(February 14, 2007)

The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) is organizing a series of free public events to mark the three-year countdown to the 2010 Olympic Games held in that Canadian city February 12 - 28, 2010. One of those events will be the countdown at the Pacific Coliseum, which will be the venue for skating during the Games. The Pacific Coliseum will also be the venue for the 2008 BMO Canadian Championships, January 16-20, 2008.

The three-year countdown at the Pacific Coliseum will be held this Saturday, February 17, from 10 am to 4 pm and will feature several activities, including two free public skating sessions, and figure skating demonstrations from some of BC’s talented aspiring Olympians: 2007 Canadian women’s silver medallist and 2006 Olympian Mira Leung, and 2006 Canadian junior ice dance champions Allie Hann-McCurdy and Michael Coreno.

Skate Canada applauds VANOC’s decision to include skating in their three-year countdown events.

For a complete list of events organized by VANOC to celebrate the three-year countdown to the 2010 Olympic Games please visit www.vancouver2010.com.

This will be the second Saturday in a row that our sport will receive special attention in British Columbia. On Saturday February 10, to mark the three-year countdown to the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, VANOC along with community and corporate partners, held the Spirit of BC Free Skate Day which took place at many community arenas throughout the province, where everyone was invited to lace up their skates and get on the ice.