One week to go to the Winter Olympics Vancouver 2010, as the Olympic Torch nears its final destination, for the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron at the Opening Ceremony on 12 February.  Excitement builds ahead of final team preparations for this world event. Even the Pope has got in on the act, and wished good luck to all athletes participating in the games. Check out the official Vancouver 2010, Winter Olympics website for the schedule, to make sure you don’t miss out on watching the World’s top athletes do battle on the slopes and on the ice!

Ski Jumping - Innsbruck - FIS World Cup January 2010

Team Canada will be looking to take full advantage of familiar home conditions in Vancouver.  The last Olympic Winter Games took place in Turin, Italy in 2006 – where the Germans took the most medals with a total of 29 (11 gold), followed by the US with 24 medals (9 gold) and Austria 23 (9 gold).  Can the US Team manage to beat the Europeans this time around?

Each country has their specialists in the different categories – Ice hockey, skiing, bobsleigh, skating, curling.  What is difficult, is to win medals in many different categories. Perhaps skiing has the most medals, but there so many top skiers in all the major competing countries that it is tough for one country to totally dominate.  Lets wait and see – within the next few weeks we will know!

Men's Downhill Skiing - FIS World Cup - Wengen, January 2010