FISU Delegate in Vancouver

FISU Media Rep Christian Pierre with VANOC Staff member Robin Russel at the Biathlon venue in Whistler (notice there is still snow in May)

FISU Staff member Christian Pierre continued his travel to Vancouver after the Edmonton Evaluation Visit on the road returning to the Brussels Headquarters and used the opportunity to visit some of the venues that will be used for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver (ice sports) and Whistler (Snow Sports). Minister of Sport Gary Lunn, whom the FISU Delegates met in Edmonton arranged for the FISU Media Representative to visit some of these top notch facilities and have a guided tour by a VANOC 2010 staff member.

With some nine months to go, all facilities are operational and already had very satisfying test events, such as World Cups or World Championships in the different sports which will be hosted there.

One of the most impressive venues is without doubt the newly built Richmond Olympic Oval, which will host the long track speed skating competitions. The Oval is a multi-purpose building which will become a centre of excellence for several Canadian sport federations, where they can offer some specific training programs to their athletes, i.e. ice hockey, speed skating, but also badminton, basketball and even rowing as the center is equipped with an indoor rowing basin. Also paralympic sports will find a home at the Oval.

Another impressive venue is the newly built sliding center with a track for bobsleigh, luge and skeleton, as well as the brand new ski jumping hill.

As ice hockey is Canada’s national sport the venues for ice hockey are of course top notch. GM Place, the home of NHL club Vancouver Canucks – which are in the midst of the Stanley Cup play-offs right now – will be one of the venues as well as the expanded ice rink facilities on the campus of the University of British Columbia, home of the UBC Thunderbirds.

To sum it up, Vancouver is ready for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

ITU Meeting
FISU’s Media Rep. also took the opportunity to meet Stephen Bourdeau, the Media Rep. from the International Triathlon Union, which has its Headquarters in Vancouver. Christian Pierre delivered him the latest information on the 2010 World University Triathlon Championship, which will be hosted in Valencia, Spain. Both Media Reps discussed a number of ways to improve the media related collaboration between FISU and the ITU. The meeting was considered very effective by both parties.

 The ski jumping hill

The Richmond Olympic Oval

GM Place in Vancouver

ITU Media Rep Stephen Bourdeau with FISU Media Rep Christian Pierre