Vancouver 2010 Torch Relay Begins!

The first torchbearers, former Canadian speed skater Catriona Le May Doan (R) and her compatriot tri-athlete Simon Whitfield, light the Olympic Torch following its arrival in Victoria, British Columbia, October 30, 2009.
Photograph by: Reuters, Reuters


What started in 1998 as the selection of Vancouver by the Canadian Olympic Committee as it's preferred city, turned in the International Olympic Committee endorsing Vancouver as the host for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in July of 2003, has now reached the final countdown, notably marked by the Olympic Torch Relay.

In less than 105 days Vancouver and Whistler will host the world starting with the lighting of the Olypmic Flame at the Opening Ceremonies in Vancouver at BC Place Stadium with some 60,000+ attendees!

You can follow all the Olympic Torch Relay details at Vancouver2010.com.

Olympic Flame will be lit Tomorrow!

On Thursday, October 22, 2009 the Olympic Flame will be lit marking the start of the final countdown to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

Over the next week or so the flame will make it's way to the start of the 45,000km torch relay race that you will be able to follow at home, in real-time, from October 30, 2009 through to February 12, 2010 when the torch will arrive back in Vancouver for the Vancouver 2010 Opening Ceremonies at BC Place Stadium.

Photo from VancouverSun.com, taken during rehearsals in Greece.

To follow all the details of the 2010 Torch Relay visit the interactive map on Vancouver2010.com.

Vancouver 2010 has also launched other features of their new, game-time website that will host everything you need to know in 2010 including schedule details, sport results, and more.

Torch Relay - Official VANOC Video

RBC & Coca Cola - Carry the Torch

Every wished you were a part of a historic event lie the Olympic Torch Relay?  Well RBC and Coke are offering you that opportunity.

Here's their commercials.

Short Version:

Long Version:

Coca Cola Version:

2010 Torch Relay Videos

Here are two videos regarding the 2010 torch relay.

The first is a commercial from RBC encouraging Torch Relay volunteers:


The second is from VANOC:

Vancouver 2010 Torch Route Announced

It will take 100 days and travel nearly 45,000 kilometers as it criss-crosses across Canada. The relay will start in Victoria, travel through the Queen Charlotte Islands before visiting each and every territory and province of Canada.

Read more here.

2010 StreetCar Images

At the end of July we first told you about the StreetCar that is planned for Vancouver in time for 2010 in another post.

Today we have pictures of the new StreetCar which can be viewed here.

The cars in question are manufactured by Bombardier though, an official supplier of Vancouver 2010 in charge of designing, engineering, and manufacturing the relay torch.

Also, of note is that the StreetCar trial will be quite short to begin with as the cars will simply be on loan from the Brussels Transportation Company.

Torch Relay Update

BEIJING - The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics will not stage an international torch relay to avoid any potential worldwide protests, Vanoc CEO John Furlong said on Wednesday.

"The torch relay will be announced at the end of this year. It will only be in Canada," Furlong said of the 35,000 kilometre domestic relay that will last 106 days.

"We see this as a way for every Canadian to come face to face with the Games," he told an IOC session.

The IOC have decided to review the torch relay after the Beijing 2008 Games international leg turned into a weeks-long demonstration by activists against China's human rights record and its policies in Sudan's Darfur region and Tibet.

Major violent demonstrations marred the London and Paris legs of the relay while protests were also held in several other cities.

Source: Reuters.com

Bombardier Selected for Torch

The Canadian firm Bombardier, best known throughout the world for their transit systems and regional jet aircraft, has been selected to design and build the Olympic Torches that will be used in the Olympic and Paralympic Torch Relays.

The selected torch design will be unveiled early next year.

Twelve-thousand Canadians will carry the torch over 35,000 kilometres - the longest single-country relay - bringing it through up to 1,000 communities in over 100 days.

Source: CKNW AM 980

Canadian Pacific Railways Launch Spirit Train

20 years ago Calgary, Alberta hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics and in honour of that celebration the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) launched the Spirit Train with the Olympic livery and a special tour.

CPR is once again a sponsor of the Olympics and will again launch a Spirit Train that will operate a 10-city tour across Canada in September. An expanded tour will again run in 2009 and third Spirit Train will run as part of the Torch Relay in 2010.

The Spirit Train Tour will feature a concert in every city headlined by Colin James, a pin-trading section and athlete displays.

CPR will have a total of 20 train engines outfitted with the Olympic livery.

More info here from Canadian Pacific Railway press release.

Beijing : Torch Reaches Everest Summit

The Olympic torch has reached an amazing climax on it's journey around the world. Earlier today a Tibetan woman carried the torch the last few steps to the summit of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, from the Chinese (Tibetan) base camp.

Once on top of the world, the team, outfitted in nationalistic red snow suits unfurled three flags. That of the People's Republic of China, Olympic Rings, and the Beijing 2008 logo flag.

Here's a video of the group celebrating at the summit. It's mostly in Chinese (not sure if its Mandarin or Cantonese) with some English at the end.

Beijing : Keep the Promise

With just under 100 days until the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games begin Amnesty International is calling for China to "Keep the Promise".

When Chinese officials lobbied for the Games, they promised the world that the Beijing Olympics would be an opportunity to improve human rights in China. The International Olympic Committee awarded China the games in light of this promise. Now it's time for China to keep its promise to the world. Human Rights belong to all people, everywhere – including China. On this page you will find information on human rights concerns in China, opportunities for writing letters, conducting public protests, and learning about what others are doing to demand that China keep their promise to the world. -- Amnesty Blog

The Olympic Torch Relay will travel through Hong Kong tomorrow, May 2, and groups like Amnesty are urging the authorities there to allow peaceful protests to occur without incident. Several foreign persons have been denied access to the region without specific reason provided leading to speculation that these decisions are being made arbitrarily.

It will be very interesting to continue to monitor the human rights side of the Beijing 2008 games and also what will happen in Vancouver 2010 and the possible First Nations protests that they may see.

Olympic Torch Leaves Athens Bound for Beijing

From A to B without mention of T. The Olympic Torch left Athens after a small ceremony to take the long journey to the capital city of the People's Republic of China, Beijing. From there the torch will take a 20 country tour before making its' way back to Beijing to mark the start of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.

The 2008 Beijing Olympics and everything associated with them are becoming more and more of a lightning rod in light of recent uprisings by Buddhist monks in Tibet which has been occupied since being invaded in 1950 by the Chinese authorities. Protests along the torch route, leading up to the games, and throughout the competitions are highly anticipated.

More news on the torch's journey from Athens from the Toronto Star.