Vancouver Welcomes 2010 Torch Relay

(ATR) The 2010 Olympic Flame reaches its destination of Vancouver today on Day 105 of the torch relay with only 1 day to go until the Olympic Games.

The Vancouver 2010 Flame was first ignited more than three months ago during the lighting ceremony in Ancient Olympia, Greece. A mirror was used during the ceremony to focus the sun’s rays to create the flame.

The flame traveled across Greece and was then put in a miner’s lantern and flown to Canada on a military jet. On October 30, 2009 the torch relay commenced in Victoria, British Columbia.

Since that time, the flame has traveled across every province and territory of Canada, been carried by thousands of torchbearers (including Olympians and celebrities), been transported using hundreds of different alternate modes and has been welcomed with community celebrations in towns and First Nation reserves across Canada.

This past week the torch reached Whistler and continued travel through the Metro Vancouver District including the cities of Richmond, North and West Vancouver.

Yesterday highlights include the Vancouver Olympic torch relay traveling through 7 towns and being carried by ten Olympians and a Canadian astronaut as it departed Bowen Island and made its way to West Vancouver. Two torchbearers carried the flame by sky riding from the Grouse Mountain Sky Ride to the top of Grouse Mountain. In Tsleil-Waututh First Nations, torchbearer Ocean Hyland carried torch in a canoe.

This morning, the torch relay departs Belcarra and heads through the towns of Anmore, Port Moody and Port Coquitlam.

In Coquitlam, five Olympians carry the flame and a welcome celebration takes place at Mackin Park with festivities including a performance by the Coastal Sound Youth Choir.

In Burnaby, figure skating Olympian Tracy Wilson-Kinsella carries the flame.

The torch relay arrives at its final destination and is welcomed in the city of Vancouver, host of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

The busy schedule in Vancouver includes a visit to city hall, the University of British Columbia and the Musquem First Nation, one of the Four Host First Nations.

At the B.C. Children’s Hospital, award-winning singer Jann Arden will be a torchbearer.

Other celebrity torchbearers in Vancouver include hockey player Richard Brodeur, Canadian singer Micheal Buble and Matt Lauer, host of NBC’s “The Today Show.”

Three Olympians are scheduled to carry the torch through the city.

Thousands of people are estimated to come out for the celebration at LiveCity Yaletown to welcome the Olympic Flame.

On Friday, the Olympic Flame travels in and around Vancouver including the Lion’s Gate Bridge, Stanley Park, Chinatown and Granville Island.

The torch will be carried by seven Olympians, LOCOG chair Seb Coe, Sochi 2014 president Dmitry Chernyshenko, State of California governor/actor Arnold Schwarzenegger and other notable celebrities.

The 106-day torch relay marks the longest in Olympic history.

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Written by Tristan Luciotti

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