Now We're Talking WINTER Games

We had to leave the house this morning at 5 am to catch a 5:30 bus up to Whistler. Today was our first sporting event: Women's Giant Slalom.

The road to Whistler is closed to anyone who does not live there or have proof of accommodations so the Olympic Bus Network is the only way to go.

It was a rainy morning in Vancouver. We parked at Langara College (all the universities and colleges are closed for the two weeks of the Games.) The Buses were parked around the corner on Cambie Street (right outside my normal SkyTrain station.)

There were lots of cheery smiling volunteers to show us the way and take our tickets (even at 5 am). Folks were handing out sample bags of organic corn chips and copies of the Vancouver Province and Sun newspapers. The bus filled up and departed early.

I haven't been on Hwy 1 (the Trans Canada Highway) since I arrived in Vancouver. There were welcome messages in multiple languages (as well as "Go Canada Go" for the locals) projected onto large, white industrial buildings along the highway.

We both slept most of the way to Whistler. The bus was very quiet--as it should be so early in the morning.

The Sea to Sky highway between Vancouver and Whistler was upgraded for the Games. It was one of the conditions the IOC set for awarding the Games to Vancouver. It will be one of the great legacies of these Games as it is now a much safer and quicker route to Whistler. Bad turns have been removed, passing lanes have been added, and retaining walls and markings have been improved. 

As we drove higher and higher the rain turned into wet snow then light snow. It actually looked like the place where the Winter Olympics should be held. Most of the traffic on the road was Olympic buses going both ways.

After two hours on the bus we arrived at Whistler Creekside, the sight of the downhill events. We walked a short distance beside the creek to the security tent. It was just like Check-in at the Stadium. After security a volunteer scanned our tickets and explained that we would need to use the chairlift as the path was closed due to the weather. We boarded a four-person chairlift and soon reached the bottom of the downhill runs.

The venue was organized as I expected with food and drink concession tents, a souvenir tent, warming tent and lots of press areas. A large grandstand had been built and decorated but our tickets were for general admission--we would stand.

We were there early enough that there was still space at the fence. I thought this would be a good location as it would provide a good view of the action and something to lean on. (In the picture Leena is above the U.S. flag although from the front we were above the hand-made banner.)

We watched volunteers and officials clear the course and the field of play of snow. Volunteers in bibs that identified then as "Slippers" helped groom the run with their skis. The odd athlete and coach tried the hill. In our spot at the fence, the athletes skied by after their practice runs.

It turned out that beside us at the fence was the mother of Canadian skier Marie-Pier Prefontaine from Montreal. Her mother's friend who Marie-Pier lives with when training in Calgary was also with us. Her mother wore an official athlete family and friends jacket similar to the athletes clothing. We helped hold up a banner for Marie-Pier when she raced. We were told we were unofficial members of the family.

In front of us was a pathway for the athletes and slippers to use to return to the top of the hill, pens for different broadcasters to use for their cameras, another path for the athletes in front of the cameras so that they could be interviewed, and the end of the course surrounded by padded walls.

We also had one of the boom cameras from the host broadcaster in front of us. It is the type of camera that gets those sweeping vistas over the heads of the crowd. We know from watching ourselves on the large video screen that we were on the broadcast feed of the event due to our position at the fence. During the breaks in the action the camera operator played with the crowd by bringing the camera in close over our heads like Big Brother spying on us.

One of the course groomers who painted the lines on the course beside the gates painted the abbreviated names of countries on the snow in front of supporting spectators.

Before the race I met two friends, Quatchi and Miga, near the concessions.

A Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer handed out printed Start Lists for the race. Eighty-six racers were scheduled for the first run. The race started on time at 10 a.m. and proceeded at a good clip. We could see the racers as they crested the last hill in front of us after having skied for about 60 seconds. We saw them race through the last few gates to the finish line. The next racer was started at the top before the previous woman had finished.

Unfortunately we saw American racer Lindsey Vonn crash right in front of us on the hill. Her American colleague Julia Mancuso had already started down the hill and had to be stopped by officials as they had not yet helped Lindsey off the course. Julia was forced to return to the top of the hill and start again later in the pack. I'm sure that it would have had an impact on her race.

At the end of the pack were racers from countries all over the world like Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Cypress. With an obvious absence of fans to support them, the spectators were great in the way that they cheered on their efforts and their less-than-competitive performances. The first run ended at about 11:20 a.m. and the second run was scheduled for 1:15 p.m.

Unfortunately as we ate our lunch fog rolled in. It had been somewhat foggy at the top of the hill for the first run but now the officials said it was too bad to re-start. The second run was delayed four times until finally at 3 p.m. it was postponed until Thursday. Rats. We have tickets for events in Vancouver on Thursday so we will be unable to go back to Whistler for the second run and the completion of the Giant Slalom.

It had been a long time to stand but after all these weeks and lines I'm getting used to it.

We walked back down the hill and hopped a BC Transit bus into Whistler Village. After checking out the sights along the Village Stroll we had to find a restaurant as it was almost time for the Canada/Russia men's hockey game.

Most places were already full but we found an outside tavern where we could see and hear the huge video screen across the square. It was great to see Canada easily take care of the Russians 7 to 3. Of course there was lots of cheering and flag waving.

At the end of the game we wandered back down the Village Stroll and got to the next Whistler Live site in time to see the last few teams in the women's bobsleigh race that was taking place just above us on the side of Blackcomb Mountain at the Olympic Sliding Centre. The Canadian sleds took the gold and the silver. The Whistler fans went crazy.

Whistler village looked great for its Olympics hosting responsibilities. While it wasn't quite as packed as downtown Vancouver has been most nights, there were still lots of people in the village. The Olympic rings were a huge photo opp location. The Whistler Olympic Cauldron can be seen inside one of the rings.

Many of the trees around the village have been dressed in lights.

Including this one that is trying to be a Canadian flag.

After a bit of wandering and shopping, at the end of the evening we caught our bus back to Langara College in Vancouver where our car was parked. I have to say that the transportation for the day was efficient and worked flawlessly.

We wore many, many layers of clothing today and, although the temperatures were not too cold, it was a good call as we needed it for the amount of time (all of it) that we spent outdoors--usually in some kind of precipitation.

It was too bad we did not get to see the end of our event, but it was great to finally be at a real Olympic sporting event and great to see Whistler in the snow. I got an appreciation for how many people it takes to put on one event including all the volunteers, officials, broadcasters, security officers, and athletes. It was really special to have these amateur athletes competing right in front of us. And as always at these Games, the opportunities to talk with people from all over was one of the best parts.

Tomorrow we have tickets for the women's bronze medal hockey game with Sweden taking on Finland. We will be cheering for Sweden as Leena's parents spent a portion of their lives in Sweden and her sisters were born there. In the evening we have tickets to the Victory Ceremony at the Stadium. After the Victory Ceremony, my volunteer colleagues from the Venue Communications Centre (VCC) are getting together for a social time and, for some, a chance to say good-bye. 

P.S.  I did get confirmation yesterday that I will be working one more shift in the VCC on Sunday for the Closing Ceremonies. A way to go out with a bang.