Two Years to Go – Paralympic Countdown Celebrated

Mar 12, 2008

Today marks the two-year countdown to the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, and a major milestone for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). Among the celebrations, the official Competition Schedule and a new video for the Paralympic Winter Games are being unveiled. James Moore, Member of Parliament for the riding of Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, issued a statement in Ottawa in the House of Commons announcing the two-year countdown to the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.

For VANOC’s Paralympic planners, the two-year countdown marks a shift in momentum. “This is a very exciting day for us,” said Dena Coward, VANOC director of Paralympic Games. “Over the next two years you will start to see some exciting Paralympic announcements, amazing sport events, unique cultural activities and unparalleled community engagement — all leading up to 10 exciting days of the Paralympic Winter Games.

“The 2010 Paralympic Winter Games has the potential to inspire the world as Vancouver and Whistler come alive with powerful small town spirit, big-city facilities and world-class athletic achievements.”

Paralympic countdown celebrations

Today, Whistler will be the centre of excitement as it hosts the two-year countdown celebrations. Held at the Whistler Public Library, the event includes a special performance by singer/songwriter and 2008 Canadian Indie Awards nominee Justin Hines, an appearance by the Vancouver 2010 mascots, and, of course, a big cake. Paralympic cross-country skier Tyler Mosher and Paralympic swimmer Donovan Tildesley will talk about their anticipation and excitement for Vancouver 2010.

“As a winter athlete, you only have so many days to practice, so the two-year countdown means that I only have another couple hundred training days left,” said Mosher, a local resident and 2010 Paralympic hopeful. “It means that I have to be out there every day preparing, so that I can stand on the podium in 2010.”

Mosher is encouraged by the community’s excitement about the upcoming Games and support for the various Paralympic athletes training in the Whistler area: “In Whistler, and Canada in general, there’s a lot of support and excitement about the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games. It’s great to see.”

Two years of sport and athleticism

For athletes like Mosher, today’s announcement means more than a milestone — it signifies a training deadline. Results from the next two athletic seasons will position athletes to qualify for the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. International standings and upcoming World Cup competition results will help determine which athletes and teams will qualify to compete for their countries coming to Vancouver in 2010.

Several World Cup events will be taking place at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games venues as part of the 2008-09 Sport Event Schedule. For spectators, these Sport Events are opportunities to experience Paralympic calibre sports during the lead up to the Games. Close to 90 per cent of athletes competing at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will attend a Sport Event. Some of the major events on the Paralympic Sport Event calendar in 2009 are wheelchair curling, ice sledge hockey, Paralympic alpine and Paralympic Nordic World Cup events.

For Mosher, hosting these upcoming World Cup races in Whistler means more than just the chance to experience great sport events . He sees the World Cups and the Olympic and Paralympic competition as a Games legacy, inspiring children to get involved in sport: “Hosting World Cups brings in new spectators, but you really see the interest with kids who come out and see the sports like biathlon, cross-country skiing and ski jumping, and they want to get involved and try it out.”

Competition Schedule

Another high point of today’s celebration is the release of the Paralympic Competition Schedule. During the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Whistler, there will be multiple medals awarded every day, as women’s and men’s alpine, cross-country skiing and biathlon events will host medal events in sitting, standing and visually impaired categories. Vancouver-based highlights from the program include nearly daily wheelchair curling events at the Hillcrest/Nat Bailey Stadium Park venue and an equally frequent ice sledge hockey schedule, with the eight-team tournament hosted at the UBC Winter Sports Centre.

With Competition and non-Competition Events in Whistler and Vancouver, March 12 to 21, 2010 is shaping up to be an awe-inspiring experience for sports enthusiasts.