VANCOUVER, British Columbia—The eyes of the sports world will turn to Vancouver as the city hosts the 2010 Winter Olympics beginning February 12, but ceremonies for the event have already begun. The Olympic flame was lit October 22 in Olympia, Greece and began its 106 day Canadian tour on October 30, where it will reach every province before ending its journey at the Olympic Cauldron.
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2006 U.S. Olympic gold medalist in snowboarding |
Approximately 2,500 athletes will be waiting in Vancouver to compete in 15 events on the world’s biggest stage in an attempt at Olympic immortality. This year’s host city—Canada’s third largest metropolitan area—will see its population of 2.1 million¬ more than double with attendees to the Games. While Vancouver is the heart of the Games, several of the events, including alpine skiing and bobsled, will take place at newly constructed facilities in nearby Whistler. Long track speed skating will take place at the Olympic Oval just south of Vancouver in Richmond.
While the official slogan of the games is “With Glowing Hearts,” Canada’s national slogan for the games is “ Own the Podium”—part of an effort to push Canadian athletes to greater podium showings in front of their home crowd and to increase Canada’s international athletic reputation. History explains the necessity: This will be the country’s third time hosting the Olympics (Canada’s first Winter Olympics was hosted by Calgary, Alberta in 1988 and Montreal hosted the 1976 Summer
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The 2010 Olympic mascots. |
Games) and, in both instances, Canadian athletes failed to win a single gold medal in any event.
U.S. Snowboard Team
Gretchen Bleiler – Oakley sponsorship
Shaun White – Oakley sponsorship
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