Last week saw the last leg of this season’s Luge World Cup series staged in Whistler at the future Olympic track for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. “The Olympic Games could well start tomorrow,” Josef Fendt, President of the International Luge Federation (FIL), said happily after the successful staging of the event.



Fine-tuning Games operations

This World Cup competition offered the Vancouver organisers (VANOC) the opportunity to fine-tune their operations at the venue exactly one year prior to the Games. Beginning with the training schedule, and including testing the transport system and medical services, a simulation of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games set-up was successfully implemented.



Enthusiastic athletes and spectators

“The entire layout is excellent and the atmosphere is just great,” stated Austria’s Andreas Linger after his competition. And his team mate Tobias Schiegl added: “If I had it my way, we could have all our events on this track next winter. It’s simply gorgeous here in Whistler”. 19-year-old Felix Loch from Germany concluded: “At every corner there’s someone who is working on something. You get the impression that the Olympic Games could well start tomorrow”. The final of this World Cup event saw undreamt-of spectator interest – both competition days were completely sold out, with a total of 6,000 enthusiastic spectators at the venue. Moreover, for the first time, a luge event in Canada drew more than 100 media representatives.



Mastering “Thunderbird”, “Shiver” and the “Lueders Loop”

The curves at the Whistler Sliding Centre have awesome names such as “Thunderbird” or “Shiver”, are named after animals such as “Lynx”, or commemorate famous athletes. There is, for instance, the “Lueders Loop”, curve number seven. It is named after Pierre Lueders, Canada’s 1998 Olympic two-man bobsleigh champion. And only those lugers who master the combination of curves 12, 13, 14 and 15 – the so-called “Gold Rush Trial” – without many mistakes might have a chance of reaching the top of the podium at next year’s Vancouver Olympic Winter Games.

The opening of the Vancouver Olympic/Paralympic Centre, the venue for curling and wheelchair curling events during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, now means that all the sports venues for the 2010 Games are complete. With sports events already underway at many of the venues, and others scheduled over the coming year, the Olympic sites will be well tested before the Games begin next February.

John Furlong, Chief Executive Officer of the Vancouver 2010 Organising Committee (VANOC), said at the opening of the centre, “After years of teamwork and careful planning, together we’ve reached one of our biggest milestones. It’s wonderful to see athletes now competing and testing these venues while youngsters and adults alike experience the legacies far in advance of the Games.”

New sports competition venues for the 2010 Winter Games include the Richmond Olympic Oval, the Whistler Sliding Centre, the University of British Columbia Thunderbird Arena, Whistler Olympic/Paralympic Park, Cypress Mountain, and the Vancouver Olympic/Paralympic Centre – one of the greenest curling venues in the world. Substantial upgrades were also made to existing facilities, such as the Pacific Coliseum and Whistler Creekside. All the facilities and upgrades were planned to leave lasting legacies in their communities. Further enhancements will continue to be made to some venues after VANOC receives feedback from athletes and officials competing at them during sports events this season.

The Vancouver Olympic/Paralympic Centre is targeted for the gold standard in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. The eco-friendly venue captures rainwater and siphons it into the building to flush toilets and urinals. The toilets, showers and sinks also use low-flow water systems, reducing water usage by up to 30 per cent. The building is wrapped in a high-performance envelope that helps keep temperatures just right inside for the perfect ice sheet. Heat is reused during the ice-making process, and the building is powered by a mixture of electricity, natural gas and solar energy. After the Games, the venue will be transformed into a multi-purpose recreation centre. It will include ice sheets for hockey and curling, a gymnasium, library, and aquatic centre.

After years of planning, it is now time to start implementing. Representatives of 75 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) are currently meeting at the Vancouver 2010 Chefs de Mission Seminar to prepare next year’s Olympic Winter Games. Through presentations, working meetings, information booths and venue tours, the Organising Committee for the Vancouver 2010 Organising Committee (VANOC), in cooperation with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), is briefing the NOC representatives present about various operational aspects which will be crucial for the smooth running of the Games in exactly one year’s time.



What’s the role of a Chef?

Chefs de Mission lead their NOC’s delegation, and are responsible for all their athletes and team officials during Games time. At the moment, they are getting familiar with the venues, city layout, transport, and all the detailed operations which VANOC is arranging for their athletes and team officials during the Games.



Complex operations

The variety of subjects covered during the seminar – such as Olympic Villages, athletes’ food, ticketing, accreditation and sport entries, medical services and doping control, support grants and protocol, to name but a few - reflects the meticulous operational management needed to welcome about 2,600 athletes to the 2010 Olympic Games. Accordingly, the variety of the questions posed by the Chefs de Mission from all over the world shows the diverse needs of the NOCs, depending on their differing size, structure, means and location. 

During his visit to Vancouver and Whistler last week for the Vancouver 2010 one-year-to-go celebrations, IOC President Jacques Rogge had the opportunity to see first-hand a number of the venues that will be used during the Vancouver 2010 Games. Rogge was able to visit the Olympic and Paralympic Village Whistler, the Whistler Olympic Park, the Whistler Sliding Centre, the Richmond Olympic Oval, Cypress Mountain, the International Broadcast Centre and the Vancouver Olympic Centre.

During his visit to the Whistler Olympic Park, Rogge commented on the progress of the Vancouver Games project: “Most of the construction is finished and VANOC is now in the sport event phase, which is going extremely well.” He continued: “Of course, there is still a whole year of work ahead but I’m very confident about the outcome. I think that these Games are going to be unforgettable for the athletes because of the quality of the infrastructure, the quality of the people running the events, the fantastic scenery, and the love of sport of the Canadian people. These are going to be smashing Games!”



Competition Venues

All the competition venues for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games have been completed, and sports events to test out their operations are currently underway. The snow and sliding sports will take place in Whistler and on Cypress Mountain, while the ice sports will all take place in the Vancouver and Richmond area. The unique setting and design elements of many of the venues will undoubtedly please not only the athletes, but also the spectators both in the venues and on TV.



Non-Competition Venues

Most of the non-competition venues are now nearing completion and will be handed over to VANOC during the course of 2009. This will allow the organisers to get them ready for the arrival of the athletes and media, who will be the principal users of the Olympic Villages and media centres.



VANCOUVER 2010

Exactly one year out from the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, the future Olympic snowboard venue just featured a superb show with more than 300 athletes from 31 countries. Last week, the world’s best riders met at Cypress Mountain for the Snowboard FIS World Cup to compete in the snowboard cross and halfpipe events.



“Buzz around the city”

Athletes, coaches, officials and spectators got a snapshot of the atmosphere that can be expected next year during Games time. IOC President Jacques Rogge, who visited the snowboard cross competitions during his trip to Vancouver on the occasion of the 2010 countdown activities, said: “It’s just great to witness here the enthusiasm of the Canadian people and the athletes. I cannot wait to come back here in one year’s time for the Olympic events.” Britain’s number one ranked female snowboard athlete, Zoe Gillings, shared these feelings just before her snowboard cross competitions in which she placed 10th: “I’m in Vancouver right now and there is a real buzz around the city. I can’t believe the Games are only 12 months away, I’m really excited” she said.



Enthusiastic athletes

The venue at Cypress Mountain received fantastic feedback from various athletes. World Cup leader Lindsey Jacobellis (US), who won gold in the snowboard cross event, stated enthusiastically: “I love courses like this one with great jumps and turns. It was a blast to ride this course and even better to win the race”. Likewise, US superstar Shaun White was also more than just pleased with his victory in the halfpipe event: “This win means a lot to me. You get to know everything, the pipe as well as the whole set-up. Next year is going to be wild! All the riders did well. There is so much talent out there.” And Ryoh Aono from Japan, who placed second behind White, said: “Well, of course I wanted to win today but I will get another chance in one year.”



Vancouver – a “spectacular host”

Despite the fact that the parallel giant slalom had to be cancelled, FIS officials can look back on successful competition days of on the very spot where Olympic stars will compete next year. FIS Snowboard Race Director Marcel Looze concluded: “Vancouver has been a spectacular host to the snowboard athletes for the past several days and we are fully satisfied with this venue for the 2010 Winter Games.”

One year before the Vancouver Games, we know now which teams – men’s and women’s – will go on an Olympic journey next February for what will be one of the greatest ice hockey tournaments ever. Thanks to their victories in their respective qualifying groups – all of which were held on home soil - Latvia, Norway and Germany have earned their Olympic ticket. These last three qualified teams can now prepare themselves, just like the nine other teams that have already qualified, for the men’s ice hockey tournament.

On the women’s side, eight teams have qualified for Vancouver since last November.

Group A: Canada, Sweden, Switzerland and Slovakia

Group B: USA, Finland, Russia and China

The 12 participating teams have been allocated to the following three pools:

Group A: Canada, United States, Switzerland and Norway.

Group B: Russia, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Latvia.

Group C: Sweden, Finland, Belarus and Germany.

The 2010 Olympic ice hockey tournaments will be staged in two venues, Canada Hockey Place and the UBC Thunderbird Arena. For the ice hockey fans, the first venue is the home to the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks. The women’s tournament will run from 13 to 25 February; while their male colleagues will compete from 16 to 28 February.



Vancouver 2010

Vancouver and Whistler will host the XXI Olympic Winter Games from 12 to 28 February 2010 and the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games from 12 to 21 March 2010. The seven Winter Olympic sports that will be on show in Vancouver are Luge, Skiing, Skating, Ice Hockey, Biathlon, Bobsleigh and Curling.

 Official website of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)

 One year to go until Vancouver

The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Jacques Rogge, has officially invited the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) of the world to attend the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The ceremony, which took place in front of a live audience at the brand new Richmond Olympic Oval, was broadcast across Canada on television and saw winter sporting great Cindy Klassen add her voice to Rogge’s invitation to the youth of the world.



Rogge Quote

Inviting the athletes of the world to Vancouver, Rogge said, “The Olympic Games engender dreams and inspiration in the hearts of young people everywhere. For athletes around the world the chance to compete next year in Vancouver will be their goal, the culmination of a lifetime’s ambition. I wish them all good luck, and on behalf of the International Olympic Committee, I invite them to participate in the 21st Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver one year from now.”



NOC Invitations

A number of NOCs were invited to Vancouver to receive their invitations directly from President Rogge. The NOCs that were represented by their Presidents in Richmond were Great Britain, Russia, the United States and Canada – the NOCs of the next Games hosts and of the country that neighbours Canada. The other NOCs will receive their invitations by post and they were sent directly from the IOC’s headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.



Sport and Culture

The hour-long spectacular, which culminated in a mass celebration at 6 p.m. Vancouver time – the time at which the Opening Ceremony is exactly 365 days away – saw a number of different cultural elements, including a welcome by the children of the Four Host First Nations, a choir and vocalist singing O Canada, a fun mascot number and a huge finale. There were also elements of sport, with Klassen and some younger athletes all involved in the event.



VANCOUVER 2010

Vancouver and Whistler will host the XXI Olympic Winter Games from 12 to 28 February 2010 and the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games from 12 to 21 March 2010. The seven Winter Olympic sports that will be on show in Vancouver are Luge, Skiing, Skating, Ice Hockey, Biathlon, Bobsleigh and Curling.

Following the unveiling of its Olympic Torch Relay route last year, the Vancouver 2010 Organising Committee (VANOC) took advantage of the one-year-to-go mark to unveil its Olympic Torch design, the torchbearer uniform and the first two torchbearers to be selected for the event. IOC President Jacques Rogge was also present, along with a number of other dignitaries at the unveiling event in Whistler – site of the skiing and sliding events for the 2010 Games.

 

 

Ignite A Passion

Speaking at the event, President Rogge spoke about the pride of having the Olympic Torch Relay in your own country and its ability to inspire. Rogge said, “For most people – whether as spectators or torchbearers – the Olympic Torch Relay is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I have seen the pride people feel when this vibrant symbol of the world’s hope and excitement is carried through their own community.” He continued, “Many of those who witness the Olympic Torch Relay will find it ignites a passion and inspires them to participate in sport, to give their very best in all they do.”

Torch Design

Inspired by Canada’s open landscape, vast potential and smooth fluid lines left in the snow from winter sports, the torch design is ergonomic and easily handled by everyone. The torch in winter white has a red Maple leaf cut-out and the Games motto “With Glowing Hearts/Des plus brillants exploits” engraved on it. An inukshuk, the emblem of Vancouver 2010, is also prominent. The torch measures 94.5 centimetres and weighs about 1.6 kilogrammes.



Uniforms

The Olympic Torch Relay uniforms for 2010 were designed by renowned Canadian fashion designers Vivienne Lu and Tu Ly. The uniforms are white and accented with bright bursts of blue and green on the left arm of the jacket. The colour palette is inspired by the winter landscape and the multi-hued beauty of the dancing northern lights, as well as the breathtaking scenery of the Sea-to-Sky region. The uniforms also feature the Olympic rings on the back and the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay emblem.



First Torchbearers

The first two torchbearers selected through public contests were Patricia Moreno, 17, and Caleb Taylor, 35. Patricia was selected for her leadership role in her community and her dedication to youth sports programmes, while Caleb teaches hockey to inner-city youth in his hometown of Regina.



VANCOUVER 2010

Vancouver and Whistler will host the XXI Olympic Winter Games from 12 to 28 February 2010 and the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games from 12 to 21 March 2010. The seven Winter Olympic sports that will be on show in Vancouver are Luge, Skiing, Skating, Ice Hockey, Biathlon, Bobsleigh and Curling.

On 12 February 2009, Vancouver 2010 will celebrate one year to go until the Opening Ceremony of the XXI Olympic Winter Games. This significant date is being marked in Vancouver by a number of important events, and will also see Jacques Rogge, the IOC President, officially invite the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) of the world to the Games in 2010.



Olympic Torch Relay

Ahead of the sending of invitations, the Vancouver Organising Committee (VANOC) will launch the Olympic Torch and the uniforms for the torchbearers at a ceremony in Whistler. Whistler is the site of the sliding events and many of the ski disciplines for 2010, and this will be yet another key milestone on the way to this year’s torch-lighting ceremony in Olympia, Greece.



Make Some Noise!

The highlight of the week will be an event held at the Richmond Oval, where the IOC President will officially send the invitations to the Vancouver Games to the NOCs of the world. This is the traditional way that the IOC invites the youth of the world to attend the Olympic Games, and a number of NOCs will receive their invitations in person. At the end of this ceremony (6pm PST), people across Canada are being invited to “Make some noise” in order to celebrate exactly one year until the start of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.



Sport

Around the one year to go mark, VANOC will also be involved in a number of sports events that will allow them to test some of their planning in a real-life environment. These will include an FIBT Bobsleigh & Skeleton World Cup (2-7 February), the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2009 (2-8 February), an FIS Freestyle World Cup (5-7 February), an FIS Snowboard World Cup (12-15 February) and an FIL Luge World Cup (16-21 February). These competitions will also give local sports fans the chance to see and learn about the sports in question ahead of the Games.



VANCOUVER 2010

Vancouver and Whistler will host the XXI Olympic Winter Games from 12 to 28 February 2010 and the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games from 12 to 21 March 2010. The seven Winter Olympic sports that will be on show in Vancouver are Luge, Skiing, Skating, Ice Hockey, Biathlon, Bobsleigh and Curling.