Top 10 Moments for Canadian Olympians

If you had to choose the most outstanding achievement of a Canadian winter Olympian, what would it be? What is your favourite goosebump-raising, spine-tingling Olympic memory? Is it Cindy Klassen’s five medals at the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games? Or maybe it’s a throwback to Grenoble 1968 when Nancy Greene won gold and silver in alpine skiing?

Vote for the Top 10

Marc Gagnon (Getty Images) The Royal Canadian Mint and Canada's Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium are inviting Canadians to celebrate Canada’s history at the Olympic Winter Games by voting on the Top 10 Canadian Olympic Winter Moments of all time. Each vote provides a chance to win one of two trips for two to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

“Canadian Olympic athletes have the profound ability to make an emotional connection with fans and instill a tremendous amount of national pride,” said Keith Pelley, president of Canada's Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium. “We celebrate and pay tribute to Canada's Olympic heroes who have helped shape the Olympic Winter Games for Canadians nationwide."

Featured on the Canadian quarter

Once the votes are tallied, the top three moments will each be featured on 25-cent coins and will enter into circulation in the fall of 2009. They will then be revealed in a one-hour prime-time broadcast special, in English and French, in September 2009 on CTV, TSN and RDS.

The Top 10 Canadian Olympic Winter Moments finalists, as selected by an independent voting panel are (in chronological order):

•Nancy Greene — gold medal and silver medal, alpine skiing, Grenoble 1968
•Gaétan Boucher — two gold medals and one bronze medal, speed skating, Sarajevo 1984
•Marc Gagnon — gold medal, short track speed skating, Salt Lake 2002
•Catriona Le May Doan — gold medal, speed skating, Salt Lake 2002
•Men's Hockey Team — gold medal, Salt Lake 2002
•Women's Hockey Team — gold medal, Salt Lake 2002
•Jamie Salé and David Pelletier — gold medal, figure skating, Salt Lake 2002
•Beckie Scott — gold medal, cross-country skiing, Salt Lake 2002
•Cindy Klassen — one gold medal, two silver medals and two bronze medals, speed skating, Torino 2006
•Clara Hughes — gold medal, speed skating, Torino 2006

Nancy Greene (Getty Images)

From the 10 finalists above, Canadians can rank their favourites and share their personal memories from each moment. A random draw will take place in early April to determine two winners, each of whom will each receive a trip for two to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

"We're proud to give Canadians the opportunity to determine the most extraordinary Olympic Winter Games moments to complete our Vancouver 2010 circulation coin program," said Ian E. Bennett, president and Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Canadian Mint.

Voting began February 12, 2009 and runs through March 25, 2009 at CTVOlympics.ca.