The Olympic Flame Returns To Calgary

With only 25 days left until the start of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, the Olympic flame returned to a previous host city this week. On day 81 of Vancouver’s Olympic Torch Relay, the flame reached the city of Calgary, host of the Olympic Winter Games back in 1988.

The flame spent two days in the city, with an evening celebration being held on Olympic Plaza. The final torchbearer on that evening was Robyn Ainsworth (originally Perry), who was the young final torchbearer at the actual Calgary Games. During the relay’s second day in Calgary, it was carried on skates around the Calgary Olympic Oval by Susan Auch and Kyle Yoshida.

Firsts

The Calgary Games can lay claim to a number of firsts that its Vancouver counterpart is now continuing to propagate. Notably, Calgary was the first time that the Games were held over 16 days and included three weekends. Curling appeared on the programme as a demonstration sport, alongside short track speed skating and freestyle skiing, all of which continue to be on the programme today. Speed skating was held on a covered rink for the first time, as it will be in Vancouver at the Richmond Oval, and Calgary ’88 was the first smoke-free Games.

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. The seven winter Olympic sports that will be on show in Vancouver are luge, skiing, skating, ice hockey, biathlon, bobsleigh and curling.

Find out about the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay Presenting Partners