Just four months after hosting the spectacular 2008 Summer Games, China has set her eyes on hosting another Games–this time the Winter event. According to Reuters, Harbin (pictured above), the capital of China’s Heilongjiang Province in the northeastern part of the country, is considering bidding on the 2018 Games. Harbin, a bustling town of five million residents, had unsuccessfully bid on the 2010 Games, which were awarded to Vancouver.

Harbin will face competition from declared candidates, Munich, Germany and Grenoble, Nice, and Annecy in France.

^{(photo © Newscom)}

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Another China Olympics?

At least one prospective 2016 Olympic city is worried that the election of Chicagoan, Barack Obama as president of the United States will give Chicago an advantage in the selection process. Japanese organizers have reportedly been concerned that all of Chicago’s recent attention from the presidential election will catch the notice of International Olympic Committee (IOC) members. It’s also no secret that President-Elect Obama supports the efforts to host the 2016 Summer Games in his home city. Time will tell.

Chicago and Tokyo are two of four cities in the running to be the 2016 Olympic host city. The others are Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Madrid, Spain. The IOC will choose a winner when it meets next October.

^{(photo of President-Elect Obama and Chief-of-Staff prospect, Rahm Emanuel at a Chicago Olympic rally this summer © Newscom)}

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Will Obama’s Victory Help Chicago’s Olympic Bid?

France, who has hosted the Winter Olympic Games three times, announced today that they are putting together a bid for the 2018 Games. Under consideration are the cities of Annecy, Nice, and Grenoble. The 1924 Winter Games were held in Chamonix, the 1968 Games in Grenoble, and the 1992 Games in Albertville (pictured above).

France intends to announce their candidate city in early 2009. They have at least one rival. Munich Germany has already announced her plans to bid for the 2018 Games.

^{(photo © Newscom)}

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France Planning Bid for 2018 Games

What do you think?  Should England really build a new velodrome?

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Britain’s Velodrome Celebrates Olympic Wins

A rockslide has closed the highway leading to several 2010 Winter Olympic venues.  While there were no known injuries reported, a vehicle was struck by rocks that police described as “the size of a room or semi-trailer truck, about 20 to 30 feet (six to nine meters) in diameter.”

The road is expected to reopen within a few days after officials find either an environmentally friendly method of pushing the debris off a cliff and into an ocean or blasting the fallen rocks and hauling them away.

Hopefully, they can come up with a way to keep this from being a major problem during the Games.

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Rockslide Closes Road to 2010 Olympics

“The Olympic Games are important to London, as is our presence during the Beijing Games, but I want to ensure every aspect is kept under tight financial control,” Johnson said. “There were some pretty unrealistic things planned, which would have cost a lot of taxpayer money, but which would have had marginal value to Londoners.”

Johnson will receive the Olympic flag on behalf of London officials during the closing ceremony of the Beijing Games.

image provided by newscom

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London Scales Back Olympic Spending

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) narrowed the cities in the running to host the 2016 summer games to four cities on Wednesday. Still in contention are Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo. Eliminated from consideration are Prague; Doha, Qatar; and Baku, Azerbajan.

^{(photo © Newscom)}

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IOC Narrows Contenders for 2016 Games

Image details: Torch served by picapp.com

Amidst the nightmare that has followed the Olympic torch as it has toured the globe leading up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, organizers for the 2012 London games are considering having a British-only relay.

"No decision has been made," Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell said. "This is something that will be the subject of very careful consideration over the next four years. We do not have to make a decision until after the dust has settled over Beijing. Our aim is to host the best Games ever."

It would be very sad, to me, to see the relay reduced to touring the host country only.  The whole spirit of the Games is to bring people together from all around the world.  Part of that magic stems from having the torch globetrot its’ way to the opening ceremonies.

What do you think?

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2012 London Olympics May Have British-Only Torch Relay