One-Year Coundown Celebration Schedules and the Olympic Torch Unveiling in Whistler

[mr.x]

VANOC announces one-year countdown celebration plans for February 11-12, 2009

VANCOUVER, Feb. 10 /CNW/ - The Canadian winter will come alive this week
with celebrations marking the one-year countdown to the beginning of the
Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, starting February 11 and continuing
through February 12, 2009.
The following is a list of countdown activities coordinated by the
Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter
Games (VANOC). Many other exciting events are being organized by VANOC's
corporate sponsors and government partners. Media are encouraged to contact
them directly for more information.
All events are listed in Pacific Time unless otherwise stated. Events are
subject to change.

<<
February 11, 2009

WHISTLER, British Columbia

International Olympic Committee (IOC) News Conference

Location: The Westin Resort & Spa, Whistler, 4090 Whistler Way,
Ballroom Emerald C

Time: 4:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.

- Jacques Rogge, IOC President
- René Fasel, IOC Chairman of the Vancouver 2010 Coordination
Commission
- John Furlong, VANOC Chief Executive Officer
- For information: Sébastien Théberge, 604-403-2261,
[email protected]
- Accreditation: Required. Please see accreditation instructions
below.

Official bobsled presentation at The Whistler Sliding Centre with Omega
Clock

Location: The Whistler Sliding Centre, 4910 Glacier Lane, Whistler, BC,
CORNER 16

Time: 5:45 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.

- Presentation of an Omega bobsled and countdown clock as it turns to
365 days remaining until the start of the Games in 2010.
- IOC President Jacques Rogge
- René Fasel, IOC Chairman of the Vancouver 2010 Coordination
Commission
- Gilbert Felli, IOC Olympic Games Executive Director
- Stephen Urquhart, OMEGA President
- VANOC CEO John Furlong
- Morgan Alexander, 2006 Canadian Olympian, bobsleigh
- Lindsay Alcock, member of the 2002 and 2006 Canadian Olympic
teams (skeleton, retired)
- Government partner representatives
- For information: John Gibson, 604-403-1585,
[email protected]
- Accreditation: Required. Please see accreditation instructions
below.
- Media Parking: Accredited media must board courtesy shuttle buses
from The Westin immediately following the IOC press conference to
attend the event. The shuttle buses will return to The Westin
following the conclusion of the Omega presentation at The Whistler
Sliding Centre.
- Satellite truck positions at The Whistler Sliding Centre: Access is
limited. Please contact John Gibson at
[email protected], 604-403-1585.


February 12, 2009 (One Year Until Games Time)

WHISTLER, British Columbia

Public unveiling of the torch design and torchbearer uniform for the 2010
Olympic Winter Games Torch Relay

Location: Village Square, Whistler

Time: 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

- The 2010 Olympic Winter Games Torch Relay torch design and
torchbearer uniform will be unveiled at this entertaining,
family-friendly public event. Officials from Bombardier, the
Canadian company that designed and manufactured the torch, and
Hudson's Bay Company, the Canadian company that designed the
torchbearer uniform, will be in attendance, along with torchbearers
selected by Coca-Cola and RBC, national presenting partners of the
2010 Olympic Torch Relay.
- IOC President Jacques Rogge
- The Honourable Gary Lunn, Government of Canada, Minister of
State (Sport)
- The Honourable Gordon Campbell, Premier of British Columbia
- His Worship Ken Melamed, Mayor of Whistler
- Chief Leonard Andrew, Lil'Wat Nation
- VANOC CEO John Furlong
- Pierre Beaudoin, President, Bombardier Inc.
- Jeffrey Sherman, Chief Executive Officer, Hudson's Bay Company
- Torchbearers selected by Coca-Cola and RBC
- For information: Katie Green, 604-402-2473,
[email protected]
- Accreditation: Required for stage-side access and follow-up
interviews. Please see accreditation instructions below.
- Satellite truck positions: Please contact Breton Murphy at Tourism
Whistler: [email protected] or 604-935-3356

ACROSS CANADA

"Let's Make Some Noise"

Location: Across Canada

Time: 6:00 p.m. in each local Canadian time zone.

- VANOC and its partners invite everyone across Canada to make some
noise at 6:00 p.m. local time in each time zone across the country
to, in their own unique way, help celebrate the countdown to
Canada's Games in 2010. Events will be held in numerous communities
across Canada.
- For information about events hosted by VANOC's government partners
and sponsors: Please contact the respective municipal or provincial
government authority or tourism organization, or the federal
department of Canadian Heritage. Members of the media can also
consult the special "Hot Topic" section of Canada Newswire for
one-year-countdown-related releases and advisories at
www.newswire.ca.

RICHMOND, British Columbia

The Countdown 2010 official celebration presented by the Government of
British Columbia - including IOC President Rogge's invitation to National
Olympic Committees to compete in Vancouver at the 2010 Olympic Winter
Games.

Location: Richmond Olympic Oval, 6111 River Road, Richmond, BC

Time: 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

- The Province of British Columbia, Host Province of the 2010 Winter
Games, hosts an official ceremony marking the one-year countdown to
the start of the Games on February 12, 2010 at 6:00 p.m., when
Canada officially welcomes the world at the Opening Ceremony of the
Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The ceremony will include
performances by more than 200 children from across British Columbia.
- IOC President Jacques Rogge
- The Honourable Gordon Campbell, Premier of British Columbia
- The Honourable Gary Lunn, Government of Canada, Minister of
State (Sport)
- Jack Poole, VANOC Chairman of the Board
- VANOC CEO John Furlong
- Cindy Klassen, member of the 2002 and 2006 Canadian Olympian
teams (speed skating), multiple medallist
- National Olympic Committee presidents
- For information: Karen Murry, 250-387-0779,
[email protected], BC Public Affairs Bureau.
- Accreditation: Members of the media are required to register by
contacting Karen Murry by 12:00 p.m. (noon) on Wednesday,
February 11. Media will be required to show media ID along with
photo ID upon arrival at the event no later than 4:30 p.m. Live
reporting will not permitted inside the Oval during the ceremony.
A six-camera-directed broadcast feed of the entire show, as well as
an audio feed, will be available. Media will be permitted to access
and use the material in its entirety or any portions thereof. To
record, media must bring their own recording deck.
- Media will have the ability to patch the live feed to their
satellite/microwave trucks and to cut in and out of live newscasts
occurring at the same time. During the ceremony, production
lighting will be provided to meet broadcast quality standards. No
additional lighting will be permitted until the program's
conclusion. Reserved parking space is not available for the media.
Please use nearby public parking. Parking for microwave or
satellite trucks can be coordinated through Karen Murry.

VANCOUVER, BC

One-Year Countdown Celebration, featuring Sarah McLachlan

Location: Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver, BC

Time: 7:30 p.m.

- One-Year Countdown Celebration, featuring acclaimed international
singing, songwriting star Sarah McLachlan, Halifax rocker Joel
Plaskett, violinist Adrian Anantawan, Luke Doucet, the Alberta
Ballet and special guests. This sold-out concert is part of the
Cultural Olympiad 2009 program, a seven-week celebration.
- For information: Erin Mikaluk, 604-403-2471,
[email protected].

[SpongeG]

global is doing reports all week

they rode the gondola LIVE yesterday - oooh ahhh

[mr.x]

Olympic torch could look like a paddle

By BOB MACKIN, 24 HOURS

The Olympic torch - to be unveiled tomorrow morning in Whistler Village - could be shaped like a canoe paddle.

The Richmond Oval art plan said the City of Richmond would "work with VANOC to recommend that the Olympic torch has a Salish paddle inspired design."

The riverside Oval is the 2010 Winter Olympics' showcase venue and site of a one-year countdown ceremony to invite the world tomorrow at 5 p.m.

Access to Information documents show the feds, who pledged $25 million for the torch relay, suggested a design inspired by the House of Commons' 1955-commissioned Northwest Territories' mace. It includes whale bone, walrus tusk and polar bear claw.

"A similar Olympic torch could be made from fibre optic-type material and include minerals and elements from across the country," said a planning document.

The report said a GPS chip could be embedded in the torch to enable constant route tracking and said Vancouver 2010 should follow Sydney 2000's lead and appoint a retired Aboriginal athlete as the final torch bearer.



Salish paddle




Northwest Territories mace

[djmk]

a mace? mmmm... i'm sure it would be the first weapon inspired torch in olympic history.

the real one is quite impressive weighing in at 12kilos and 1.5meters in height.

i'm all for it!

[raggedy13]

Can't wait to see the design. After that, it's all about the cauldron and the medal designs.

Originally Posted by djmk

a mace? mmmm... i'm sure it would be the first weapon inspired torch in olympic history.

the real one is quite impressive weighing in at 12kilos and 1.5meters in height.

i'm all for it!

From dictionary.com...

1. A ceremonial staff borne or displayed as the symbol of authority of a legislative body.
2. A macebearer.
3. A heavy medieval war club with a spiked or flanged metal head, used to crush armor.

[metroXpress]

Originally Posted by djmk

a mace? mmmm... i'm sure it would be the first weapon inspired torch in olympic history.

the real one is quite impressive weighing in at 12kilos and 1.5meters in height.

i'm all for it!

How could you not know what mace is? It is such an important symbol of
authority and rights and it is displayed in the House of Commons!!

Thanks raggedy 13 for putting up the definition...

[metroXpress]

Oh...Thank you MrX2 for the information on the countdown events.
And yes, I read about the torch design article in the 24hrs too! Can't
wait to see it tomorrow...correct me if I am wrong...they are unveiling
it tomorrow?

[deasine]

TransLink celebrates one year countdown to the 2010 games tomorrow today. Check out the Metro Vancouver Transit thread for more info.

[ravman]

wonder who will be the first to post pictures as they go live in minutes

[mr.x]

Not bad.....

































2010 Olympic torch unveiled


By Jeff Lee, Vancouver SunFebruary 12, 2009 8:52 AM

WHISTLER - If every Olympic torch is supposed to say something about the country in which its Games are being held, then the torch for the Vancouver 2010 Games says cold, bright, expansive and snowy.

With a flourish befitting the unveiling of an art sculpture or a long-lost master, the organizers of the Vancouver Games revealed Thursday their concept of what an Olympic torch should be.

Inspired, Vanoc says, "by both the lines carved into the snow by skiers shushing down mountains and the undulating beauty of the snowy Canadian landscape", the Vancouver torch is a long white and chrome staff utterly different from the racy blue curve of Turin, the red scroll of Beijing, and even the squat wood chrome cauldron of Calgary.

The first of 12,000 of the ski-shaped torches Vanoc will use in a 106-day, 45,000-kilometre journey across Canada made its debut Whistler's village square. It was unveiled with International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge, politicians and Vanoc CEO John Furlong present.

But the torch wasn't the only item revealed. Vanoc also made public the white, green and blue uniform each torchbearer will wear come the time they run their segment of the relay.

The first two torchbearers named, Patricia Moreno, 18, of Vancouver and Caleb Taylor, 35, of Regina, modeled the new Hudson's Bay Company-designed uniforms.

The two were selected by Coca-Cola and RBC, the two co-presenting sponsors of the torch relay.

The torch, nearly a metre in length, was designed by Bombardier, the Canadian aerospace and transportation giant. A team of scientists and designers began working on the project in November, 2007. Bombardier presented Vanoc with a concept last April, and received IOC approval in June. The team spent the summer and fall of 2008 developing the mechanics of the burner before laboratory testing in December.

The design moves away from a traditional cauldron style of flame that other organizing committees have used. Instead, Vanoc says this flame "will unfurl like a flag fluttering in the wind" because the torch has a unique 30-centimetre-long vertical flame outlet.

Bombardier's designers incorporated two unique Canadian items; a red maple leaf air intake cut-out that feeds the flame air, and an engraving of the Games motto "With Glowing Hearts", along with the French version.

The torch design has already proved a hit with Rogge, who in a prepared statement said it was "like Canada – young, exciting, innovative, and welcoming to everyone who sees and holds it.”

“The design of an Olympic Torch is very important,” he said. “It cradles the Olympic Flame and its message of hope, the celebration of excellence, friendship and respect wherever it travels in the world."

Bombardier says the torch is made out of stainless steel, aluminum and a sheet moulding compound. It will be assembled in Canada from primarily Canadian resources.

Once the flame is lit in Olympia, Greece in late October, it will be flown to Victoria, the first stop on the cross-Canada tour. It will finish in Vancouver on Feb. 12, 2010.

[email protected]

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun










CTV brought up an interesting point last night: why aren't there any major one-year countdown celebrations in the home of the 2010 Games, Vancouver? Even Calgary is doing more than we are......and it might have to do with the protesters and security issues seen at the clock unveiling and flag raising over the last two years.

Looks like they ruined it for all of us.

[ravman]

24newspaper has some pictures on the website... if someone can post it

[Lighthouse]

^i was disappointed too there isnt going to be any real big open celebration.. but i guess thats in keep with vancouver life here.. we rarely have any celebrations as it is

but thanks for the pictures of torch and uniforms. i like the overall design of the torch and how the flame is meant to look like a flag but the torch and uniforms look soo plain.. its just white!

[mr.x]

[mr.x]

http://www.vancouversun.com/travel/Videos+...2198/story.html

Video of the making of the torch. Plus a footage of the torch with flame.

[Cypherus]

The torch is an elegant, albiet simple design. I was hoping to see something visually more sophisticated. Funny that my colleague, after seeing the torch, had to let me know that this is another component of the grand "cheap-skate" Olympics.

[raggedy13]

I think it looks great. Nice lines, modern (compare this to Calgary's), innovative, and unlike any other torch before it. I'm not disappointed in the least.

The uniforms aren't anything special though.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by Cypherus

The torch is an elegant, albiet simple design. I was hoping to see something visually more sophisticated. Funny that my colleague, after seeing the torch, had to let me know that this is another component of the grand "cheap-skate" Olympics.

How is it cheap at all?

[baggab]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

How is it cheap at all?

I don't like it. I can see how it looks cheap, it's kind of futuristic plastic knife look to it.

It's alright. I give it a pass.

At least we didn't get the London logo

[zivan56]

Wow...it looks like a postmodern knife with fire coming out of it...not impressed at all. Uniforms I can live with...

[wrenegade]

I like it. It's not native. I consider that a win.