Athletes Take Flight at Whistler Olympic Park

Whistler, British Columbia (ots/PRNewswire) -

- First Nordic combined and ski jumping competitions to be hosted
January 1-5, 2008

With construction of the ski jumps and Nordic trails now complete
for the 2010 Winter Games, Whistler Olympic Park is ready to welcome
the first Nordic combined and ski jumping competitions on January
1-5, 2008.

"To see some of the world's best ski jumping athletes literally
flying at Whistler Olympic Park will be inspiring," said Cathy
Priestner Allinger, VANOC's Executive Vice President, Sport,
Paralympic Games and Venue Management. "Ski jumpers and Nordic
combined athletes from around the world - both men and women - now
have another world-class facility where they can train and compete,
and where women ski jumpers in particular can continue to develop
their sport in pursuit of their opportunity to compete in future
Olympic Winter Games."

The following events are being staged at Whistler Olympic Park:

- December 30 Unofficial training (Ski jumping)
- January 1 Open training (Ski jumping / Nordic combined)
- January 2-3 Nordic Combined North American Junior Championships
- January 4-5 Canadian National Ski Jumping Championships

These events are being staged by Nordic Combined Ski Canada (NCSC)
and Ski Jumping Canada in conjunction with the Callaghan Valley Local
Organizing Committee (CALOC), a collaboration between VANOC's Nordic
department and the Squamish Community with assistance from local
Sea-to-Sky Nordic clubs.

For more information on the sports of Nordic combined and ski
jumping and for more complete details on the operations at Whistler
Olympic Park, visit www.vancouver2010.com and/or
www.whistlerolympicpark.com.

Test jumps by Canada's best ski jumpers were made on Friday,
December 28 and photos are available in high resolution format at
ftp://2010ftp.vancouver2010.com. The username is MediaVenueDay and
the password is thesc00p. Cutlines for each photo can be found at the
end of this media release and also on the FTP site. Video clips to
follow.

VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and
staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter
Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in
Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and
Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21,
2010.

PHOTO 1: During initial on-site testing on Friday December 28,
2007, Greg Baxter (Calgary, AB) makes history as the first ski jumper
to take flight at Whistler Olympic Park.

PHOTO 2: During initial on-site testing on Friday December 28,
2007, Greg Baxter (Calgary, AB) makes history as the first ski jumper
to take flight at Whistler Olympic Park.

PHOTO 3: Zoya Lynch (Calgary, AB) is the first ever female member
of Canada's national ski jumping team to take flight at Whistler
Olympic Park during initial on-site testing Friday December 28, 2007.

PHOTO 4: Zoya Lynch (Calgary, AB) is the first ever female member
of Canada's national ski jumping team to take flight at Whistler
Olympic Park during initial on-site testing Friday December 28, 2007.

PHOTOS 5 - 6 - 7: Canada's best take flight at Whistler Olympic
Park. Members of Canada's national teams for Ski Jumping Canada and
Nordic Combined Ski Canada jump on the Normal Hill for the initial
day of testing at the newly completed venue for the 2010 Olympic
Winter Games.

PHOTO 8: VANOC's John Heilig, Manager for Ski jumping and Nordic
combined on-site at Whistler Olympic Park during the first day of ski
jump testing (Dec 28, 2007) at the newly completed venue for the 2010
Olympic Winter Games.

PHOTO 9: VANOC's John Aalberg, Director Whistler Olympic Park,
on-site during the first day of ski jump testing (Dec 28, 2007) at
the newly completed venue for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

PHOTOS 10 - 11: Ski jumps (Large Hill (left), Normal Hill (right)
at Whistler Olympic Park, Nordic venue for the 2010 Olympic Winter
Games.

Web site: http://www.vancouver2010.com
http://www.whistlerolympicpark.com

ots Originaltext: Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

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For further information: Media Contacts, Stephane Delisle, Vancouver
2010, +1-778-328-1186; Kristen Robinson, Vancouver 2010,
+1-604-966-2574