Public Luge Race, Free Night Skiing and Olympic Celebrities Showcase
Canadian Winter Sports Excellence
Calgary, Alberta, Canada – February 5, 2008 – In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games, the Calgary Olympic Development Association (CODA) is holding a series of events through Friday, February 17 at Canada's flagship Olympic venue, Canada Olympic Park (COP) in Calgary.
The opening ceremonies for the grand celebration will begin at 5:30 p.m. MST on Wednesday, February 13, with no shortage of Olympic flare. As the Olympic cauldron burns again, cross-country skiers will slide across the park; dual slalom skiers will criss-cross down the hill; snowboarders will ride the half-pipe; and a ski jumper will catch big air, while making their way to center stage to kick-off this giant public celebration and free ski night.
In addition to free skiing for the public, there will be big air (ski jump) demonstrations, a fireworks display, entry to the Hall of Fame, beer gardens, free hot chocolate, a Jamaican Bobsleigh-themed lounge and live music. The most unforgettable personalities of the '88 Winter Olympic Games will also be present including British ski jumper Eddie "the Eagle" Edwards, Jamaican Bobsleigh team pilot, Devon Harris, and Davis Foster, the composer of the theme song for the 1988 Winter Olympic Games.
Eddie "the Eagle" Edwards was the media fixation of 1988, when the then 24-year-old competed as the first man ever to represent Britain in an Olympic ski jumping event. Today, the public can relive his '88 Olympic experience on the jump by riding COP's famous zip line, North America's longest zip line that's on the same Olympic ski jump tower Eddie Edwards used 20 years ago.
During the two-week celebration CODA will also showcase the Olympic Track and Canada's sliding sport athletes with a public luge race. For $10 participants will receive instruction by Canada's high performance luge athletes, and receive one shot at posting the fastest time on the track in a fun luge race. Scheduled for Saturday, February 17 the fastest three times of the day for men and women will win significant prize packages and a spot on the podium. All proceeds for the event will go towards supporting the Canadian luge program.
About Travel Alberta
With 250,000 square miles of majestic mountains, world class ski resorts, rolling prairies, unspoiled badlands, northern wilderness and two international gateways, Alberta is known as Canada's Rocky Mountain Playground. Travel Alberta is the Destination Marketing Organization for the province of Alberta. www.travelalberta.com
About CODA
CODA is a national leader in creating Canadian Olympic winter sport excellence from the grassroots level to the country's best athletes. A not-for-profit organization, CODA supports national sport organizations, encourages educational opportunities and subsidizes the operation of unique training and recreation facilities used by the nation's top athletes and general public. For more information on CODA please visit www.coda.ca
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