2010
Only 223 days before the start of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.
OVERVIEW
For 27 days in 2010, Vancouver, Canada will play host to athletes from over 80 countries competing in a range of winter events as the host venue for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
2010 Winter Games events will be held at locations dotted over a 120 kilometre area from Richmond, south of Vancouver through to downtown Vancouver and the peaks of Whistler Resort.
The 2010 Winter Games will feature:
- 17 days of Olympic Games events
- 10 days of Paralympic Games events
- 5,000 Olympic Games athletes & officials
- 1,700 Paralympic Games athletes & officials
- 80+ countries in Olympic Winter Games
- 40+ countries in Paralympic Winter Games
- 10,000 media representatives
- 3 billion worldwide television viewers
The Games aim to inspire and celebrate sport, culture and sustainability, while showcasing the spirit of Canada and its connection to winter pursuits.
The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be held from February 12 - 28, while the Paralympic Winter Games will take place from March 12 - 21.
As part of the Winter Games, Vancouver will also host a range of cultural programs celebrating Canada's cultural diversity, Aboriginal heritage and art scene.
With the venues currently nearly all completed in anticipation for the Winter Games, now is the perfect time to explore the area and experience the build up to Vancouver 2010!
For more information visit www.vancouver2010.com
Click here to download the schedule of events.
COMPETITION VENUES
Vancouver
Canada Hockey Place, downtown Vancouver - One of the 2 venues for the ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Games, the Canada Hockey Place holds over 18,000 people and is also the home of the National Hockey League (NHL) Vancouver Canucks.
Hillcrest/ Nat Bailey Stadium Park - With space for 6,000 spectators, this venue will play host to the 2010 Winter Games curling and wheelchair curling events.
Pacific Coliseum, Hastings Park, Vancouver - located in the middle of one of Vancouver's major event sites, the Pacific Coliseum will host figure skating and short track and speed skating during the 2101 Winter Games, with space for over 14,000 spectators.
UBC Thunderbird Arena, University of British Columbia (UBC) - Located in UBC's campus on the coast west of Vancouver, the UBC Thunderbird Arena will be a venue for ice hockey and ice sledge hockey at the 2010 Winter Games, with room for 7,200 people.
Whistler
The Whistler Sliding Centre - Integrated into Whistler's long term development plans, the sliding centre will host the sports of bobsleigh, luge and skeleton during the 2010 Winter Games, with room for 12,000 spectators.
Whistler Creekside - The slopes of Whistler Resort will host the alpine skiing events during the 2010 Winter Games, which include the men's and women's downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom and super combined disciplines. The venue has space for over 6,000 spectators.
Whistler Olympic Park/Whistler Paralympic Park - Consisting of 3 separate stadiums, over 14 kilometres of cross-country and biathlon trail and 2 ski jumps, this 2 square kilometre Olympic Games core area will host the biathlon, cross country skiing, Nordic combined and ski jumping events.
Richmond
Richmond Oval - With space for 8,000 spectators, Richmond Oval will host the 2010 Winter Games speed skating events.
West Vancouver
Cypress Mountain - This venue will host the freestyle skiing and snowboard events at the 2010 Winter Games, with space for 12,000 spectators in each of the 2 temporary stadiums.
WINTER GAMES SPORTS
Alpine Skiing - Alpine skiing covers the disciplines of downhill, super G (super giant slalom), giant slalom, slalom and super combined (a downhill run followed by a slalom run).
Biathlon - Originating as a means for early European hunters to feed their families, and later used as by Scandinavian countries to defend against enemies, Biathlon combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.
Bobsleigh - One of the 3 Olympic sliding sports, which all originated from using a sled on ice or snow, Bobsleigh will feature the 2-man, 4-man and women's disciplines.
Cross-Country Skiing - Having been practiced by people for thousands of years, Cross-Country skiing became an Olympic event in 1924. Features pursuit, sprint, relay, individual and mass start events.
Curling - A team sport where the objective is to push 19.1 kilogram stones as close to the centre of a series of circles as possible, sweeping the ice in front of the stone in order to control the stones' direction and speed.
Figure Skating - First appearing at the London 1908 Summer Olympic Games before the advent of the Winter Games, Figure Skating involves the judging of the execution of every element attempted. Includes 4 events: ladies' singles, men's singles, ice dancing and pairs.
Freestyle Skiing - Consisting of 3 events - aerials, moguls and ski cross - freestyle skiing emerged in America in the 1960s and includes an impressive variety of tricks and jumps.
Ice Hockey - Played with no more than 6 team members on the ice at one time, the aim of ice hockey is to get the puck (a hard rubber disk) into the opposing team's goal net.
Luge - One of the Olympic's 3 sliding sports, Luge competitors start the race sitting up on open sleds, later lying down on their backs to increase aerodynamics. Steering with their legs and their shoulders and breaking by sitting up, putting their feet down or pulling on the sled runners, Luge competitors can reach speeds of over 140 kilometres an hour.
Nordic Combined - Featuring a jumping event followed by a cross-country race, competitors are seeded for the cross-country race depending on their results in the jumping, with lower ranked athletes starting after the best jumpers. The winner is the first person to cross the cross-country finish line.
Short Track Speed Skating - Athletes compete against each other on a 111.12 metre oval track with tight corners, making it difficult to stay in control. Events include men's and ladies' 500m, 1000m, 1500m and relays.
Skeleton - Competitors start the event by holding sleds by the handles and sprinting for around 50m, before diving onto the ice head first and steering the sled with their bodies while lying on their stomachs.
Ski Jumping - Athletes ski down a long ramp before launching themselves into the air and assuming a V-style position leaning forward over their skis. Competitors can reach speeds of up to 95 kilometres an hour and are judged on their distance, style and landing.
Snowboard - One of the fastest growing winter sports, Snowboarding at the Olympic Games encompasses 3 events - the giant slalom, halfpipe and snowboard cross.
Speed Skating - Taking place on a 400 metre oval ice rink, speed skating involves one-on-one races where skaters swap lanes once per a lap ensure they cover the same distance.
The Paralympic Sports are:
- Alpine Skiing
- Biathlon
- Cross-Country skiing
- Wheelchair curling
- Ice Sledge Hockey (a form of ice hockey for disabled athletes, played on a metal frame called a ‘sledge')