The US Figure Skating Championships are coming to my hometown of Cleveland next week and I’m lucky enough to get a chance to cover the week-long event. The competition, held annually since 1914, is the most prestigious event in US figure skating and draws around 1500 skaters in three classes: Novice, Junior, and Senior. These skaters compete in dance, pairs, mens, and womens events.

The US Figures Skating Championships are a great place to get an early look at up-and-coming champions as well as see first-hand those who will be competing in Vancouver next February. Look for my daily posts about what’s happening on the ice and off, beginning next Monday, January 19.

For more about the US Figure Skating Championships, visit the event’s official Web site.

^{(© Newscom)}

Post from: EveryJoe

Getting Ready for the US Figure Skating Championships

After an exciting two weeks in Beijing, don’t forget that the Winter Games in Vancouver are just 535 days away–February 12 to 28, 2010. In the intervening months, we’ll be talking about the 86 events, 7 sports, and many of the estimated 5500 athletes to be featured in those Games as well as the venues and preparation for the Vancouver Games.

Tickets for Vancouver are going on sale October 3, 2008.

Stay with us. The Olympics aren’t ending; they’re just beginning.

^{(photo © Newscom)}

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Looking to Vancouver 2010

Image details: Olympics Day 16 – Closing Ceremony served by picapp.com

Olympic host city, Vancouver, is taking their anti-doping tactics very seriously.  They had already estimated the costs of the lab for the upcoming 2010 Winter Games but, ultimately, it will cost double the anticipated amount.  The facility, which will be inside of the speed-skating venue in Richmond, B.C., will cost $5 million to build in addition to the $4.1 million organizers had already budgeted to run the program.  The main reason for the cost is that they have chosen to create a building for the lab rather than use an existing space.

“I believe that everybody can be confident that you can’t stop people from taking drugs, but if you come to Vancouver, we’re likely to find you,” said Richard Pound, the former president of the World Anti-Doping Agency and a member of the board of directors for Vancouver’s organizing committee.

I certainly hope Mr. Pound is correct because this really is an exorbitant amount of money but I’m reluctant to put much stock into what he says.  He famously claimed that drug testing in the National Hockey League was “full of holes” and suggested that one-third hockey players were guilty of doping.  Not only did he get attacked for his comments, he also had to admit that he had no proof to substantiate his claims…

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Vancouver’s High Priced Anti-Doping Lab

Image details: Olympics Day 16 – Closing Ceremony served by picapp.com

The eastern Canadian culture of Newfoundland and Labrador will be among those highlighted on the international stage at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.  The arrangement comes after Newfoundland pledged to contribute $1.5 million toward Canadian athletes and staging and the Games.

“Our government is proud to be a partner in the 2010 Winter Games, and we look forward to contributing the rich cultural heritage of Newfoundland and Labrador to this international phenomenon,” said Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams.

I think that is excellent.  I am originally from eastern Canada and I don’t know enough (or much at all) about Newfoundland and Labrador so, it will be just as much an educational lesson for Canadians as it will be for the rest of the world!

Post from: EveryJoe

Newfoundland Makes 2010 Olympic Deal

Kristi Yamaguchi, the 1992 Olympic Gold Medalist in Figure Skating (Albertville), has been back in the news again this season. She’s the front-runner in season six of “Dancing with the Stars,” having finished first in seven of the nine episodes. The season finale is Monday and she’s up against actor, Cristian de la Fuente and Miami Dolphin, Jason Taylor. Do you think she’s got what it takes to win?

^{(photo of Yamaguchi throwing out the first pitch at the May 9 LA Dodgers game © Newscom)}

Post from: EveryJoe

Kristi Yamaguchi Back in the Spotlight

Image details: Olympics – Around The Olympics Venues served by picapp.com

The Beijing Olympic Games are just slightly more than 100 days away. Just how much do you know about the Olympic Games and their history and traditions? For instance, did you know…?

• that the original Olympic games, called the PanHellenic Games in ancient Greece, were held as part of national religious festivals
• that women were not permitted to participate…or even watch…the Olympic games until the 2nd century A.D.
• that the first record of Olympic Games dates from 776 B.C.
• that the last record of the original Olympic Games was in 261 A.D.
• that the modern Olympics were reborn in Athens in 1896
• that the Olympic five-ring symbol was taken from an emblem on an altar in the ruins of ancient Delphi, in Greece.
• that the first Winter Games were held in 1924, in Chamonix, France

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Olympic Trivia

Harbin (China)

Innsbruck (Austria)

Kuopio (Finland)

Lillehammer (Norway)

Now briefed and oriented with the concept of the Youth Olympic Games, these cities will now prepare their respective candidature files which will be submitted on 19 June 2008. The IOC will then evaluate draw up the shortlist by August 2008 and the shortlisted cities will be announced by December 2008.

Good luck to them all!

Source

Post from: EveryJoe

First Winter Youth Olympic Games 2012 Candidate Cities

What: VANOC news conference to announce a new contract and Official Supplier sponsorship

When: Thursday January 17th, 2008 10:30 AM PT

Where: 21690 Smith Crescent, Langley, BC

Who: John Furlong, VANOC Chief Executive Officer

Dan Doyle, VANOC Executive Vice President, Construction

New Official Supplier’s Executive Representatives

Minister Coleman, Minister of Forests and Range and Minister Responsible for Housing – MLA for Fort Langley-Aldergrove

Kurt Alberts, Mayor, Township of Langley
Peter Fassbender, Mayor, City of Langley
Dianne Watts, Mayor, City of Surrey

Gary Cormack, Gold Medalist, Canadian Paralympic Curling Team, Torino 2006

Vancouver 2010 Winter Games Mascots

- 2010 -

Media Contact:
Andrew Riley
VANOC Communications
778-328-6721
andrew_riley@vancouver2010.com

Source

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Press Release | Vancouver 2010 Sponsorship Announcement

The IOC assessed the bids it received and selected Nine Network and Foxtel on their capacity to reach the broadest possible audience on a variety of broadcast platforms and their commitment to promoting the Olympic Games and the values of the Olympic Movement.

Commenting on the agreement, IOC President Jacques Rogge said “This is an excellent deal. Our aim is to ensure that as many people as possible are able to enjoy the Olympic Games across the world and we look forward to working closely with both Nine Network and Foxtel to make this possible in Australia”. IOC Executive Board member Richard Carrión, who led the negotiations, added “We are very happy with the outcome of this process, and look forward to building a relationship with Nine Network and Foxtel after the Beijing Games.”

Nine Network Australia Chief Executive Officer-Elect David Gyngell said: “The bid for the Olympic rights underscores the longer term commitment to the Network and the preparedness to invest in content. We believe the London Olympic Games will be a great event – London is a solid cultural fit with our viewing audiences and it is likely to achieve strong ratings, particularly with the historical links in sporting and cultural terms between Australia and the United Kingdom.

Foxtel Chief Executive Kim Williams AM added: “FOXTEL will compliment Nine’s comprehensive free-to air coverage of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and 2012 Summer Games by delivering our subscribers an expanded coverage that will provide an unparalleled choice of whole live strands of Olympic competition and an entirely new viewing experience fitting for the finest of all international sports events.

###

Note to the editors: The IOC’s current broadcast partner through to Beijing 2008 is Seven Network.

For further information, please contact the IOC Communications Department, Tel: +41 21 621 60 00, email: pressoffice@olympic.org

Source

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Press Release | IOC Awards Broadcast Rights in Australia

“Vancouver 2010 made a commitment to the world of winter sports that it would have its venues completed early, so that the athletes would be able to come and train on those sites well before the Games – they are currently living-up to that promise,” said Fasel who is also head of the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF).

“With all of the impressive competition venues scheduled to be completed by the end of next year, we felt that it was a perfect time to bring together all the Federations involved in Olympic winter sports, together with the Commission and VANOC in order to iron out any small issues that may remain and to ensure that the needs of the athletes and the sports were at the forefront of everyone’s mind. By doing this VANOC has made great progress in ensuring that the athletes will have a truly great experience in 2010.”

All seven Olympic Winter Sports Federations took part in this week’s meetings and discussed with VANOC the state of preparations for their respective sport.

Commenting on the week’s events, VANOC CEO John Furlong said, “Every IOC visit presents an invaluable opportunity for collaboration. These meetings have been highly productive and confirmed that we are on track in all key areas including our venue construction programme, which is on time and on budget.” He continued, “Hosting the seven International Winter Sport Federations this week has reminded us that soon the athletes will be here. With our first test event on the horizon in February 2008, the whole experience of the Games is becoming very real. We thank the International Sport Federations and the IOC Coordination Committee members for their support and solution oriented approach, and look forward to hosting President Rogge and the Coordination Commission in February when we celebrate our two years to go countdown to the Games.”

The Coordination Commission had the opportunity to meet with the Honourable David Emerson (Federal Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics), Premier Gordon Campbell (Premier of British Columbia) and Mayor Sam Sullivan (Mayor of the City of Vancouver) during its visit – further emphasising the strength of the spirit of partnership that the Commission has been able to create amongst the different partners involved in organising the Vancouver Games.

The Commission also paid particular attention to the activities foreseen to ensure that the Games become a memorable experience for all beyond the sporting arena. VANOC presented a series of great initiatives including a live sites programme that, thanks to a collaborative effort between the Cities of Vancouver and Richmond, the Resort Municipality of Whistler, the Province of BC, the Government of Canada, and the Four Host First Nations will allow all stakeholders to enjoy the sporting competitions in live sites in Vancouver and Whistler. They were also pleased to hear that other communities are investigating hosting live sites during the Games.

-ENDS-

NOTE TO EDITORS:

IOC Coordination Commission
The IOC, as the guardian of the Olympic Games, assists and monitors the work of Organising Committee for the Olympic Games through the work of the Coordination Commission. The Commission visits the host city once a year until four years from the Games, when the visits become twice yearly until the Games are held. The Commission’s full meetings are supplemented by the regular visits of smaller IOC teams involving the Commission Chairman, selected members of the Commission and members of the IOC administration. The next visit of the Coordination Commission to Vancouver is will be in February 2008. A full list of the Vancouver Commission’s members can be found here:

About the International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), created in 1894, is a non-governmental organisation with volunteer members who represent its work around the world, and an administrative staff based in Lausanne, Switzerland. The IOC and its 205 National Olympic Committees worldwide promote the Olympic Movement, whose vision is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport. In addition to selecting the host city and coordinating the staging of the Olympic Games, the IOC and NOCs collaborate with a range of organisations and their members in the public and private sectors to place sport at the service of society. The main goal is to promote the values of Olympism, which include excellence, respect and friendship. For more information please visit www.olympic.org.

VANCOUVER 2010
Vancouver and Whistler will host the XXI Olympic Winter Games from 12 to 28 February 2010 and the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games from 12 to 21 March 2010.

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Press Release | Vancouver 2010: Sport Under the Spotlight