’s decision Friday.

“I admire Bramwell Tovey enormously; he is one of the great musicians of the world and I am extremely sympathetic and supportive of what he’s done because I think it’s a very bold move,” he said, shortly before hosting the VSO’s A Traditional Christmas Friday evening.

Gaze, who is also an ambassador for Vanoc and will be carrying the Olympic torch on Jan. 24, said it was his “Christmas wish” for Vanoc to sit down with the VSO and find a middle ground.

Art Willms, chair of the board for the Vancouver Symphony, said the VSO had “a very good relationship” with Vanoc. He suggested the controversy had been blown out of proportion and that Vanoc had simply made a decision about how to deliver some music.

He said the board was pleased because the VSO would still be heard at the Games.

VSO president and CEO Jeff Alexander said the orchestra was asked to record a piece of music for the ceremonies, but was not asked to appear in the show. He said although Vanoc offered to credit Tovey and the VSO, it “wouldn’t have made sense to allow the VSO name to be used.”

The VSO will perform at three events co-produced by Vanoc during the Games, he said.

ticrawford@vancouversun.com

With files from Randy Shore, the Vancouver Sun

Source:vancouversun.com/

Olympic hero Michael Phelps is beaten as 'Rocky' rules the waves in Manchester

2009-12-20T00:10:00.000-08:00

Michael Rock beat the greatest swimmer of all time as the Duel in the Pool encapsulated everything about swimming in 2009.
Rock relegated Phelps to second in the 200metres butterfly, something the 22-year-old can celebrate for the rest of his days.
But the Stockport man was wearing a performance-enhancing suit, while the Olympic and world champion was wearing the Speedo 2010 textile-only jammer.

Delight: Michael Rock celebrates after beating Michael Phelps in Manchester
In no way was it a level playing field and in all probability this was Rock’s first and last victory over Phelps.
However, the young Briton described it as ‘a fantastic experience’.
Phelps, who was racing for the first time in this country, finished the two-day, 30-race extravaganza by guiding the US 100m freestyle relay team home in a world record 3min 3.30sec, the eighth world record set by the Americans at the Duel.
The Baltimore Bullet is the greatest Olympian of all time, but 2009 began with a three-month ban from the sport after he was photographed smoking from a marijuana pipe at a college party, and although he won six more world titles in Rome last August, he has been consistently defeated, in part due to his decision to wear the trunks-only ‘jammers’ in readiness for next season.
None of which will bother 22-year-old Manchester University law student Rock, who beat the Olympic and world long-course 200m butterfly champion by more than a second in a time of 1min 51.46sec.
Phelps, who finished second to add to his three firsts and two thirds in this meet, hardly looked enamoured with his work.
‘I’ve just beaten the best,’ said the man nicknamed Rocky. ‘It’s the greatest
achievement of my life. It’s not every day you beat Michael Phelps, is it? Maybe I had an advantage, I don’t know, but it’s given me a real boost for the Commonwealths and Olympics.’
Legend: Michael Phelps in action at the Manchester Aquatics Centre

Phelps admitted his disappointment at what was for him a below-par performance.
‘It’s not been too bad, but it’s not been great, either,’ said the 24-year-old. ‘Michael beat me because he was better prepared. I’d rather lose the ones that don’t count than the ones that do and these are steps towards being ready for the next world championships and the London Olympics.’
Rebecca Adlington got back to winning ways as she took one of the six races won by Britain’s impressive women’s squad. Against her in the 800m freestyle, her favoured distance, was the open water 10km world champion Kerri-Anne Payne, who had been given two days’ notice that she would be competing in Manchester.
It was a classy display from the 20-year-old from Mansfield, which suggests a better 2010 than this year. Double Olympic gold medalist Adlington has endured a difficult 2009, not helped by her insistence on wearing a Speedo swimsuit that placed her at a disadvantage.
After the highs of 2008, Adlington, despite the post-Beijing euphoria, could only finish third and fourth in the world 400m and 800m and ended up in tears in Rome.
Brit of all right: Rebecca Adlington

On Saturday she wore a far happier expression, having beaten a decent field in 8min 10.59sec, just over six seconds outside the short-course world record. ‘I’m really pleased with that,’ she said.
Lizzie Simmonds had an even better Duel, adding a win in the 100m backstroke to her 200m victory on Friday. At 18, the girl from Lincoln promises to be one of the stars of London 2012 and another indication that British swimming, especially women’s, is growing in strength.
Fran Halsall underlined this by adding the women’s 50m freestyle to the 100m freestyle and butterfly victories from Friday night.
The 19-year-old’s exploits made it six wins from British girls out of the nine in total won by the E-Stars.
Despite the drubbing by the Americans - they won 21 races to nine - the Duel in the Pool was an exciting example of how much British swimming is developing and how, when the Olympics are in London, tickets for the pool will be among the hottest in town.

Source:dailymail.co.uk/

Canada cause of concern for U.S. women's hockey team

2009-12-20T00:08:00.000-08:00

Containing their resurgent Canadian rivals is going to be a tall order for defender Angeila Ruggiero (center) and company.
A

Now that it's official, and the 2010 U.S. Olympic women's hockey team has been named, is the pressure lifted or does it only get heavier from here?

As the two-time defending world champions, of course, the Americans were tabbed the early favorites to take gold in Vancouver, but after dropping five of their last six games against archrival Canada, the balance of power seems to be tilting back into the Olympic host nation 's favor.

In the essentially bipolar system of women's hockey -- the U.S. or Canada has won every gold medal awarded at Worlds or Olympics since international competition began in 1990 -- no matchup means more. And even though Team USA's recent slide against Canada can't bode well, U.S. defenseman Angela Ruggiero, now a four-time Olympian, doesn't seem too worried.

"On the pre-Olympic tours, we do have an opportunity to see each other more often," she says. "To be honest, it's gone back and forth. Going into 1998, we were dead even in games won and lost against them heading into Nagano, and we ended up on top. The next [Olympics in Salt Lake City], we were 8-0 against them and then ended up second. So as far as the record goes, it really doesn't matter. It matters who shows up in February."

What's been seen so far this season, however, is an offensively potent Canadian team that has outscored the U.S. by 28-17 in eight meetings since August. Seven of Canada's goals have come at the hands of Meghan Agosta, a talented 22-year-old forward who also led the NCAA with 2.44 points per game last season for Mercyhurst.

Team Canada, however, has perhaps been more impressive defensively, holding the Americans to two goals or fewer in their last five meetings. That can be frustrating for the Team USA's attack-minded players, led by University of Wisconsin standout Hilary Knight. The 5' 10" forward, whose size and long reach helped her net an NCAA-high 45 goals last year, scored a tournament-high seven goals for Team USA at the World Championships in April, but has scored just three in the last two-and-a-half months.

Coach Mark Johnson, an Olympic gold medalist on the famed 1980 Miracle Team, concedes that a string of losses can lead to some confusion, but he maintains that the most important thing is staying positive through it.

"Part of the process in getting to the end is dealing with these frustrations," he says. "Certainly, we don't like to lose. It's not fun. It's not enjoyable. I don't sleep well when we lose, but in the big picture.... I see improvement and strides being made."

As the Games near, the Americans will meet Canada twice more -- Dec. 30 at the Xcel Energy Center in Minneapolis and two days later in Ottawa -- before they begin playing for the real thing. These meetings will be the litmus test for Team USA. Any pressure that any player felt about making the team is now gone, and it's time to see if they can regain some swagger going into Vancouver, where the Canadian crowds will be vocally partisan and decidedly not in favor of the red, white and blue.

A Team USA primer
* Ruggiero isn't the only four-time Olympian on the team. Jenny Potter, a 30-year-old mother of two, will also dress for her fourth Games. "What she's done just amazes me," Johnson says. "The first time I coached her, as we got ready to go to Winnipeg for Worlds [in 2007], she had just had her second child. I've got five kids and I watched what my wife went through after each baby was delivered, and I'm thinking there's no way this young lady is going to be able to help us in Winnipeg. And boom, 10 weeks later, she's on the ice and we're doing conditioning drills up in Grand Forks, and she's out there doing them. And I'm like, 'Wow. This is special.'"

* Ruggiero and Potter also have an entire set of medals (gold in '98, silver in '02 and bronze in '06). But they're aiming to go full circle and get back to gold. A gold medal in Vancouver would complete the set for two-time Olympians Julie Chu and captain Natalie Darwitz.

* Of the 21 players on Team USA's roster, 19 are world champions, but only six are former Olympians. As the men's roster is expected to be (it will be announced Jan. 1 at the NHL's Winter Classic), this iteration of Team USA will be young (average age: 23.5), but teeming with potential. Knight, the team's leading scorer through this pre-Olympic tour, with 21 points, is the team's youngest, just nine days younger than twins Jocelyne and Monique Lamoureux.

* The Lamoureux twins are the first pair on a US Olympic hockey team. They are not the first twins to ever play Olympic hockey. Henrik and Daniel Sedin of the Vancouver Canucks, of course, represented Sweden at the 2006 Turin Olympics and won gold.

* Goalie Jessie Vetter, who turns 24 tomorrow (Dec. 19), got an early birthday present by making her first Olympic team. The University of Wisconsin netminder set NCAA records with 39 career shutouts and a .941 save percentage, and was also named Sportswoman of the Year by the Women's Sports Foundation in October.

Source:sportsillustrated.cnn.com/

Weldon LeBlanc: Impact of the 2010 Winter Olympics

2009-12-20T00:06:00.000-08:00

Business ColumnistsWeldon LeBlanc: Impact of the 2010 Winter Olympics
Friday, December 11th, 2009 | 9:46 am

Weldon LeBlanc
By Weldon LeBlanc

The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will take place in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010, and the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010.

An estimated 5,500 people from more than 80 countries will take part in 86 medal events during the Olympic Games, with another 1,350 people from more than 40 countries participating in the Paralympic Games.

More importantly, it is estimated that the combined Olympics will have a global audience of three billion people.

I did an interview recently on CTV challenging me on the economic impact of the 2010 Olympics. It was suggested that the economic spinoffs to the Okanagan would be minimal.

I see it differently.

An in-depth report was released in 2007 called “Legacies of North American
Olympic Winter Games” which analyzed the economic impact of the three Olympic Winter Games held in North America since 1980: in Lake Placid (1980), Calgary (1988) and Salt Lake City (2002). The report considers each of these three Olympic venues to be successful, and provided positive spin-offs to the host communities.

In examining the Calgary Olympic experience, the report notes that the Olympics made Calgary internationally famous as a tourist destination. The Canada Olympic Park has become the second most popular destination in Alberta, next to the Rocky Mountains.

In the Legacies report, Tracey Grindal, manager of market research for Tourism Calgary, is quoted as saying that the most significant impact of hosting the Winter Games is the increase in international importance. “It puts you on the world map. It sets you apart. It broadens your image.”

Being removed from the limelight of the Lower Mainland, what does the Olympic activity mean for Kelowna and the Okanagan?

In Kelowna we’re already seeing the benefits of the Winter Olympics. Early efforts by the Economic Development Commission and the Kelowna Chamber on Olympic procurement opportunities have resulted in local businesses tapping into lucrative business opportunities.

Additionally, we are now seeing Olympic athletes using local facilities as training venues.

In February and March, Whistler and Blackcomb will not be accessible to skiers. Big White and the hospitality sector of Kelowna are well positioned to take advantage of this opportunity.

Kelowna is also well positioned to take advantage of the inaccessibility of Vancouver during February and March. The anticipated traffic congestion in Vancouver during the Olympics will make our city a great winter get-away destination.

During the Olympics, people around the world will get glimpses of the Okanagan and Kelowna through the efforts of Tourism Kelowna who are making sure the media have footage of our region. It is hoped that tourists and investors will find their way to the Okanagan in the months and years following the Olympics as a result of the heightened international media coverage. The results of the Legacies report of the three other Olympic venues support this assumption.

At this late stage, according to the VANOC website, Olympic organizers are currently focusing procurement activities in areas where immediate requirements for goods and services exist. Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Invitations to Quote (ITQs), Requests for Expression of Interest (EOIs), and other bid opportunities may be issued at www.vancouver2010.com and through www.bcbid.gov.bc.ca.  Regardless of our thoughts, the 2010 Winter Olympics will have an impact on Kelowna and the Okanagan. Only time will tell to what extent.

Source:kelowna.com/

Bulletin: Senators to participate in 2010 Olympic Torch Relay

2009-12-20T00:05:00.000-08:00

Fisher, Murray, Leeder and Courchaine to represent clubThursday, 10.12.2009 / 10:09 AM / News Ottawa Senators OTTAWA - Four members of the Ottawa Senators organization will serve as torchbearers during the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay as it passes through Gatineau and Ottawa.

Centre Mike Fisher leads the Senators torchbearers with his opportunity on Friday, Dec. 11. At approximately 6:50 p.m., Fisher will be handed the torch from the Preservation Centre along Boulevard du Carrefour to the intersection of Boulevard de la Cité. A community celebration will be underway as the Olympic Flame arrives at Place de la Cité at 7 p.m.

On Saturday, Dec. 12, at approximately 12:10 p.m., general manager Bryan Murray will carry the torch as the relay crosses the Alexandra Bridge to St. Patrick Street between the Samuel-de-Champlain Monument and Sussex Drive.

Bill Courchaine, the Senators director of sales and corporate partnerships, will take the Olympic Flame along Palladium Drive up to Scotiabank Place at 8:40 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 13.

Senators president Cyril Leeder is the last of the team’s representatives to take part in the honour. On Monday, Dec. 14, around 7 a.m., Leeder will take the torch on King Edward Avenue near Laurier Avenue East and go south up to Osgood Street.

Each of the torchbearers will carry the Olympic flame for a distance of approximately 300 metres.

The torch relay began its schedule across Canada on Oct. 30 in Victoria and concludes at the opening ceremony, signalling the start of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games on Feb. 12. The Olympic flame will travel by land, air and water during its 106-day journey as it visits more than 1,000 communities across Canada. The torch arrives in Gatineau on Day 43, Friday, Dec. 11.

Source:senators.nhl.com/

Olympic glory 26 years later

2009-12-20T00:02:00.000-08:00

DEAN RUTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Brothers Steve, left, and Phil Mahre from Yakima won Olympic medals in the slalom at the 1984 Winter Games. Phil finished first and Steve second in the race. They grew up skiing in the Cascades at White Pass.

Her moment in the spotlight lasted a few scant minutes. Their achievements were measured by fractions of seconds. Yet their legacy has been timeless. P Nearly 26 years ago, the U.S. Winter Olympic team in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, was dominated by four precocious young athletes from the state of Washington.

Skiers Phil Mahre and Debbie Armstrong came away with gold medals. Phil's twin brother, Steve, and figure skater Rosalynn Sumners left with silvers, both losing gold by infinitesimal margins.

That Evergreen quartet accounted for half of the eight medals won by the U.S. delegation. And as the 2010 Winter Games approach less than two months from now in Vancouver, B.C., those Olympian moments on the ice and snow still loom large in their lives.

They insist they haven't allowed what happened more than a quarter-century ago to define them. Yet they still can't help but see themselves — and invariably be seen by others — through the prism of their Olympic success or failure. A stunning upset for Armstrong on snow contrasts with the bitter disappointment of Sumners on ice. And one Mahre twin's golden moment was the other's agonizing near-miss.

Scratch just below the surface with the right question, and you can find those moments, still powder fresh.

"It's there forever," said Phil Mahre, now 52 and living in Yakima — near Steve, as always. "You know if you're ever having a bad time, you plug in the tape and you're a gold medalist, and you feel great again."

Phil can't resist a good-natured brotherly needle.

"Steve, on the other hand, is always a silver medalist. It's kind of a bummer for him."

Responds Steve, equally good-natured: "He gets to rub that in. It's so funny — I can watch the race and say, 'Maybe this time I'll win.' But, no, I still don't win."

Phil refuses to let others categorize him because of his Olympic achievement.

"I can't base my life on a minute and 40 seconds," he said. "It's something I'll always cherish and I'll always have, but it doesn't define me. It's not who I am, per se. But I learned a lot of life's lessons throughout my career that I've been able to put into everyday life."

To be more precise, Mahre's combined winning time in the slalom, on the final day of those XIV Winter Games, was 1 minute, 39.41 seconds — 21 hundredths of a second ahead of Steve.

Steve, who had led Phil by seven-tenths of a second after their first runs, came to terms long ago with his runner-up finish. That's not to say that he doesn't relive every perceived flaw that kept him from gold.

Before Steve made his final run, he talked via walkie-talkie to his brother at the bottom of the mountain. Phil had already raced, and, as always, gave Steve tips on the course — essentially a road map to beating him for the gold.

"It was a hard pill to swallow, but what better person to lose to than my brother?" said Steve. "We had a saying our entire career: Keep it in the family."

Phil's family had expanded by one that very day. His wife Holly gave birth to a son, Alex, in Scottsdale, Ariz., at roughly the same time Phil was racing down the slopes of Bjelasnica. Phil was informed of the birth as he went to the awards ceremony, and broke down at his news conference.

Steve couldn't resist his own wisecrack: "If they would have told me his son had been born, I would have definitely told Phil. Because I know he would have left, and I would be gold medalist right now."

Debbie Armstrong

For Armstrong, a 20-year-old barely two years removed from Seattle's Garfield High School, it was a 2-minute, 20.98-second ride to fame and glory.

Unheralded when the Olympics began, Armstrong was on the cover of Sports Illustrated when it ended with her having earned the U.S.'s first gold medal in the Sarajevo Games, in the giant slalom.

It was the high point of a seven-year career on the U.S. ski team that earned her the nickname "Debstrong" for her mental and physical toughness.

"My mind that day was crystal, crystal clear," recalled Armstrong, now 46 and Alpine Technical Director for the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club in Steamboat Springs, Colo.

"There was a certain innocence. I was there that day to win a medal. No deterring. I was full of life and joy, but fiercely independent and competitive. Then, on that day, it was the epic, ultimate release of setting your mind to do something and then accomplishing it."

Yet as exhilarating as that moment was, Armstrong embraces Mahre's premise of not letting it define her. She has embodied that philosophy with a life of exploration and growth. She went back to school and earned a degree in history from the University of New Mexico, then trained to become certified as a ski instructor.

Armstrong also made a pilgrimage to Sarajevo in 2001 after the Bosnian war ravaged the country, an experience she said "gave me so much more context and understanding. When you're there as an athlete, it's tunnel vision. To go back and see the devastation, but also see the hope and energy in building the city back, and the pride of the residents, made it a wonderful trip."

In Sarajevo, Armstrong planted trees and helped with environmental restoration.

"Phil couldn't be more accurate," she said. "That medal can't define you — yet you can't separate the fact that it's part of who you are. Not necessarily because it's in your consciousness every day, because it absolutely isn't. But as far as the majority of people who don't know you, that's how they see you.

"I embrace it. It's wonderful, but I had a lot of life to live after being 20 years old on that day."

Rosalynn Sumners

Sumners admits that putting aside the disappointment of narrowly missed gold was hard. She entered the Olympics at 19 as the reigning world champion. She was expected to breeze to the gold and then cash in millions on the pro tour.

Sumners, raised in Edmonds, had begun skating as a youngster at Lynnwood's Sno-King Ice Arena and dedicated her youth to the dream of a gold medal.

"I chose it, or it chose me, at 7," she said. "I was fine going to bed at 8, and setting the alarm at 4 a.m. I loved being different. I wanted to be different. It was part of the motivation. ... There was no question in my mind I was going to be a champion."

In Sarajevo, however, Sumners finished second to Katarina Witt of East Germany by one-tenth of a point. It came down to the long program. A strong showing would have given her the gold.

"It took years to come to terms with it, and I'm sure whatever happened that night affected my whole life, negative and positive, in its own ways," Sumners said.

"The older you get, you realize, 'Wow, I went to the Olympics.' But that night, I was there for one purpose, and one purpose only, that I had chosen at 7. You're trying to do it for your family, and your country, and every eye is on you. That's a lot on a 19-year-old's shoulders."

Instead of executing a triple jump, as planned, Sumners did a double. And a double jump became a single. Those omissions no doubt cost her the gold.

"Really, that night, some part of me sort of gave up a little bit," she said. "Because the pressure had gotten so bad."

Finishing second, she said, "always kept me hungry, for sure, as a skater. ... If I hadn't made it to the Olympics, or hadn't been world champion, that would have been life-crushing. But other than the fact I would have been announced every night as 'Olympic champion Rosalynn Sumners,' I never looked at something and said, 'If I had won the Olympics, I could have gotten to do that.' "

She added wistfully, "It would have been fun to be announced as Olympic champion."

After two unfulfilling years on the Disney on Ice tour, trying to entertain kids who came to see Mickey Mouse, Sumners was invited to join the fledgling Stars on Ice tour by its founder, Scott Hamilton.

"That call saved my life," Sumners said. "I don't know if I would have skated again, or what I would have done. It was so much fun, and so rewarding."

She stayed with Stars on Ice for 13 years, riding the figure-skating boom and becoming as close as family with fellow competitors like Hamilton, Witt, Kristi Yamaguchi and Brian Boitano.

Sumners, now 45, has been married since 2004 to Bob Kain, her longtime beau and former president of the powerhouse IMG sports agency. They have a home in Palm Springs, Calif., and one in Kirkland. She says she'll never abandon her Puget Sound roots.

Since retiring from skating in 2007 — she's contemplating a brief return to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Stars on Ice — Sumners has begun a second career as an entrepreneur.

After dabbling in building homes by starting a residential real-estate development company, she now operates two adjoining stores in Kirkland, Bella Tesori and Bella Bambina. The former specializes in custom furniture and home décor, while the latter sells clothing and other items for babies and small children.

Despite the lagging economy, she loves the challenge.

"I have great fun buying all the cute stuff," she said, laughing. "It's like choreography — constant ideas. How can I move it around and make it look inviting?"

None of the four have plans to attend the Vancouver Olympics, though the Mahres, who do corporate appearances as well as running the Mahre Training Center in Deer Valley, Utah, might wind up there if they have a client.

That doesn't mean they won't all watch and remember.

When Phil Mahre recently was on the podium with aspiring 2010 Olympians during a Comcast news conference, he teared up as he addressed the athletes.

"The farther you get away from your career, the more you realize how much it meant to you," he said.

Larry Stone: 206-464-3146 or lstone@seattletimes.com

That medal can't define you — yet you can't separate the fact that it's part of who you are." — Debbie Armstrong

Source:seattletimes.nwsource.com/

Aggreko Equipment Hits the Slopes in Vancouver

2009-12-19T23:57:00.000-08:00

With fewer than 60 days to go before the 2010 Winter Games, Aggreko equipment — such as the heaters and electrical distribution shown at the Richmond Olympic Oval venue, which will host the speed skating competition — has already begun to arrive in Vancouver.

With less than 60 days to go until the Opening Ceremony for the 2010 Winter Games, Aggreko, a global leader in temporary power generation, temperature control and oil-free compressed air solutions, has dozens of technicians on the ground in Vancouver, installing and fine tuning equipment at the venues for the big event. As the official supplier of temporary power and temperature control solutions, Aggreko will support BC Hydro, the primary provider of clean hydro-electric energy, by providing temporary power, heating and cooling equipment at all of the Vancouver and Whistler venues throughout the Games. These venues include: the BC Place Stadium for the opening and closing ceremonies; various celebration sites; the main media center; the Whistler broadcast and press center; the Olympic and Paralympic Villages in Vancouver and Whistler; and all competition venues.

“The Olympic Games are the epitome of sporting events, with a worldwide audience in the billions,” said George Walker, president, Aggreko North America. “The elements that are Aggreko’s responsibility — designing and installing temporary power distribution, cooling and heating infrastructure — are crucial to the overall success of the event. We’ve been working with the event organizers and BC Hydro for more than a year to coordinate all of our efforts, and now it’s time to put that plan into action.”

The Vancouver Olympic Winter Games represent the largest temporary heating project in Aggreko’s history, with 90 percent of the heating requirements used for snow-melting applications. By January, more than 2,700 pieces of Aggreko equipment will have been installed by the 85-strong Aggreko crew, including:
• 40 megawatts of electric heaters, or enough for 3,000 medium-sized homes
• A minimum of 90 megawatts of stand-by and primary generators and power distribution, enough to power 8,000 medium-sized homes
• 250 miles of cable, enough to stretch from Vancouver to Portland

Aggreko will provide stand-by power at the International Broadcast Centre. In addition, Aggreko will provide the main power supply to the opening and closing ceremonies and medal ceremonies at BC Place. At the UBC Thunderbird Arena, which is hosting the opening round of the ice hockey competition, Aggreko is working with organizers to convert a practice rink into a temporary locker room and office space infrastructure. In addition, nearly all of the mountain venues are temporary, requiring huge amounts of heat — primarily to melt snow to prevent it from collecting on the roofs of temporary structures and endangering them.

Aggreko has a wealth of experience providing power and temperature control to the most high-profile events in the world, including eight Olympic Games, the U.S. Presidential Inauguration, the Ryder Cup and the Daytona 500.

With North American headquarters in Houston, Aggreko is No. 10 on the RER 100.

Source:rermag.com/

Speed Skating at the Olympics

2009-12-19T23:52:00.000-08:00

Speed skating began in Holland in the 13th century as a form of transportation. Speed skating is both elegant and fast, with skaters reaching speeds of more than 60 kph (37 mph). Speed skating has been part of the Winter Olympics since they began

Canadian Clara Hughes Speed Skating at Turin Olympics

Robert Laberge / Getty Images

at Chamonix, France in 1924, although it was only the men then. Ladies' speed skating didn't become a full medal event until the Squaw Valley Winter Olympics in 1960.

How Speed Skating at the Olympics Works
Speed-skating at the Olympics takes place on a 400 m oval ice rink. The skaters compete in pairs. They skate in lanes, changing lanes once every lap to even out the distance covered. The athletes are timed electronically to one-hundredth of a second.

There are 12 speed skating events at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, six each for the men and ladies. The men's events are 500 m, 1000 m, 1500 m, 5000 m, 10,000 m and the team pursuit; the ladies' events are 500 m, 1000 m, 1500 m, 3000 m, 5000 m and the team pursuit.

The team pursuit was introduced at the Turin Olympics in 2006. In the team pursuit two teams of three skaters compete. The team members take turns leading to take advantage of air currents. The race finishes when the last team member crosses the finish line. A series of elimination rounds leads to a final race.

Speed Skating Venue at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics
All speed skating events at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics are held at the Richmond Olympic Oval in Richmond, BC. The facility holds about 7,600 people.

Speed Skating Schedule at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics
The speed skating events at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics begin on Saturday February 13 with the men's 5000 m event and go through to Saturday February 27 with both the men's and women's team pursuits. For detailed Vancouver Olympics speed skating schedules see:

Source:canadaonline.about.com/

Why leave the Olympics to the amateurs

2009-12-19T23:48:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Big White Ski Resort
The sunset as seen atop Big White in Kelowna, B.C. If the slopes here are good enough for aerial skier Steve Omischi, they’re probably good enough for you. If not, there’s also tubing.
Instead of hanging around the house glued to your TV set during the 2010 Olympics, why not schedule a winter getaway during which you watch the games but also try an Olympic sport? It would be fun to stay in the heart of the action at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler (fairmont.com/whistler), say, but Canada is a vast marshmallow world waiting to be explored. Most Olympic activities can be done at several locations; here's our top pick for each sport.

Freestyle Skiing/Ski Jumping

Big White

Kelowna, B.C.

It's not likely that you are an accomplished ski jumper or freestyle skier doing back flips with twists, but after getting in touch with your inner daredevil at Big White Ski Resort (bigwhite.com) you can boast that you graced the same slopes as aerial skier Steve Omischi, World Cup champ and Olympic-podium hopeful, who lives in nearby Kelowna.

With an uphill lift capacity of 28,000 skiers and riders per hour, Big White Ski Resort is B.C.'s second-largest resort. It features tubing and snowboard parks, skating pond and snowmobile rentals and trails. Moreover, it's celebrating the Olympic Games with its own mini-version, complete with opening and closing ceremonies, Olympic-sport activities (you can try curling on the pond, for instance) and daily medal presentations to participants.

In Kelowna (kelownatorism.com), check-out the town's new outdoor rink in Stuart Park and visit Mission Hill Family Estate for a bottle of its award-winning ice-wine.

Biathlon

Silverstar

Vernon, B.C.

When considering biathlon, which combines cross-country skiing and marksmanship, you can't - as in bowling, say - simply show up at a facility and give it a whirl. The sport, with its military roots and use of weaponry, is something folks train to do over time. To get a taste of it, however, head to Silverstar resort (skisilverstar.com) in Vernon (vernontourism.com), where many of the world's elite teams are training this winter to prep for the Olympics. Hit the resort's 60 kilometres of cross-country trails, and once your heart rate is up, add a target-shooting component - for example, throwing snowballs at a spot on a tree.

Silverstar has snowboard and tube parks, an outdoor rink, snowshoe tours and sleigh rides. Be sure to take a winter walk through Vernon's outdoor art gallery, Heritage Murals of Downtown Vernon (vernonmurals.ca). It has 27 murals, some as long as 300 feet and 40 feet high.

Luge, Bobsleigh, Skeleton

Canada Olympic Park

Calgary

One of Canada's top female luge athletes, Regan Lauscher, says you don't need a track to experience the thrill of a slider - she got hooked as a kid tobogganing in her hometown of Red Deer. However, if you want to experience the real thing, head to Canada Olympic Park (winsportcanada.ca), the premier location during the 1988 Calgary Games. On Feb. 13 and 14, the facility is opening the luge and bobsleigh tracks to the public, offering slides to those over 16 years of age. To book, call guest services at 403-247-5452 (no experience is necessary but there are some physical requirements to meet). Public bobsleigh rides are available through the winter and are listed on the website.

Visitors to Calgary can expect the usual big-city amenities with a bonus: The Calgary Mid-Winter Blues Festival (calgarybluesfest.com) runs Feb. 22-27.

Curling

Caledonian Curling Club, Tartan Club

Regina

Canada's first Olympic Gold medal in women's curling was awarded to Regina's Sandra Schmirler and her team at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, just two years before her death at age 36 from cancer. Considered the provincial sport of Saskatchewan, visitors to Regina can book ice time at Schmirler's home club, the Caledonian Curling Club (callieclub.com; 306-525-8171) or Tartan Club (tartancurling.ca; 306-522-1649), which offers ice time, private lessons and glow-in-the-dark curling (think disco ball, black lights, glow strips on the rocks and music.

Honorable mention goes to Quebec's Fairmount Le Chateau Montebello (fairmont.com/montebello), which has a curling club right on its property. Guests are invited to book ice time when they make a reservation or attend weekend curling clinics. Special family packages that include curling are available during the games.

Hockey

Deerhurst Resort

Huntsville, Ont.

With ponds, lakes and indoor and outdoor rinks flooding our nation, it's hard to think of a place you can't play a game of hockey in Canada during the month of February. However, Deerhurst Resort (deerhurstresort.com), in Ontario's Muskoka region, has more ice surface than you can shake a hockey stick at: It's home to the world's largest pond-hockey tourney, the Canadian National Pond Hockey Tournament, which brought together almost 300 teams over two weekends last year. Weather permitting, the upscale resort maintains up to 24 rinks on Peninsula Lake, and has its own zamboni. This swank winter wonderland also offers horseback riding, kid's pony rides, cross-country skiing trails and equipment rental, snowshoeing and tubing. A free shuttle whisks guests to the ski hill next door.

This is celebrity-studded cottage country, so expect to see fur and brand-name outerwear.

Skating

Rideau Canal Skateway

Ottawa

At 7.8 km long, the world's largest skating rink snakes its way through the heart of the capital, with more than one million skaters a year gliding over is its icy skin.

During Winterlude, Ottawa's famous frosty festival, which will be held on the three weekends between Feb. 5 and 21, the canal and surrounding venues swell with hundreds of thousands of tourists and locals taking in various activities - be sure to check out the masterpieces at the snow and ice-sculpture competitions.

Folks who resist stuffing themselves with beaver tails, a delicious fried dough pastry shaped like the distinctive appendage of our national animal at kiosks scattered along the canal, take advantage of the prix-fixe menus and wine pairings at the many restaurants participating in Taste of Winterlude.

Speed skating

Iqaluit Speed-Skating Club

Iqaluit, Nunavut

It's cold on Baffin Island. And in the month of February, it's usually dark, too. Still, the people of Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut (nunavuttourism.com), are warm and sunny and the speed-skating club is one of the few such facilities in the country opening its doors to the public in February. Nunavut Speed Skating Club (nanuvutspeedskating.ca; 867-979-1226) is hosting a slew of events, including demonstrations, open practices where you can watch elite athletes train and free skating sessions for which you can rent speed skates or wear your own (hockey and figure skates are both acceptable).

The adventuresome family, looking for an epitome-of-winter destination steeped in Inuit culture, can partake in once-in-a-lifetime escapades such as dog sledding, cold-weather camping and hiking tours beneath the Northern Lights.

Snowboarding

Ski Morin Heights, Station de Ski Alta

Quebec's Laurentian heartland

The first Olympic gold medal for snowboarding ever awarded went to Canada's Ross Rebagliati, who despite his B.C. roots cites small resorts in Quebec as his favourite place to ride. Why? Back in the 1980s, when he learned to snowboard, snowboarders weren't allowed on chairlifts, so he and his pals had to climb local hills. Since then, of course, the sport has gone mainstream, but Rebagliati says that a lot of snowboard enthusiasts are using local hills or riding at small resorts.

Ski Morin Heights and Station de Ski Alta (laurentians.com) are two old-fashioned resorts nestled in the Laurentians, less than an hour from Montreal. After a day of boarding, Rebagliati suggests a trip to the city, on the grounds that Montreal best reflects the freedom-of-expression snowboarding culture. "It's the centre of urban snowboarding, too. So don't be surprised to see someone dropping off a rooftop or riding a stairway rail." Adding to the joy, Montreal High Lights Festival (montrealhighlightsfestival.com) runs Feb. 18-28.

Cross-country Skiing

Les Aventuriers

Charlo, N.B.

Charlo, a small town on New Brunswick's north shore, is home to Les Aventuriers Ski Club, where many elite nordic athletes train and compete.

Beautiful by day with its a frozen waterfall and its river views, the five-kilometre trail, the Serpentine, is lit up at night. Skiers can venture forth and explore other trails after dark, by moonlight or headlamp.

Nearby Heron's Nest Cottages (heronsnestcottages.com) offers cross-country skiing packages, alpine skiing at Sugarloaf Ski Resort and a Valentine's Day package that includes chocolates, wine, jetted tub, fireplace and king-size bed in your love cabin.

Alpine Skiing

Marble Mountain

Corner Brook, N.L.

If you ask the average Canuck to rattle off the best ski havens in the country, a resort in Newfoundland might not immediately make the list. But at Marble Mountain (skimarble.com), which boasts a puffy quilt of the white stuff, you can ski, cat ski (wherein skiers are taken to back-country terrain via a snow-cat machine) and kite ski (the skier is pulled by a kite, but mercifully his skis stay on the ground). Take advantage of Marble Villa at the foot of the mountain, with its ski-in/ski-out accommodations, or stay at the other hotels, motels and B&Bs nearby or in Corner Brook. The community of 20,000 celebrate the season with Corner Brook Winter Carnival (cornerbrookwintercarnival.squarespace.com), a 10-day festival beginning Feb. 19.

A few words from the carnival's theme song to get you going:

Winter is a world all of its own

That is why we say now don't stay home.

Source:nationalpost.com/

Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay Media Briefing Scheduled for Mississauga

2009-12-19T23:45:00.000-08:00

The City of Mississauga and The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) will hold a media briefing on Thursday, December 17, 2009 related to the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay community celebrations in Mississauga.

The briefing is intended to help media prepare to cover the relay and includes an overview of the relay through Mississauga as well as route materials and community celebration plans.

It is critical for media planning to cover these events to participate in, or be aware of the briefing. Please note that this is a technical briefing for media, not a press conference - no spokespeople will be available on site for interviews.

What: A technical overview of the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay in Mississauga

When: Thursday, December 17, 2009
11 a.m.

Where: Auditorium
Mississauga Civic Centre, Ground Floor
300 City Centre Drive

Who: City of Mississauga media relations and event staff
VANOC media relations representatives

As Canada’s sixth largest city, Mississauga is home to 730,000 residents and 55,000 businesses, including 61 Fortune 500 companies with Canadian head offices or major divisional head offices. A diverse, progressive and award-winning municipality located on the shores of Lake Ontario in the heart of the Greater Toronto Area, Mississauga is one of Greater Toronto's Top 90 Employers for 2010. Enhancing its citizens’ quality of life by providing superior services, revitalizing its infrastructure and conserving the environment, Mississauga is committed to innovation, operational excellence and fiscal responsibility which is reflected in its motto: “Leading Today for Tomorrow.”

The 2010 Olympic Torch Relay will Travel through Mississauga
Join in the excitement! Saturday, December 19, 2009

Source:mississauga.ca/

Stephen Colbert to attend Vancouver 2010 Olympics

2009-12-19T23:43:00.000-08:00

VANCOUVER — Stephen Colbert, who has been critical of Canada and the access U.S. athletes are being given to the Olympic speedskating oval, is going to the Vancouver Winter Games.

Colbert is going to the Vancouver Winter Games and has accepted the City of Richmond’s offer to be the Olympic Oval Ombudsman. He made the announcement on his satirical comedy show The Colbert Report Thursday night.

He said he has no idea what it means to “ombud,” but “as long as it requires no effort from me, I proudly accept.”

What the comedian didn’t do, however, was don the ombudsman’s official uniform — the baby-pink toque that Richmond had sent to him.

Further putting his speedskate where his mouth is, Colbert has vowed to try out and make the U.S. Olympic team and attend as part of the squad. In the weeks to come, Colbert has vowed to "try out" for various winter sports, having already tried skeleton, above. Next week, he'll be in a bobsled.

Of course, should he fail to make it, the satirical host has already become the official sponsor of the U.S. speedskating team, and he always has the Ombudsman position to fall back on.

Source:nationalpost.com/

Capitals star Alex Ovechkin gets 'movie star' treatment in Vancouver

2009-12-19T23:41:00.000-08:00

VANCOUVER, B.C. — As Washington Capitals star sniper Alexander Ovechkin walks down the busy Vancouver streets, he can go nary a few steps without being recognized.

"Everybody just comes to me and says, 'What's up?' It's pretty cool. I feel like a movie star," Ovechkin, flashing his trademark toothless smile, told reporters Friday.

He's yet to appear in any Hollywood feature films, but Ovechkin might be the National Hockey League's leading man when it comes to awe-inspiring YouTube clips.

The 24-year-old two-time most valuable player has put together a highlight reel complete with tumbling goals and bone-crunching hits, earning him a legion of fans who are every bit as passionate off the ice as Ovechkin is on it.

Ovie's first visit to Vancouver in more than three years generated no shortage of buzz. More and more red Capitals jerseys suddenly started springing up around the city as Friday's tilt with the Canucks drew closer.

Thursday, hundreds of fans lined up at a downtown Vancouver store for an Ovechkin autograph signing.

Friday, dozens more waited outside General Motors Place after a Capitals skate, hoping Ovechkin would have time during the two-metre walk from the door to the team bus to greet the crowd.

Ovechkin said he always enjoys the added attention when his Capitals head north of the border, though he wouldn't mind if the media was a little more original with what it asked him.

"Sometimes it's kind of boring because it's the same questions," he said Thursday, laughing. "I can put (them) on a list and just give it to you guys. But it's your job and you have to do it so it's normal stuff."

Many of the questions posed to Ovechkin had to do with the upcoming Vancouver Olympics.

Ovechkin, who scored 56 goals last season one year after posting a career-high 65, will play for Russia at the 2010 Games.

But he's doing his best to focus on the task at hand and not the one in February.

"I'm looking forward to it but it's still two months away so I don't think about it a lot," he said.

"Of course you get excited. You can see (the) Olympic logo everywhere and you start to realize this is an Olympic city."

While NHL players will participate in the 2010 Winter Games, the NHL has yet to commit to the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Ovechkin has said he will play in the Sochi Games whether the NHL participates or not and he believes it's unfair for the league to treat the Canadian Olympics differently from those held in Russia.

"You represent your country," he said. "You represent your home, parents, family and friends. I just want to play there. It's the biggest tournament for national teams and everybody wants to be there, so me too."

Among Ovechkin's fans are his on-ice opponents.

Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo, who will head to the Olympics himself as a member of Team Canada, raved about Ovechkin's mix of power, speed and skill.

"He's an exciting player to watch and he brings a lot to the game," Luongo said, quickly adding his appreciation for Ovechkin ends as soon as the two players hit the same ice.

Vancouver defenceman Willie Mitchell echoed Luongo's words Friday.

"(Ovechkin is) the most exciting player in the game, I think. I love his passion, I love how he plays, I love his celebrations. I like how he plays physical," Mitchell said.

When asked how his game has changed since he entered the league, and if he prefers to score goals or see his teammates light the lamp, Ovechkin, characteristically, answered with a grin.

"It's probably 55 per cent to score, 45 per cent to get assist."

Source:http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5jA5mOnqbJ2__sPo82VX0G2hX0HKw

Ski Jump Landing Slope: fractured Ski Jump Construction

2008-12-07T11:06:00.000-08:00

Construction of the 2010 Olympic ...

2008-12-07T10:59:00.000-08:00

Tickets for the 2010 Winter

2008-11-20T19:39:00.000-08:00

The city of Vancouver was elected Host City of the XXI Olympic Winter Games in 2010 at the 115th IOC Session in Prague on 2 July 2003. Eight cities applied to host the Games: Andorra la Vella in Andorra, Bern in Switzerland, Harbin in China, Jaca in Spain, PyeongChang in Korea, Salzburg in Austria, Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Vancouver in Canada.
La ciudad de Vancouver fue elegida ciudad anfitriona de los XXI Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno en 2010 en la 115 ª Sesión COI en Praga el 2 de julio de 2003. Ocho ciudades se aplica a organizar los Juegos: Andorra la Vella en Andorra, Berna, en Suiza, Harbin, en China, Jaca en España, PyeongChang en Corea, Salzburgo, en Austria, en Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina y Vancouver en Canadá.

Город Ванкувер был избран город пребывания в XXI зимних Олимпийских игр в 2010 году на 115th сессии МОК в Праге от 2 июля 2003 года. Восемь городов применительно к принимающей Игры: Андорра ла Велла в Андорре, Берн в Швейцарии, Харбин в Китае, Хака в Испании, Пхенчан в Корее, Зальцбург в Австрии, Сараево, в Боснии-Герцеговине и Ванкувер в Канаде.

La ville de Vancouver a été élue ville hôte des XXIes Jeux olympiques d'hiver en 2010 à la 115e Session du CIO à Prague le 2 Juillet 2003. Huit villes appliquée à accueillir les Jeux: Andorre-la-Vieille en Andorre, à Berne en Suisse, Harbin en Chine, Jaca en Espagne, PyeongChang en Corée, Salzbourg en Autriche, Sarajevo en Bosnie-Herzégovine et Vancouver au Canada.

Die Stadt Vancouver gewählt wurde Host City der XXI Olympischen Winterspiele im Jahr 2010 auf der 115. IOC-Session in Prag am 2. Juli 2003. Acht Städte auf der Host-Spiele: Andorra la Vella in Andorra, Bern in der Schweiz, Harbin in China, Jaca in Spanien, Pyeongchang in Korea, Salzburg in Österreich, Sarajewo in Bosnien-Herzegowina und Vancouver in Kanada.

La città di Vancouver è stato eletto città ospite del XXI Giochi Olimpici Invernali nel 2010 presso la 115a Sessione CIO a Praga il 2 luglio 2003. Otto città applicato ad ospitare i Giochi: Andorra la Vella a Andorra, Berna in Svizzera, Harbin in Cina, Jaca in Spagna, PyeongChang in Corea, Salisburgo, in Austria, Sarajevo in Bosnia-Erzegovina e di Vancouver in Canada.

Η πόλη του Βανκούβερ εξελέγη υποδοχής Πόλη της XXI χειμερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες το 2010 στην 115η σύνοδο της ΔΟΕ στην Πράγα στις 2 Ιουλίου 2003. Οκτώ πόλεις που εφαρμόζονται για να φιλοξενήσει τους Αγώνες: Andorra la Vella στην Ανδόρα, στη Βέρνη της Ελβετίας, Harbin στην Κίνα, Jaca στην Ισπανία, PyeongChang στην Κορέα, το Σάλτσμπουργκ στην Αυστρία, στο Σεράγεβο της Βοσνίας-Ερζεγοβίνης και στο Βανκούβερ του Καναδά.

温哥华市被选为主办城市的21届冬季奥林匹克运动会于2010年在第115届国际奥委会在布拉格2003年7月2 。 8个城市申请举办奥运会：安道尔城安道尔，瑞士的伯尔尼，在中国哈尔滨，在西班牙的哈卡，韩国的平昌，奥地利的萨尔茨堡，萨拉热窝波斯尼亚和黑塞哥维那和在加拿大的温哥华。

バンクーバーの街2003年7月2日にプラハでの第百十五IOCのセッションでホスト市は二十一、 2010年の冬季オリンピックに選出された。 8つの都市は、ゲームをホストする：アンドララベリャアンドラ、ベルンスイスでは、中国ハルビン、ハカスペイン、韓国平昌、ザルツブルクでは、オーストリア、サラエボのボスニアのヘルツェゴビナとカナダのバンクーバーで適用されます

밴쿠버의 도시 프라하에서 2003년 7월 2일에 1백15번째 IOC 총회에서 2010 년 동계 올림픽 개최 도시 XXI의 선출됐다. 8 게임 개최 도시 : 안도라라베야 안도라, 스위스 베른에서, 중국 하얼빈, 소치 스페인, 한국 평창, 오스트리아 잘츠부르크에서, 사라예보에서 보스니아에서 - 헤르체 고비 나와 밴쿠버에서 캐나다에 적용됩니다.

مدينة فانكوفر انتخب المدينة المضيفة للفي القرن الحادي والعشرين الالعاب الاولمبية الشتوية عام 2010 في الدورة 115th اللجنة الاولمبية الدولية في براغ في 2 تموز / يوليه 2003. تطبق ثماني مدن لاستضافة دورة الالعاب الاولمبية : أندورا لا فيلا في أندورا ، برن في سويسرا ، هاربين في الصين ، Jaca في أسبانيا ، بيونج تشانج في كوريا ، سالزبورغ في النمسا ، وسراييفو في البوسنة والهرسك وفانكوفر في كندا