Olympics are in our backyard
PC staff anticipating Olympics hockey, skating and curling
Anthony Richards
Issue date: 1/27/10 Section: News
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One of the largest sporting events in existence is coming together near our neighborhood of the globe. Cue the brass and strums up the strings; the Olympics Games are nearly here! Being hosted in Vancouver, BC, the 2010 Winter Olympics are going to run from February 12th through the 28th as the top competitors in winter sports come together and compete for World titles and you can bet some of our Peninsula College own are going to watch the action.
Nancy Bluestein-Johnson, PC's Western Washington University Program Manager, will be making the journey with her husband and children into Canada on the morning 13th for speed skating and the 16th for curling.
Planning and preparation for the trip began approximately a year ago when she and her husband participated in one of the lotteries for tickets being sold to the events. Though the couple did not get the tickets to the events they were hoping for, the tickets for the two sports they received "are just as good," said Bluestein-Johnson.
Excitement over the speed skating has been generated as Olympian star Apollo Ohno will be attempting record-breaking heats, and Bluestein-Johnson and her family will be there for the action of the finals. While winter sport fans generally remain loyal to speed skating over curling, the Bluestein-Johnson family is just as thrilled for both sports.
"My family enjoys curling," says Bluestein-Johnson. "It is a unique sport," she adds.
With heavy traffic on the roads and walkways during the Olympic Games, Bluestein-Johnson and her family feel confident in their plan to drive into Vancouver both days and take the shuttle systems to each event. However, the road conditions and weather are a concern to Bluestein-Johnson, given this is the Pacific Northwest in winter, but are not too big of a worry as the winter season proves warmer than expected.
"We will just have to see," says Bluestein-Johnson.
All in all, Bluestein-Johnson anticipates the upcoming sports. "It will be exciting to go see the Olympic winter sports. It is a once in a lifetime chance," she says with a smile.
While Bluestein-Johnson is attending the early days of the Olympics, Mary Hunchberger, the Executive Director of the Peninsula College Foundation, and her husband will be attending the week of February 21st and sitting in on the hockey games. Hunchberger's husband has viewed two Olympic games before, the 1976 Montreal & 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, but this will be her first.
Hunchberger is expecting to enjoy some quality ice hockey action, as she will follow the teams from semi finals to the medal games at the end. For the Hunchbergers, seating is no problem because for hockey "You can sit just about anywhere and see all of what is going on."
Yes, for the lucky few from PC, the 2010 Winter Olympics will be a special memory, but for us back home, we can still enjoy the competitive battle online as Canada's CTV will be broadcasting the events through their website at www.ctvolympics.ca.
For more information and news on the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, visit www.vancouver2010.com to get the current schedule of events and who is participating when and where.
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