One day to go before the opening ceremony, Vancouver has been all ready for the coming Winter Olympic Games, though weather continues to be a challenge, said the organizers here on Thursday.
John Furlong, CEO of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), said at the organizers' last press conference before Friday's opening ceremony that they've completed the preparation and will turn their attentions to major operations.
Fog and heavy winds at Cypress Mountain, however, are still bothering the VANOC as the Winter Olympics opens Friday at 1800 local time in the BC Place, Vancouver with ski jumping at Whistler Olympic Park.
"It's out of our control. Weather has not been our friend, as you know, and it continues to challenge us," said Cathy Priestner Allinger, executive vice president of sport.
"It is raining, foggy...Visibility has become a more current problem," she said. "But we are working to protect the course."
The lack of snow at Cypress mountain due to warm weather has been arousing great concern among the media, and the whole situation of the skiing events was made worse after women's downhill training at Whistler Creekside was scuttled after two runs because of fog on Thursday while men's training went ahead for 85 athletes.
In order to protect the existing snow and build up existing stockpiles, Cypress Mountain ski area has been closed since one month ago and crews began pushing snow down from higher altitudes to add to stockpiled man-made snow. Snow from adjacent Mount Strachan also added to fields of play.
It was executive vice president Terry Wright's service operations department who's working to salvage the West Vancouver snowboarding and freestyle skiing venue.
He said 115,000 pounds of straw have been moved into place and 300 to 400 flights of equipment have been dropped.
"Once we delay or postpone an event, we then work with broadcast, the FIS (International Ski Federation), Environment Canada, VANOC logistics and ticketing," Allinger added. "But we will do anything we can do to get the event off on the day it was scheduled."
Also at the One Day to Go press conference, the VANOC CEO and vice presidents declined to comment on details of the opening ceremony, including the rumors of South Korea and DPR Korea not to parade jointly.
"Our goal is to give a stunning night and trying to put a great show," said Furlong. "No one want to ruin that surprise."
Talked about how he wants the Games to be remembered, Furlong said: "I hope the Olympic Games of 2010 will be remembered as the Olympic Games that delivered on its own vision of uniting the country...Let Canada be seen on its own terms."