Jun 6, 2008

Six months ago, Miga, Quatchi and Sumi were introduced as the official mascots of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The three friends have since travelled the country, met with celebrities, taken hundreds of photos and are now ready to expand their interactive website.

It has been a busy time for Miga, Quatchi and Sumi. They journeyed to Halifax for the torch relay announcement, to Ottawa for the unveiling of a new 2010 Winter Games countdown clock, and to Vancouver for the two-year countdown to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. That’s not all.

Mascot visits

The mascots’ website is just one of the ways that vancouver2010.com visitors can meet the friendly trio. They have also made over 100 appearances at various events. The three have met many revered Canadians including speed skater Marc Gagnon, CTV host Brian Williams, freestyle skier Jean-Luc Brassard and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Highlights from the mascots’ travels include dog sledding in Calgary, cleaning up a Vancouver park at the RONA Earth Day event and meeting hundreds of kids at school and hospital visits.

On a recent visit to Prince George in Northern British Columbia, the mascots were lively companions for John Furlong, Chief Executive Officer of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). While in Prince George, they went to the local community centre, the city library, a seniors’ home and met the local wheelchair basketball team.

“Their presence was a highlight of our day with John [Furlong],” said Prince George mayor Colin Kinsley. “Miga, Sumi and Quatchi truly embody the warmth and open-hearted friendship of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and we would love to have them come and see us again before 2010.”

Don't forget the marmot

In addition to the enthusiastic reception that the trio has received from Canadians, the lovable sidekick Mukmuk has proven so popular that the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) is exploring ways to respond to the strong public interest as part of the celebration of the mascots' first birthday come November 27, 2008.

“We thought Mukmuk, a Vancouver Island marmot, would be to great sidekick to cheer on the Olympic and Paralympic mascots. Mukmuk is hardworking, hardy and always there to support his friends,” said Vicki Wong of Meomi Designs – the brains behind Miga, Quatchi, Sumi and Mukmuk. “It's great to see the amount of interest and passion that has been generated by the public and the media to giving Mukmuk a greater presence.”

The new website

In conjunction with the mascots’ six-month anniversary, VANOC is introducing new features on the mascots’ website, vancouver2010.com/mascot.

Mascot interactive desktop
The mascot team is setting out to splash 2010 Winter Games fun and colour on computer desktops across Canada and around the world. With a new mascot interactive desktop — similar to the e-card — users set the mascots in an imaginative forest world. Background props, mascot images and personalized text boxes are all moveable and can be placed in a variety of different areas on computer screens. The desktop also features trivia, while Mukmuk the marmot counts down the days remaining until the Games begin.

New behind the scenes video
Vicki Wong and Michael Murphy of Meomi Design, the brains behind Miga, Quatchi and Sumi, answer questions from their toughest critics — kids. Find out behind-the-scenes information as Wong and Murphy answer questions from their biggest fans.

Quatchi's Shutout Shootout
Now that many visitors have mastered their curling skills with Operation Recycle, the mascots are back with a new challenge — Quatchi’s Shutout Shootout. Using the arrow keys and the one, two and three keys, help Quatchi block shots aimed by Miga and Sumi in this exciting hockey challenge.

Print and fold mascots
Do you have all of the mascot plush toys, but want to share in more mascot fun at home? 3D paper print and fold mascots are now available to download. Using a pair of scissors and adhesive tape, the printable paper cut-outs turn into small standing versions of your favourite mascots.