|
Welcome to the Vancouver Olympics
A Look at the 2010 Games in BC, Canada
Vancouver already has a "jump" on the Games with pre-Olympic events.
All photos by Simon
Leung Photography.
The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C., are scheduled for February 12-28, and the host city and surrounding venues are already jumping.
Literally.
The FIS Freestyle World Cup visited last February and provided an aerial show. The Luge World Cup gave local fans a sense of the speed those athletes reach in their exciting sport. These were just two of several events featuring future Olympic competitors showcasing their skills – and their sports - to the local audience.
 Other sports were:
• World Junior Curling Championships
•
ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships
• BC World Cup Women's Hockey
The city is excited and all of Canada is getting in the Olympics mood.
The country got off to a grand start by winning golds in men's and women's events and taking five of the six podium positions in the Games' newest sport, an event known as ski cross, held in February at Cypress Mountain just outside Vancouver.
So far, it's a safe landing for those preparing for the Winter Games.
Ski cross is an offshoot of snowboarding and involves four skiers blasting down a twisting course at 70 kilometers an hour, navigating jumps and steep, banked turns. Think motocross on a mountain.
As for the city and venues themselves, they are coming together as planned.
The newest Olympic sport is called ski cross.
There are two "live sites" planned for downtown Vancouver during the Games. Details are not yet available, but will be posted here when announced. Prior to the Games, PubClub.com will travel to Vancouver for a full preview story on the venues, public party events, transportation and other important information.
Canadian success could be brewing for Vancouver 2010.
Many of the events will take place not in Vancouver, but up the mountain in the beautiful ski resort of Whistler. PubClub.com files this report, below, on the building of the excitement on the slopes.
– REPORT FROM WHISTLER –
They are already handing out medals in Whistler.
By Phil Chambers, stationed and skiing in Whister, B.C.
Whistler is ready for the games. The venues are complete and work is progressing in other areas. The Sea to Sky Highway, one of the most scenic drives on the planet, is nearing completion on a five-year improvement. The Celebration Plaza, which will host nightly concerts, is under construction. The Athletes Village will be finished this summer. Many locals are lined up to move into the various townhomes and condos after the games. Part of the condition of construction was that the Village must be available to locals to purchase after the circus has departed. A great legacy.
Whistler is ready, as witnessed by the Luge World Cup in February.
All of the venues have been tested with World Cup events (with more to come this season), and have proven themselves more than worthy of Olympic competition. The Bobsleigh/Luge/Skeleton track is the fastest in the world! Many events have sold out and they have ignited the passion for winter sports that originally drew us all here. Dozens of media outlets have been here and the tidal wave is growing. Notably, NBC's Today Show (with the stunning Natalie Morales) was live with a remote on the One-Year Countdown. Matt Lauer commented that the venues were amazing. Structurally, we're good to go!
The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.
We've always thrown a heck of a party. Be it Telus World Ski, the Snowboard Festival or the Kokanee Crankworx, the excitement and cross-section of arts, sport, music and fashion has been an ever-evolving and growing part of the ingrained Whistler psyche. We're ready to throw the party.
The locals may seem a bit blase, but it's not the case. Because of the long gestation process that is the build-up to the Games, we haven't grasped the immenence of the Olympics. It's always been so far off in the future! Until we see the first athlete, official or camera crew, it's just business as usual here. There's too many powder days and sunny afternoons on a patio to grab our attention.
Don't get me wrong here. The locals are ready. We go harder than just about anyone on the planet. The infrastructure is here and details are being finalized on corporate events, security and transportation. We'll adjust accordingly.
Whistler "is ready" for the Games, claims PubClub's writer.
Whistler, a town of 9,000, welcomes more than 2.2 million people per year. What's a few million more?
We're counting down the days.
– OLYMPIC TICKETS –
Tickets for the Olympics will go on sale in October costing between $25 and $775 (CDN), with more than 50 per cent of tickets priced at $175 or less. Tickets for Opening and Closing Ceremonies are between $175 and $1,100.
Tickets can be purchased here,
– VANCOUVER 2010 OLYMPIC LINKS –
• Official Vancouver Olympics Site. www.Vancouver2010.com•Vancouver Visitor's Guide,
Get orientated so you can cruise the streets like a local.
• Learn the true character of Vancouver through its pubs and clubs
in PubClubbing
• Explore the city and its beautiful surroundings in this
Sightseeing & Activities Guide
• Learn where to enjoy Vancouver's finest cuisine in this Dining Guide
• Specia Bonus: Sizzlin' Slopes Guide
to Whistler!
 PubClub.com Home Page
|