This August, Singapore will host the first ever Youth Olympic Games. Overall, there will be over 3500 athletes competing in 201 events, divided by age groups 15 to 16, 16 to 17 and 17 to 18. Over all there will be 26 sports represented.

Qualifying for the Youth Olympic Games requires at least the top four youths from each National Olympic Committee to qualify and go on to the Youth Olympic Games. Over all, all 205 National Olympic Committees are participating with mixed gender results and bringing the chance for attending the Youth Olympics to many members of the younger generation. Qualification events include competitions like the Junior World Championships, Continental Championships or any other official junior ranking lists.

Sporting events to be represented at the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games:

Aquatics: There will be two events for both Youth Men and Youth Women, leaping from a 3m springboard or a 10m platform. For Swimming, events include Freestyle, Breaststroke, Backstroke, Butterfly and Medley, testing the speed and endurance of participants in Individual and Team competitions.

Archery: There are individual Junior Men, Junior Women and Mixed Team competitions. The distance that athletes will be shooting is 70m. The Olympic Round starts with a ranking match, followed by the individual and team elimination format.

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Athletics: Athletics, or Track and Field, is about running faster, jumping higher, throwing further than competitors and enduring long distances. For the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games, Athletics comprises a total 36 track and field events for both Boys and Girls.

Badminton: Shuttlers will only compete in the Singles event. The objective of the game is to score points by hitting the shuttlecock over the net into the opponent’s half of the court, so that it hits the ground before the opponent is able to return it.

Basketball: There will be two teams made up of three players each on court at any one time. This adrenaline-packed game is played on a half court, with one basketball hoop. It includes three intensive periods of five minutes each. The team to first score 33 points or is leading the game after the regular game time is the winner.

Boxing: Each bout is made up of four rounds; each round lasts two minutes, with a one minute rest period between the rounds. The winner of a bout is decided by a win on points by five judges or the referee.

Canoe-Kayak: n the Canoe Sprint event, the athletes paddle on a circuit, and compete against each other over a 420m course. For Canoe Slalom, the athletes compete on a calm water surface and not on a natural river or artificial slalom course.

Cycling: Each team consists of three Junior Men and one Junior Woman, with the three Junior Men required to compete in one discipline each (BMX, Mountain Bike and Time Trial) while the Junior Woman has to compete in all three disciplines. All male riders also have to compete in the Road Race.

Equestrian: There will only be the Jumping event (Team and Individual) and the horses will be provided by the organising committee. For the Team event, there will be six teams representing each continent – Africa, Asia, Australasia Europe, North America and South America. Penalties are given to teams in cases such as riders knocking down fences or when horses refuse to jump. The team with the lowest demerit points wins.

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Fencing: Fencing is a traditional sport developed based on ancient sword fighting, involving two competitors contesting bouts using light weapons: épée, foil or sabre. There will be Individual and Mixed Team competitions during the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games.

Football: Playing time is made up of two periods of 40 minutes with a half-time break of 15 minutes. At the final whistle, the team which scores more goals is the winner.

Gymnastics: Judging for Artistic Gymnastics is based on the level of difficulty and actual execution of the moves, while Rhythmic Gymnastics has an additional criterion on artistry.

Handball: A game consists of two 30-minute halves with a 10-minute half-time break. Amid intense physical contact, players pass, throw, roll, catch and dribble the ball with their hands while trying to score goals. The level of difficulty is heightened with the inclusion of restricted goal areas beyond which the players must attempt to score from, on top of the last line of defence put up by the goalkeeper. At the final whistle, the team which has scored more goals than the opponent is the winner.

Hockey: At the completion of each match during pool play, three points will be awarded to the winner; one point will be awarded to each team in the event of a draw; zero points are awarded to the loser. To determine the final standings after the end of one pool competition, teams will play the final competition in the form of single elimination.

Judo: Judo involves two individuals who, by gripping the Judo uniform or Judogi, use the forces of balance, power and movement to throw the opponent over. There is no kicking, punching or weapons involved. There are a total of eight weight categories for both Boys and Girls at the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games.

Modern Pentathalon: The Modern Pentathlon for the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games (Singapore 2010) consists of four of the five Modern Pentathlon disciplines: fencing, swimming, running and shooting. The fifth discipline, riding, will not be competed at Singapore 2010. Pentathletes achieve points in each discipline according to their performance.

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Rowing: For the regatta, crews or individuals race each other on the same course for positions, which then determine their progression to the final. The winning boat is declared when its bow ball, attached to the tip of the boat, crosses the finish line first.

Sailing: The Sailing competition at the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games comprises four medal events with Boys and Girls sailing in either the Byte CII boat (one person dinghy) or Techno 293 (windsurfing).

Shooting: A total of four events, the Men and Women Air Rifle and Air Pistol will be competed in for the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games. Shots are fired at a ten-ring target. The higher score is awarded when a shot touches the line between two zones. The shooter with the highest total score based on the addition of the qualification and finals score is the winner.

Table Tennis: In Table Tennis, a game is won by the player or pair who first scores 11 points. Should both sides score 10 points, the game shall be won by the first player or pair that subsequently gains a lead of 2 points. A player wins the match when he or she wins the number of games (three out of five or four out of seven).

Taekwondo: A martial art sport, involves the use of both hands and legs to overcome an opponent. The trademark of the sport is its combination of kick movements. Athletes will be competing in five weight categories per gender during the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games.

Tennis: A Tennis match is a game of endurance, quick-wittedness and precise execution. For the Singles competitions, all matches will be determined through the best of three tie-break sets. For the Doubles competitions, all matches will be determined by two tie-break sets and a match tie-break game (10 points) in place of a third set.

Triathlon: The Triathlon competition format for individual competitions includes a 750m swim in open water, a 20km cycle ride (three-lap course), and a 5km run (two-lap course). The 4 x Mixed Team Relay competition includes a 250m swim in open water, a 7km cycle ride (one-lap course), and a 1.7km run (one-lap course). The competitors’ official time includes the transition time between the individual legs of the race. The winner is the first athlete to complete the entire course.

Volleyball: Volleyball games are played to 25 points. The first team to score 25 points (and be two points ahead) will be awarded the set. Matches are determined through the best of five sets and the fifth set (if necessary) is usually played to 15 points.

Weight Lifting: The Men will compete in six bodyweight categories, while the Women will compete in five bodyweight categories. The combined results of the Snatch and the Clean & Jerk will produce the champion of each bodyweight category.

Wrestling: Wrestlers will be competing in the three Olympic wrestling styles during the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games: Greco-Roman, Men’s Freestyle and Women’s Freestyle. In Greco-Roman wrestling, the wrestler is forbidden to grasp the opponent below the waist, or to use the leg to trip or actively perform any action. In Men’s And Women’s Freestyle wrestling, however, it is permissible to grasp the legs, or to use the leg to trip or actively perform any action.

I’m looking forward to photographing as many of these sporting events as I possibly can with my International Olympic Committee Media Accreditation! Which events would you be interested in seeing images from? Only 68 days to go!!

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On March 12th, the 2010 Paralympic Opening Ceremonies took place at BC Place in Vancouver, BC. This was an absolutely amazing and inspiring event and I was very lucky to have had the opportunity to experience it from several photographer positions in the stadium, due to my official VANOC media accreditation.

It was an amazing sight to walk into the stadium and see the stadium filled with people wearing the colored ponchos assigned to their seats. Blue, green and white flooded the stands in the shape of the Paralympic logo. Awesome!

The Opening Ceremony was an amazing show with some incredible talent from the disabled community. The Ceremonies started with the introduction of the esteemed guests, including Prime Minister Harper, Premier Gordon Campbell, VANOC CEO John Furlong, and Paralympics President Philip Craven, among members of the four host nations and others.

From there, they dove right into the performances and introduction of the Paralympic athletes. Canada is featured here:

And from there, the talent and performances spoke for themselves:

The inspiring speakers of the event: VANOC CEO, John Furlong, IPC President, Philip Craven and Rick Hansen of the Rick Hansen Foundation and the Man in Motion World Tour.

And, of course, the lighting of the Paralympic Cauldron. The torch was brought in by the parents of Terry Fox, Betty and Rolly Fox, A truly emotional and inspiring moment to experience in person. It was passed off to other torch bearers before the final  15 year old torch bearer Zach Beaumont, lit the cauldron.

With the theme of One Inspires Many, the Paralympic Opening Ceremony was definitely inspiring. Good luck to all the athletes competing in the Games! It will be an amazing 10 days!

For more images of the Opening Ceremonies, please visit the set on Flickr!

You could feel that Olympic energy returning to Robson Square last night with the torch relay coming through, carried by Roberto Luongo. Hoping to see the fans just as excited during the Paralympic Games over the next ten days in support of the amazing athletes and the additional challenges they face in order to compete in this amazing event.

The crowd gets hyped for Roberto Luongo’s arrival.

Luongo finally arrives.

Luongo’s family, excited to see him.

The lighting of the cauldron.

Passing the torch to the next 24 hour relay torch bearer.

Gabriela Luongo joined her father on stage.

Gold medal winner, Roberto Luongo with his family.

Post torch even interview. Luong speaks about his gold medal (he showed it to Ryan Kessler first!), the paralympics, the sledge hockey team and how the Olympics affected his NHL game.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv0GmRke9Dk]

After all the Luongo excitement was over, I was excited to meet one of the day’s torch bearers. He told me all about riding on the bus with Roberto Luongo that day and how excited he was about having the honour of carrying the torch.

For more photos from the Robson Square event, please visit my flickr page.

The Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) today announced that sledge hockey captain Jean Labonté has been selected as flag bearer for Canada at the opening ceremony of the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

“Jean has demonstrated throughout his career the determination, athletic excellence, and strong character that embodies the Paralympic spirit,” said Blair McIntosh, chef de mission, Team Canada.”  Jean is a most deserving athlete to not only captain our sledge hockey team but to also lead our entire Canadian delegation into B.C. Place for the first Paralympic Winter Games on home soil.”

The native of Gatineau, Québec has competed in three previous Paralympic Winter Games, earning a gold medal in 2006 and silver in 1998. Labonté is one of the most decorated and admired athletes in the sport, having played in five International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Sledge Hockey World Championships, taking the gold medal in 2000 and 2008, and bronze in 1996 and 2009.

(photo courtesy of the Canadian Paralympic Committee)

The veteran defenceman demonstrates great leadership both on and off the ice. Labonté is an outstanding ambassador for sledge hockey and for the Paralympic movement.  He has worked tirelessly to promote Paralympic sport across Canada, educating Canadians about sport for athletes with a disability, and encouraging young and old to participate and take advantage of sporting and volunteering opportunities in their communities.

“When the eyes of the world focus on B.C. Place for the opening ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games – the first to be hosted in Canada, they will witness an historic moment in Canadian sport,” said Carla Qualtrough, president, CPC. “The profile of Paralympic sport has reached new heights and our flag bearer, Jean Labonté, has helped lead the way. It is a tremendous honour to carry the flag for your country. Jean, like all of our Paralympic athletes, is about to make Canada very proud.”

The Opening Ceremony of the 10th Paralympic Winter Games is scheduled for 6pm PT on Friday, March 12, 2010 at BC Place in Vancouver.

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee

The Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) is a non-profit, private organisation with 43 member sports organisations dedicated to strengthening the Paralympic Movement.  The CPC is responsible for creating an optimal high-performance environment for the Canadian Paralympic athletes to win at Paralympic and ParaPanAmerican Games.  By supporting Canadian Paralympic athletes and promoting their success, the CPC inspires all Canadians with a physical disability to get involved in sport through programs delivered by its member organisations.  For more information, visit www.paralympic.ca.

Follow the Canadian Paralympic Committee by becoming a fan on Facebook, and following on Twitter.

(News Release courtesy of the Canadian Paralympic Committee.)

(Photo credit on blog page: Ariane Colenbrander)

I was very fortunate to be invited by the Yukon Department of Tourism to go on a trip to Whitehorse during the Olympic Games on February 20th, 2010. It was an absolutely amazing day! We left Vancouver on an 8:30am flight, spent the day in and around Whitehorse and were back in Vancouver just after midnight the same day. Awesome!

One of the crazy experiences of the day was drinking Captain Dick’s Sourtoe Cocktail from Dawson City.

What is a Sourtoe Cocktail you ask? You may be sorry that you asked. I tried not to think too much about it  too much when I swigged the cocktail and you will understand why in a moment…

A Sourtoe Cocktail is your choice of either Yukon Jack Whiskey or Klondike Vodka, both distilled in Yukon. Then the Captain drops a mummified human toe (toe nail and all!) into the drink!

Before you drink it, the Captain recites,

“The toe goes into your drink. You can drink it fast, or you can drink it slow. But the toe must touch your lips, and I must witness that.”

Once you’ve swallowed the liquor and it has touched your lips (do NOT swallow the toe), you sign the book and the Captain signs your certificate and wallet card and BAM! You’re a member of the Sourtoe Cocktail Club!

As you will see in the video below, I became a member of the Sourtoe Cocktail Club that day. I received a certificate and wallet card to prove it! In fact, I am member number 34,958! (That’s a lot of toe kissers!)

For more photos of the cocktail and the rest of my Yukon trip, please visit my Flickr page.

For more information about the Sourtoe Cocktail, see the Sourtoe Cocktail Club website.

 

I watched the Canada vs. USA Gold Medal Hockey game from the best venue in town next to Canada Hockey Place: the Molson Canadian Hockey House!

Already at 8am the lineups were growing for bars, pubs and cultural houses around the city. The lineups on and around Granville Street were huge in the morning in anticipation for the noon-time game! This was the view from my living room window that morning.

Inside the Molson Canadian Hockey House, the people were packing in and the energy and excitement for the upcoming game was building!

Francois-Louis Tremblay stopped by to celebrate the Canadian speed skating team’s Gold Medal win!

Wide Mouth Mason played two AMAZING sets! I was very excited about this, as I had been hoping to see them at some point during the Games and my moment had finally come!

And of course, the crowd cheered for Team Canada with such loud, excited optimism, that I have no doubt that we could be heard at Canada Hockey Place!

After the game, and during the Olympic Games Closing Ceremonies, Roberto Luongo and his daughter, Gabriela, stopped by for a quick visit to thank the fans for their support and show off his gold medal and the crowd went WILD for one of Canada’s newest heroes!

All in all, it was an amazing day and the perfect wrap up for the Games! If someone had written a script for the day, it could not have been written with a better ending!

For more photos of the Molson Canadian Hockey House during the Gold Medal Hockey Game, visit my set on Flickr.

For more photos of Wide Mouth Mason, there is a Flickr set for that too!

This past Tuesday I was invited to attend the Coca-Cola Live Positively Awards, held during the 2010 Olympic Games at the BC Media Center in Vancouver.

“Live Positively” represents The Coca-Cola Company‘s philosophical approach to building sustainable communities through initiatives that protect the environment, conserve resources and enhance the economic development of the communities where it operates. The Live Positively concept grew from the recognition that sustainable growth for The Coca-Cola Company is integrally connected to both its business and its marketing success, as well as its societal role.

The Coca-Cola Company is honouring individuals, families and organizations with the Coca-Cola Live Positively Award during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Each recipient was chosen because of his or her efforts to turn their passion for improving the well-being of Canadians into important changes that have positively impacted their local communities. With a focus on either active living or environmental sustainability, each recipient has a unique and inspirational story to share.

The following were honoured on Tuesday afternoon:

Jennifer Heil & Dominick Gauthier – on behalf of B2ten:

B2ten is a not for profit organization that supports Canadian elite athletes so they may succeed at the highest level of international competition. For more information, visit http://www.b2ten.com/.

Sami Jo Small:

Sami Jo is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and the 2009 recipient of the Athletes CAN Leadership Award. Sami Jo is also the co-founder of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League. Her commitment to sport and her involvement in developing the Canadian Women’s Hockey League has helped create a forum for women across the country to participate in our nation’s sport at an elite level.

Canadian Olympic School Project:

The Olympic School Program is the Canadian Olympic Committee’s primary education program aiming to spread the positive message of the Olympic Games to all students between grades 2-12. The organization has been providing teachers with Olympic Games themed resources for over 20 years.

Vancouver residents are welcoming the world by sharing their hometown’s beautiful landscape and resources with an estimated 2.3 million athletes, officials, international visitors, media, and spectators.

The House of Switzerland Canada 2010 will show its appreciation to the City of Vancouver by hosting a charity auction on its website in support of Streetohome, a partnership between the Vancouver Foundation, City of Vancouver and Province of British Columbia, dedicated to providing Vancouverites access to safe, standard, affordable housing.

“As we are guests in Canada and have enjoyed great support from the public, we would like to give something back to the local community,” said Manuel Salchi, Director of the House of Switzerland Canada 2010.

The House of Switzerland Canada 2010 is auctioning off special Swiss products from its Partners and Sponsors including a Flyer electric bike, exclusive Swiss Olympic celebration jackets, brand-new Nespresso coffee machines, Lindt chocolate gift baskets, fondue sets, raclette grills, and various ski and snowboard wear from Zimtstern clothing.

“We are honoured that the House of Switzerland is donating their time and resources to benefit the residents of Vancouver. Their generous commitment to this community demonstrates the Olympic ideals of unity and humanity,” says Barbara Grantham, Acting President of Streetohome Foundation.

Online Charity Auction Details:

WEBSITE:  http://www.houseofswitzerland.org/de/charity-auction.html

OPENING DATE:  February 22, 2010

CLOSING DATE: February 28, 2010, 12:00PM

HOW TO BID:  Email the item number, contact information, and bid amount to info@streetohome.org. Bids will be updated on the website in the morning, afternoon, and evening.  The highest bidders will be contacted by phone at the end of the auction, February 28th.

WINNING BIDS:  Winning bidders must pick up their items at the House of Switzerland Canada 2010 in Vancouver located at 1696 Duranleau Street, Granville Island, Vancouver, BC on March 1, 2010 between 5:00PM – 10:00PM.  Only credit card and cash accepted. No home delivery option.

About Streetohome Foundation

Streetohome Foundation is a community organization working to ensure that all citizens of Vancouver have access to safe, decent, affordable housing. They bring together business, government and community leaders to build resources and develop lasting solutions to homelessness. Everyone has a role to play. Find out how you can be part of the solution at www.streetohome.org.

[mappress]

I’ve been quite fortunate in getting tickets to Olympic events here at the Vancouver 2010 Games! I’ve been lucky enough to acquire tickets to several events, all at face value. Events I’ve seen include speed skating at the Olympic Oval, men’s hockey at Canada Hockey Place, and women’s hockey at Thunderbird Stadium at UBC. I’ve also been to a Victory Ceremony and to the Molson Canadian Hockey House twice to watch hockey games there.

The best part about all of these opportunities for me is that I am able to take  photos of once in a lifetime events in our beautiful city!

Here are some of those images to give you a taste of my 2010 Olympics experiences:

Speed Skating:

On February 13th, after winning tickets in the Holland Heineken House ticket lottery for Dutch citizens, I went to my first speed skating event. It was unbelievable! The energy in the Richmond Oval was electrifying! And the fact that Holland’s Sven Kramer won Gold, made it that much better!

Gold Medalist, Sven Kramer of the Netherlands.

Victory Ceremony:

The first gold medal for Canada was awarded to Alex Bilodeau on February 15th. I was at the medal ceremony to see it happen!

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Molson Canadian Hockey House:

On February 15th, Tom Cochrane played at the Molson Canadian Hockey House. Guests to his stage included Tyler Stewart of the Barenaked Ladies, and Donald Sutherland. It was an amazing show and the House was full of energy and excitement! A super fun time! If you have a chance to watch a game at the Molson Canadian Hockey House, take it! Included in the FanZone ticket is entrance, food, and non-alcoholic beverages. Beer is $7.50 tax and tip included.

Men’s Hockey:

I was at the USA vs Norway game on February 18th. We had seats right behind the photographers’ pit and I was able to sneak into the photographers area for about 20 minutes in the second period! It was amazing to be so close to the action and having the players bang up against the glass right in front of me! Here are some of the shots from that game.

Women’s Hockey:

On February 22nd, the Swiss played the Russians in Women’s Hockey at Thunderbird Stadium out at UBC. After a well-matched game, a few injuries, overtime and a shootout, the Swiss were victorious, winning 4th place in the 2010 Olympic standings! Congratulations Switzerland!

Believe it or not, there are still tickets available for upcoming events! We are into the final week of the Games and your final chances to see some awesome Olympic athletes in action! Try your luck for tickets at the Vancouver 2010 Fan to Fan site, Craigslist, or even right outside the venues from people trying to simply sell extra tickets at face value because they are unable to attend the event. It doesn’t always have to be pricey!

February 13th was an amazing day for me! It all started with a walk in the park with the dog, where I received a phone call from the Holland Heineken House saying that I had won the ticket lottery for tickets for the 5000 M speed skating match that day!

With only an hour and a half before the event, things were rushed! I raced home, got ready to go, jumped in the car and raced down to the Holland House to pick up the tickets to make it to the Olympic Oval in Richmond in time!

So the tickets placed us in a section with other Dutch fans, all decked out in Orange and crazy costumes. Being Dutch myself, this was a very fun place to be!

There were 14 pairs racing in the event and in the end the Gold Medal went to the Netherlands’ Sven Kramer!!! Kramer not only won the race, but also broke an Olympic Record for the 5000 M race! AWESOME!

Not only did I see this amazing race and gold medal win, but later that evening I was fortunate enough to be at the Holland House for the celebration and to photograph Sven Kramer! Below are some of the photos of the day. Please visit Flickr to see more images of the day.

The ticket lottery at the Holland Heineken House is only available to Dutch citizens, so not an option for everyone. But if you have your Dutch passport and you want to try your chances to win the option to buy coveted tickets, head on down to the Holland Heineken House ticket desk and put your name in the draw! If I can win them, you can too!!