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Share that heart-stopping
moment when the world’s premiere athletes push off their mark to
hurtle headlong towards the podium. Many of the venues for the Vancouver
2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are ready and waiting.
Olympic Schedule
Schedule
of Vancouver 2010 Olympic Events
Alpine Skiing
and Alpine Skiing Paralympic – Downhill, Super G, Giant Slalom,
Slalom and Super Combined
With the greatest vertical-rise skiing on the continent, Whistler
Mountain is not only the first choice for the Alpine events
at the 2010 Winter Games, but a pinnacle experience for ski enthusiasts
the world over.
The two-mountain
resort is open every day of the season – just waiting for YOUR gold-medal
ride. You can even ski during the Games! The only runs closed to
the public will be: Dave Murray Downhill, Raven, Franz’s Run, and
Wildcard on Whistler Mountain. All runs on Blackcomb Mountain will
remain open throughout the Games.
Nordic
– Biathlon, Biathlon Paralympic, Cross-country Skiing, Cross-country
Skiing Paralympic, Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping
Whistler
Olympic Park is located in the Callaghan Valley, about 18 km
southwest of Whistler. It is the first Olympic Nordic venue to include
all three traditional Nordic sport stadiums in one site: cross-country
ski, ski jumping and biathlon. The facility opened to the public
in December 2007, and has 25 km of recreational trails, 15 km of
competition trails, and an extensive menu of competitive events
and public programs. The early opening of the park also fulfilled
a promise made to provide an internationally-ranked training facility
for aspiring Olympians. So expect to see them beside you on the
trails of the Callaghan Valley.
Freestyle
Skiing – Aerials, Moguls, Ski Cross
Snowboarding – Parallel Giant Slalom, Half Pipe, Snowboard
Cross
Whether it’s the spectacular views of the city of Vancouver below,
51 downhill runs, the 22-foot half-pipe, 19 km of cross-country
trails, or the hot chocolate in the historic Hollyburn Lodge, Cypress
Mountain is the first choice with hundreds of thousands of users
each year. To prepare for its starring role in the 2010 Winter Games,
the park is benefiting from improvements to infrastructure and terrain
that have bumped the superb Cypress experience up another notch.
But why wait to watch the medal contenders take it on in 2010? Take
your own run at the gold now!
Bobsleigh,
Luge and Skeleton
The Whistler
Sliding Centre on Blackcomb Mountain is a new, purpose-built
venue located in the heart of the Whistler Blackcomb resort area.
With the construction phase on this facility completed, four-time
Olympian Pierre Lueders and brakeman Justin Kripps were invited
to christen the track with its first runs in December 2007. Testing
of this technologically advanced facility will continue until the
Games, but early runs are already pointing to an exceptionally fast
track.
Ice Hockey
General
Motors Place in downtown Vancouver and the University
of British Columbia (UBC) Winter Sports Centre (UBC Thunderbird
Arena) on the west side of the city are the hot ticket venues for
Canada’s national passion, hockey. Fortunately, GM Place is already
accustomed to the thunderous roar of a sold-out house. The “Garage”
is home ice for the city’s own professional National Hockey League
team, the Vancouver Canucks.
Ice Sledge
Hockey
UBC Winter
Sports Centre on the sprawling ocean-side University of British
Columbia (UBC) campus, is the venue for ice sledge hockey, which
is rapidly achieving renown as a truly exciting spectator sport.
The sports centre includes development of two new rinks as well
as the refurbishment of an existing facility with deep roots in
the local hockey community. UBC’s summer hockey school is a tradition
for young hockey hopefuls who come from across the province.
Curling
& Wheelchair Curling
Hillcrest / Nat Bailey Stadium Park is set in the heart of Vancouver,
near Queen Elizabeth Park. This is where curling's best will try
to "sweep" up their opposition.
Figure Skating
& Short Track Speed Skating
The Pacific
Coliseum on the east side of Vancouver is the venue for figure
skating and short-track speed skating. The Coliseum is already a
familiar facility for Vancouver locals and visitors alike. It is
set in the Hastings Park complex, at the site of the Pacific National
Exhibition (PNE), the city's massive summer fair. The Coliseum is
also home ice for the city’s Junior Western Hockey League (WHL)
team, the Vancouver Giants.
Speed Skating
Richmond Oval
is a purpose-built venue designed to showcase speed skating during
the 2010 Games. The Oval is located in Richmond, an island community
set between the arms of the mighty Fraser River, and within sight
of the Vancouver International Airport.
Ceremonies
The Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Games will
be the first ever to be presented in a covered, indoor facility.
BC Place
Stadium in Vancouver covers four hectares and boasts the largest
air-supported stadium roof in North America. The sheer size of this
venue, combined with its impeccable sightlines, offers the opportunity
to feature thousands of performers in what promises to be spectacular
Opening and Closing Ceremonies.
With events
venues in both Whistler and Metro Vancouver locations, nightly Victory
Ceremonies will be conducted concurrently at BC Place Stadium and
the Celebration Site in Whistler Village. The Victory Ceremonies
will be linked by large video screens enabling both communities
to participate in honouring the achievements of these magnificent
athletes. Victory
Ceremonies will be followed up each evening with concerts by Canada’s
most dynamic and well-known performers.
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