Latest Olympic News
100 Days to go! Save the date on your calendar, Whistler will be celebrating on Wednesday November 4. From 4pm onwards the 100 Days to Go Celebration will be taking place at the Whistler Convention Centre. We are looking for a team of 10 volunteers for the afternoon, including a mascot handler, some cake cutting volunteers (can you believe this will be our 20th cake?!?) and a special project with Red Mittens. Let me know if you are free for the afternoon. We would be looking for a commitment from 3:30pm – 7pm.
Free community après celebration in Whistler marks 100 Days to Go until the Games, attendees to receive vouchers for Games-time Whistler Medals Plaza tickets: November 4 marks 100 days to go until the February 12 opening ceremony for the 2010 Winter Games and the community is invited to come out and celebrate. On Wednesday, November 4 from 4 to 7 p.m. attendees can continue to build Whistler’s Olympic spirit with a variety of après activities at the Whistler Conference Centre, and other community events around Whistler recognizing this key date. “100 days to go represents the last major countdown celebration to the Games, and I encourage everyone to come out,” said Whistler Mayor Ken Melamed. “This is really a special occasion—it is the twentieth cake celebrating Games milestones and special occasions! Not only that, every guest in the door will get a voucher redeemable for two tickets to a victory ceremony at Whistler Medals Plaza during the Games.”
Whistler Spirit Program Breakfast: Fairmont Chateau Whistler, 8 - 10 a.m.
The Whistler Spirit Program kicks off with a breakfast presentation featuring Doug Lipp, former head of corporate training at the Walt Disney University. Register today with the Whistler Chamber of Commerce for this talk on "Creating Service Magic".
Citizenship Ceremony: Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, 1 - 3 p.m.
The Whistler Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Citizen and Immigration Canada, the Resort Municipality of Whistler, Tourism Whistler, VANOC and the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre (SLCC) First Nations, is proud to be hosting a special citizenship ceremony from 1 to 3 p.m. at the SLCC. This special invitation-only event will welcome 40 new citizens into Canada. Dignitaries, athletes and 2010 Winter Games Mascots will also be present, and local musician Ali Milner will sing the National anthem.
100 Days to Go Celebration: Whistler Conference Centre, 4 - 7 p.m.
At this community après, attendees get a chance to:
+ meet 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games athletes hopefuls
+ chat with VANOC venue teams from The Whistler Sliding Centre, Whistler Creekside and Whistler Olympic Park
+ mingle with the 2010 Winter Games Mascots
+ learn more about the Whistler Live! outdoor network of stages, screens and performance sites that will present an unforgettable fusion of sports, arts and entertainment for spectators of all ages during the Games
+ groove to special performances by DJ Foxy Moron, The Hairfarmers, Kuba Oms and the Whistler Children’s Chorus
+ enjoy roving performers and face painters, après snacks and Whistler’s 20th Countdown cake
+ pick up a voucher good for a pair of tickets to one of the nightly Games-time medal presentations at Whistler Medals Plaza
Whistler Blackcomb will also be on hand to answer questions about the upcoming skiing and riding season, particularly what's happening on-mountain during Games time. And with more than 90 per cent of the terrain open throughout the Winter Games, visitors and locals alike will experience what is sure to be one of the best winter seasons ever.
Ullr Party: Garibaldi Lift Co. , 7 p.m. – late
Following the community après, head to the GLC to pay homage to the most important person of the season – Ullr, the Nordic God of Snow – a true Whistler tradition!
100 Days to Go! is produced in partnership by the Resort Municipality of Whistler, Tourism Whistler, the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Whistler Blackcomb, the Whistler Arts Council and the Whistler Chamber of Commerce.
Olympic and Paralympic Medal Launch: to watch the video on the story of the medals, visit: http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-videos/the-medals_173592g110288-ah.html
Canadian bobsledders launch children's book: Bobsleigh pilot Adam Anderson and his three crewmen have a pretty adorable plan to cover training and competition costs on their quest to qualify for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. It's called Bobsleigh Jellybeans - a children's book written by Paul and Talya Shore and illustrated by bobsleigh crewman Chris Ripley. Anderson's team got to know the Shore family during the 2008-09 season. Shore knew finances were tight in amateur sport and generously offered to let the four young men stay in his Whistler basement for free during the selection races of the 2008-09 season. The team will make appearances in Vancouver, Calgary and Whistler before the season kicks off. Copies of the book are available for $12 on thebobsleighjellybeans.com website. The book is also available at Armchair books in Whistler, O Canada in the Westin Whistler, and at Kidsbooks on Broadway.
Are you interested in helping with the Mascot team? We are looking for performers and handlers, let me know if you are available for any of the events below.
Sat 31 Oct – Barbershop convention– Whistler – 4:30pm – 6:00pm – Miga and Sumi
Wed 4 Nov - Citizenship Ceremony – Whistler SLCC – 1:45pm – 3:15pm – Miga, Quatchi and Sumi
Wed 4 Nov – 100 Days to Go – Whistler – 4:00pm – 7:00pm – Miga, Event Volunteers and Handlers
By the numbers: The medals of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games
-20: Temperature in degrees Celsius used to test the medals ability to maintain their integrity and durability in cold weather.
2: The number of designers who created the distinctive look of the 2010 medals.
2.05: Kilograms of gold Teck provided for the gold medals.
6: All gold medals for the 2010 Winter Games are plated with six grams of gold.
6.8: Metric tonnes of circuit board from end-of-life electronics diverted from landfills for the making of the medals.
9: The number of times each medal is struck (in three sets of triple strikes) to achieve its unique undulating design. Also, the number of Teck’s mining and smelting operations that provided the metals.
30: Number of steps it takes the Royal Canadian Mint to manufacture the medals.
34: Mint engineers, engravers, die technicians, machinists, and production experts who combined forces to create the medals.
48: The number of medal design ideas submitted by artists across Canada and internationally after VANOC issued its request for medal proposals in December 2007.
90: The number of kilograms the medal ribbons can withstand (equal to 200 pounds).
95: The width of the Paralympic medals in millimetres.
100: The diameter of the Olympic medals in millimetres.
399: Number of Paralympic medals produced for the 2010 Winter Games.
615: Number of Olympic medals produced for the 2010 Winter Games.
903: Weight of copper in kilograms Teck provided for the 2010 bronze medals.
1,014: Number of different crops of the two master Aboriginal artworks laser etched on the medals. All are unique and one-of-a-kind.
1,950: Kilograms of silver Teck provided for the 2010 medals.
2,817: Number of hours of precision manufacturing needed to produce the medals at the Mint.
Quick facts: The medals of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games
Inspiration: The dramatic form of the Vancouver 2010 medals is inspired by the ocean waves, drifting snow and mountainous landscape found in the Games region and throughout Canada.
Design: The medals are based on two large master artworks of an orca whale (Olympic) and raven (Paralympic). Each of the medals has a unique hand-cropped section of the abstract art, making every medal one-of-a-kind.
Size: 100 millimetres in diameter and about six mm thick for Olympic medals; 95 mm in width and average of six mm thick for Paralympic medals.
Weight: Between 500 grams and 576 g depending on the medal.
Designers/manufacturer: Corrine Hunt and Omer Arbel (Canadian designers), VANOC, and Vancouver 2010 Official Supporters — the Royal Canadian Mint (manufacturer) and Teck Resources (metals).
Medal Container: In a break with recent tradition and based on feedback from athletes, a special carrying case is in the final stages of development so that Olympic and Paralympic medals will be protected in a stylish, practical and easily transportable way. Vancouver 2010 medallists will receive a case made of heathered wool felt with tonal embroidery and an antiqued metal emblem for their medals. Many athletes said that while they treasure the decorative boxes they usually receive, they needed something equally suited for everyday transport to visit schoolchildren or dignitaries — some athletes even said they carried their gold, silver or bronze medals in old socks or the soft velvet bags that protect whisky bottles!
News Releases – available at www.vancouver2010.com
Vancouver 2010 names six Aboriginal flame attendants, torchbearers and honorary elder fire keepers for Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay: The program was designed by the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) in partnership with the Four Host First Nations and other Aboriginal organizations, including: the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Métis National Council/Métis Nation BC, National Association of Friendship Centres, and Aboriginal Sport Circle. Nominations for the Aboriginal torch relay positions opened in March and closed over the summer.
VANOC launches Games-time version of www.vancouver2010.com: Starting Sunday, October 18, the fully bilingual website will launch with added features for Canadians and other Olympic fans to follow the path of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay as it treks 45,000 kilometres across Canada, starting October 30. The site will also bolster its current content with new features for sports fans and spectators looking for up-to-the-minute news in 2010 on sport results, transportation, schedule changes, Cultural Olympiad events, tickets and merchandise.
General Electric and Vancouver 2010 partner to provide high-tech mobile medical unit for Whistler-area venues during Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games: General Electric, a Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Games, and the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) announced today that GE Healthcare is providing a state-of-the-art mobile medical unit for medical emergencies for athletes and officials in the Sea to Sky region during the 2010 Winter Games. The $4.5-million USD mobile medical unit is funded through GE’s sponsorship value-in-kind agreement with VANOC.
Vancouver 2010 welcomes Accenture and Pharmasave to employee loan program: Two leading businesses, Accenture and Pharmasave, are the latest to offer their employees the ultimate team building exercise and a chance to be a part of the 2010 Winter Games as they confirmed their participation today in the Vancouver 2010 employee loan program. The announcement was made at a Vancouver Board of Trade luncheon featuring John Furlong, CEO of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), who provided highlights on the progress to date of the VANOC secondment program.
Vancouver 2010 medals each a one-of-a-kind work of contemporary Aboriginal art: The gold, silver and bronze medals were designed with direct input from Olympic and Paralympic athletes who shared their experiences about medals they won at past Games and what they would like to see in future medals. Their stories and dreams helped shape the medals, which are being produced and supplied by Vancouver 2010 Official Supporters the Royal Canadian Mint and Canadian mining and metals giant Teck Resources Limited, in collaboration with the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC).
VANOC offers special ticket opportunity for residents in Squamish to Mount Currie region: Residents of the Squamish to Mount Currie region who register a ticketing account before Friday, October 23 will have an exclusive opportunity to take advantage of a special “Locals” Whistler Olympic ticket offer starting Saturday, October 24. This two-day offer is the best remaining chance for residents in the region to get tickets for Olympic sporting events in Whistler and is in addition to the third — and final — phase of ticket sales in the Canadian market, which start November 7. More details available at http://www.vancouver2010.com/faqs/index_cf-Lr.html?cat1=113208&cat2=173818&q=
Second phase of Vancouver 2010 integrated transportation plan released: TravelSmart and everyone wins in 2010 www.travelsmart2010.ca launched to help public plan ahead: This phase of the integrated transportation plan, which builds on information released in March and rolled out in venue communities on an ongoing basis, includes updated information on peak hours, street and road closures, the Sea to Sky Highway checkpoint, transportation plans for the Paralympic Winter Games, Olympic bus network, and advice on the movement of goods and services for businesses. More transportation details available at: http://www.travelsmart2010.ca
Vancouver 2010 reveals stylish, practical workforce uniform for the Games Wave blue and navy uniform produced by Hudson’s Bay Company: The jackets, in a vibrant blue called Wave with a subtle pattern found in the Look of the Games, were revealed today as part of the official workforce uniform by the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) and the Hudson’s Bay Company, which designed and produced the six-piece set. In addition to the waterproof jackets, the estimated 30,000 members of the workforce, including volunteers, will be kitted out with navy pants, as well as a toque, two long-sleeve inner layer T-shirts with the same pattern as the jacket and a vest (all in Wave) — perfect for layering. Three specific staff groups will also be uniquely identified with full sleeve armbands for easy recognition: medical in red, event services in yellow and anti-doping personnel in purple.
Flex your brainpower with Intellectual Muscle: University Dialogues for Vancouver: the first podcast in the Intellectual Muscle: University Dialogues for Vancouver 2010 series will be available for download at www.vancouver2010.com/edu and www.globeandmail.com/intellectualmuscle. The podcasts on a diverse range of topics — such as what the Games contribute to society, gender stereotypes in sport and how Canada defines itself through international events — will be specially produced in either French or English at 25 universities across Canada.
Phase 3 Tickets On Sale November 7
The third and final phase of Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games tickets will go on sale to Canadian residents on Saturday, November 7 at 10:00 am (Pacific Time). What will be available? More than 100,000 tickets to Olympic events in city venues plus thousands of great seats to cheer on our Paralympic athletes in ice sledge hockey, alpine skiing and more!