Posted At : March 9, 2010 1:14 PM
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Big White
Celebrate Big White's Hawaii week from March 17th-24th.
Pull out those grass skirts, ukelele's and flower leis and get ready for a week of fabulous family fun!
Croon to the tunes of Don Ho, the Beach Boys and Elvis while enjoying the hula dancing and ukelele competitions of
Big White's Got Talent - Hawaiian Style. Test your hula hooping or hot potato (or hot coconut) skills at Hawaiian
Carnival Night and ride the waves on the Nintendo balance board.
There's nothing more delicious than a Hawaiian style bbq, and John Mooney will have that covered when he slow roasts
a whole pig in the Village Centre - just like at a real Hawaiian luau!
Fireworks displays, hula dancing lessons and a Blue Hawaii movie night are just a few of the
exciting events that make up Hawaii Week at Big White Ski Resort. Make sure to check it out; this is a
Polynesian party you don't want to miss!
Big White Accommodations from $99/night during Hawaii Week
There's plenty of accommodation availability during Hawaii Week in Big White and owners of vacation rentals are offering some sweet deals!
Book a studio unit for $99-100/night - ID 810 and ID 1951
Book a one bedroom unit for $150-160/night - ID 1774 and ID 1705
Also known as the "two-week long Canada Day," the 2010 Winter Olympics has brought together Canadians in a frenzy of national pride and unity. Although the games have come to an end, there have been many
unforgettable moments that will forever last in our hearts and minds. Here's a list of our favourites:
"The Great One" Lights the Olympic Cauldron - There could have been no better way to kick off the Winter Olympics than the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron by Canadian hockey legend, Wayne Gretzky. In fact, the whole opening ceremonies (with the exception of a slight hydraulics malfunction) was a distinctly Canadian celebration we can all be proud of.
First Canadian Gold on Canadian Soil - Alexandre Bilodeau made history with his performance in men's moguls making him the first Canadian to ever win an Olympic gold medal on Canadian soil. We loved Bilodeau for his truly Canadian humble attitude about it all and crediting his brother Frederic who has cerebral palsy, for inspiring him. Also, did you know, both Bilodeau and teammate Jennifer Heil each donated $25,000 to charity in hopes of inspiring others to do the same? What amazing role models!
Ashleigh McIvor turns Essay into Gold - The gold medal win for Ashleigh McIvor was
especially sweet as the Canadian ski cross champion wrote an essay to the International Olympic Committee on why the sport should be included in the 2010 Winter Games prior to its inception. Both the inclusion of the ski cross at the Games and the gold medal win are accomplishments McIvor will never forget.
First Ice Dance Gold for North America - Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir break the dormancy of ice dance gold for North Americans with an Olympic gold medal in ice dancing. Their skate was so beautiful and many are comparing it to the famous performace of Torvill and Dean. Even those favouring the Americans had to admit that the Canadians were flawless.
Joannie Rochette's Inspiring Bronze Medal Performance - Joannie Rochette demonstrated exceptional courage at the Games, performing an outstanding routine through the grief of losing her mother just days before. Many agree that her performance was the best moment of the Olympics. Rochette has received the VANOC Terry Fox Award along with Slovenian cross-country skier, Petra Majdic. She was also the Canadian flagbearer at the closing ceremonies last night. To Canadians, Rochette's bronze medal win was as good as golden.
Canadian Women's Gold and Silver in Olympic Bobsleigh - There were a lot of "firsts" for Canada during the Winter Games and one of the most memorable of them all was the claiming of the Canadian women's gold medal in bobsleigh by Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse - our country's first ever in the event. To top it off, the Canadian team of Helen Upperton and Shelley-Ann Brown took silver, making it a podium dominated by true north talent!
MukMuk Protest - The official Olympic mascots, Quatchi, Sumi and Miga have become extremely popular characters these past few weeks; however, MukMuk, the official Olympic sidekick has become a fast favourite passing Sumi and Miga in popularity (Quatchi's still the number one fan favourite). In fact, MukMuk became so well-liked that a friendly protest was staged from fans to give the Marmot official Olympic mascot status.
Hamelin Brothers Own the Podium - It has always been a dream for French Canadian brothers, Charles and Francois Hamelin,
to get a spot on the podium together as Olympic medalists. This all became reality at the 5,000m short track
relay where the Hamelin brothers, along with Francois Louis Tremblay and Olivier Jean claimed a gold medal victory.
Women's Hockey Team Triumph Defended - Canada continued its reign of hockey supremacy and gold medal dominance in women's Olympic hockey with an undefeated performance at the Winter Games. The Canadians met with rival hockey superpower, the United States of America, and claimed a gold medal victory for the third straight Olympics in a row.
Men's Hockey Team Takes Gold - After a dissapointing finish in the 2006 Turin Olympics, Team
Canada was determined to claim the gold on home ice in 2010. With a loss to Team USA in round robin play, Team Canada
up'd their game and gained redemption in the gold medal match, defeating Team USA 3-2 in overtime. The perfect
Olympic Games finish for Canadians. And we were just a little excited about it...
Posted At : February 26, 2010 4:17 PM
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Vancouver,Fun
With only two more days to go until the end of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, if you haven't already been downtown to share in the festivities, you must go soon!
The 2010 Olympics have brought Vancouver together and brought out our Canadian pride like never before. From dancing in the streets, to huge gatherings around giant screens to cheer on our athletes it's an atmosphere not likely to exist in Vancouver again.
Here's a quick little video that captures just some of the Vancouver Olympics fun so far:
Posted At : February 25, 2010 4:57 PM
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Mont Tremblant
Take in ten straight days of awesome outdoor concerts, ski and snowboard competitions and an amazing apres-ski scene at Mont Tremblant, March 26 - April 4. PLUS, residents with H, J, K and G postal codes can get a Spin Pass for only $99 which grants unlimited mountain access from March 22 until the close of the season.
Visit Mont Tremblant during the Telus Spin for one of the best season-ending parties a resort-town can offer. Enjoy everything from grooving to good beats to getting down in a breakdancing lesson, not to mention, warm and wonderful springtime conditions on the mountain.
Bands and Artists Performing:
A-Zaar - Sunday, March 28
Three of Us - Saturday, April 3
McAlister Drive - Sunday, April 4
Ski and Snowboard Competitions:
Salomon Jib Academy - Saturday, March 27
T4 Coca-Cola - Saturday, March 27
Billabong Flaunt It - Saturday, March 27
Parallel Giant Slalom - Tuesday, March 30
Snowboardcross - Saturday, April 3
Skiercross - Sunday April 4
Village Activities
Breakdance Class - starting at noon, Saturday, March 27
Posted At : February 18, 2010 12:03 PM
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Whistler
The tragic death of Georgian luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili, 21, has spurred serious speculation regarding
the safety of the track at the Whistler Sliding Centre.
The fatal crash sent ripples of shock and sadness throughout the world and marked a tragic start to the 2010 Winter Games. Since Kumaritashvili's death, there have been several more luge track crashes, including one crash that sent an Australian Bobsledder to hospital last night.
The design committee commissioned to construct the Whistler Sliding Centre promised to build the "most
challenging course" to ever exist, but the main question is if the track's safety was considered over level of difficulty.
The length of the track for men's luge is 1,374 metres with an elevation of 938 metres at the top and 786
metres at the bottom. With 16 corners and a vertical drop of 152 metres, the track is extremely demanding.
Other Olympic lugers have expressed their uncertainty in maintaining control on the track and the president
of the World Luge Federation, Josef Fendt, claims "the track is too fast" with the maximum speed about
20km/h faster than the planned maximum of 137km/h. Even outspoken celebrities like David Letterman have put their two cents in, lashing out at Olympic officials over the safety of the track.
Despite criticism about the track's safety, an investigation conducted by the International Luge Federation and
Vancouver Olympic officials has ended with the consensus against any major changes to the track or delays in
competition. Although a wall was raised with protective sheeting where the slider lost control and sliders
are starting lower on the track to decrease exceeding maximum speed, the investigation has revealed the accident was caused
by human error and not deficiencies in the track's architecture. A late entrance into curve 16 triggered Kumaritashvili's
excessive speed and although the athlete worked to reconcile the problem at the last turn, he was unable to maintain control.
Others claim that limited access to tracks such as this makes the Olympic Games an unfair competition as those
who have access can practice and adapt to challenges while those have not experienced such a difficult course
become disadvantaged. Kumaritashvili himself had proclaimed to his father just days before he died that he was terrified of the track and predicted that he would "either win or die" at the Winter Olympics.
There are arguments both for and against the safety of the track at the Whistler Sliding Centre. The balance
between sport challenge and safety has always been an issue among professional athletes and associations. To
prevent such a tragedy from occurring again it is a dialogue that will constantly be in motion.
What are your thoughts on the Whistler Sliding Centre and the safety of the track?
Posted At : February 16, 2010 8:50 AM
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Whistler
I had the pleasure of attending the 2010 Olympics Men's Luge event in Whistler this past weekend.
At first we weren't sure if the event was still going to be on, due the tragic death the day before of the Georgian Luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili; however, with a few modifications made to the track, training and the events were in full force on Saturday, February 13th.
Whistler Sliding Centre's Location
I must admit one of the reasons why I selected to go to the event was because of the Whistler Sliding Centre's proximity to the village. Out of the three Whistler competitive venues, the Sliding Centre is the closest and easiest to get to from Whistler Village.
Simply hop on the Blackcomb Excalibur gondola, which departs right from Whistler Village at the base of Whistler mountain and get off at the first stop at Blackcomb Base II. The gondola ride is free. Then it's just a short walk to enter the Sliding Centre.
What to Expect from the Whistler Sliding Centre
First, before you are able to enter the Sliding Centre, you must go through a security check, just like the airport: a metal detector and any personal bags must be x-rayed and may be searched. The setup is very well organized with several security tents, making it relatively quick to go through. Remember not to bring any liquids, this includes water bottles. Don't worry, should you get thirstly there are plenty of concession stands within the Sliding Centre - they even sell beer!
Also, I would recommend that you bring water proof footwear. The walk from Blackcomb Base II to the entrance of the Sliding Centre is all snow. If it's a little mild, like it was last Saturday, it becomes a wet, soggy, slush that seeps and quickly permeates into your shoes. I don't know about you, but walking around with wet feet in the cold, makes it a bit more challenging to have a good time. You may also want to wear snow pants, to keep you nice and warm. Also bring an umbrella, just in case it rains.
Inside the Whistler Sliding Centre
Once inside, you are free to walk around the track – all the way from start to finish!
There is a grand stand area where you can stand and view a video screen showing the competing athlete and different views of where he or she is on the track. This is quite helpful, as the luger typically whizzes by you at speeds of 145 km/hour!
The coolest part is that you can get right up close to the track and the rush of a slider bulleting by you is quite amazing! Of course this is very difficult to capture on video, but I did my best in efforts to share my experience with you:
