Torch relay set for 2010 Paralympics
T he 2010 Winter Paralympics will be launched with a 10-day torch relay across Canada that organizers said on Thursday will highlight the determination of disabled athletes. The relay will begin March 3 in Ottawa and is expected to involve 600 torchbearers. They will carry the flame to Vancouver on the Pacific Coast, where the Paralympics are scheduled to start on March 12, following the end of the 2010 Winter Olympics. The 2010 Paralympic Games in Vancouver and the nearby mountain resort community of Whistler are expected to draw about 1,300 athletes from more than 40 countries for events such as Alpine and Nordic skiing, and sledge hockey. The athletes have disabilities such as visual impairment, paralysis or amputations. They will use the same facilities used...
Sochi 2014 to Benefit from Canadian Technology and Insights during Games Preparations
C anada’s Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, Stockwell Day, led a mission to Moscow and Sochi – the location for Russia’s first Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games – to explore trade opportunities between his country and Russia. In a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Dmitry Kozak, Minister Day highlighted that preparations for the Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014 Winter Games “create strong impulses for Canadian and Russian economics during the global economic crisis.” He continued: “Canada has pioneered green design, low-emission technologies and world-class fuel cell technology in its Olympic venues and transportation plans. We look forward to showcasing Canadian technology and expertise to Russian...
ESPN bags $10m South American Olympic rights
E SPN has won the South American broadcast rights to the 2010 and 2012 Olympic Games in a deal worth about $10m. It takes over from the Iberoamericana Television Organization (OTI) group of networks which has broadcast every summer Games since Barcelona in 1992. The rights, sold by the International Olympic Committee, cover the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver and the 2012 London Olympics. The deal could have extra significance because ESPN has long been considered a likely bidder for the lucrative US Olympic television rights for the 2014 and 2016 Games once NBC Universal’s deal expires. The South America agreement is separate from the US rights, but the deal could be seen as a precursor to negotiations once the 2014 and 2016 rights come up later this year. NBC,...
Vancouver 2010 postpones ticket sales after website glitch
O rganisers of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games have postponed the third phase of online ticket sales until November 14 because of major website problems, which prevented the sale of 100,00 tickets. People trying to log on to the website could only get a message saying the link appeared to be broken, or a message asking them to try again later. Vancouver 2010 officials now say about 100,000 more tickets will be available on November 14. “We are disappointed that people wanting to purchase tickets today did not receive the chance to do so - this is the first time we have had such an issue,” said Caley Denton, vice-president of ticketing for VANOC. “Even though it appears the problem is close to being resolved, we made the decision to postpone the sale of...
Economic boost seen from 2010 Games preparations
P reparations for next year’s Olympics have given Vancouver an economic boost that’s comparable to those enjoyed by past host cities, according to a study released on Thursday. Venue construction and other preparations for the Games from 2003 through 2008 helped create an estimated 15,875 to 20,780 jobs, bolstering the area’s already strong economy. The four-part report by PricewaterhouseCoopers is the first to study the economic impact of the Games on Vancouver and other parts of Canada. Organizers of the Canada’s bid for the Games touted its potential economic benefit in their efforts to win local support for hosting the 17-day international event, which holds its opening ceremony on Feb. 12. So choose for waterproofing foundation of the...
Balanced budget still seen for 2010 Games
O rganizers of next year’s Vancouver Olympics are confident of meeting their balanced budget goal, saying the economic downturn has had a milder impact than initially feared, officials said on Monday. Sales of high-end ticket packages and billboard advertising in the host city have picked up, and the Vancouver Organizing Committee is hopeful of signing another corporate sponsorship deal before the Winter Games begin in February. VANOC, which released its annual report on Monday, is no longer facing the operational cuts organizers had worried might be needed as the recession threatened revenues for both it and the International Olympic Committee. “We think we are through by far the worst of the economic lump, and (every sponsor) is current with its...
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