Sports enthusiasts the world over will be limbering up in preparation for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics – and that’s just the spectators. For the 5500 athletes from more than 80 countries, this is the culmination of a lifetime’s dedication and hard work. The opening ceremony of the 21st Winter Olympics will take place on February 12, 2010 and events begin on the 13th. The Canadian host flag will be carried by speed skater, Clara Hughes, herself a five time Olympic medalist.
The 106-day journey of the Olympic flame began when it was lit in Olympia, Greece on October 22, 2009 and is now on home turf, making its way across Canada.
Ski jumping, alpine skiing, ice hockey, speed skiing, freestyle skating, luge, ice hockey, figure skating, snowboarding, cross country skiing and curling are just some of the entertaining events, along with many people’s favourite, the bobsleigh run! The coveted gold medals are all “hotly” competed for, even in these sub-zero temperatures. British hopefuls are the men’s curling team and the world champion two-man bobsleigh team (who happen to be women!) Nicola Minichiello and Gillian Cooke, who are tipped for gold. Zoe Gillings looks promising on snowboard cross and Sinead and John Kerr are going for figure-skating gold. Can you believe it is 25 years since the glory days of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean?
Many of the events will take place in Whistler, a gorgeous place at any time of year, and on Cypress Mountain. There are two Olympic Villages; one at Whistler and the other located about 117km away in Vancouver on beautiful False Creek. Checkout views of this lovely city in British Columbia through one of our newest webcams additions showing West Vancouver.
Tags: 2010, Vancouver, Whistler, Winter Olympics
