| The Vancouver Olympic Games will commence in | | | | France in 1924. Prior to the first proper Winter |
| February, 2010. Vancouver was awarded these | | | | Olympics, figure skating and ice hockey had included |
| Olympic Games after narrowly defeating competing | | | | as events in the Summer Olympics. The Games have |
| cities Pyeongchang, South Korea and Salzburg, | | | | been held every four years since then with an |
| Austria. This will be the second Winter Olympics | | | | interruption from 1940-48 due to the Second World |
| hosted by Canada and the third Olympics hosted | | | | War. In 1992, the Winter Games split from the Summer |
| overall. Montreal played host to the 1976 Summer | | | | Games schedule in an attempt to attract more |
| Games and Calgary played host to the 1988 Winter | | | | advertising money. The next Winter Games on this |
| Games. | | | | schedule were the Lillehammer Games in 1992. |
| The Winter Olympics are an international multi-sport | | | | There have only been a select number of countries to |
| event held every four years. They feature sports held | | | | host the Winter Olympics. As mentioned, this will be |
| on ice or snow. Events including alpine skiing, | | | | Canada's second time to host the Winter Games. |
| cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic | | | | Other countries to host the Games twice have been |
| combined, ski jumping, and speed skating have been at | | | | Italy, Japan, Austria and Norway. France has hosted |
| every Winter Olympic Games since their inception. | | | | the Games three times while the United States has |
| Other events such as luge, short track speed skating, | | | | hosted the Games four times. The next Winter |
| bobsled, and freestyle skiing have been added over | | | | Games will then be hosted by Sochi, Russia in 2014, |
| the years. | | | | marking the first time that Russia has hosted a Winter |
| The Vancouver Games will be hosted by a number of | | | | Olympic Games. |
| different venues around Vancouver, British Columbia. | | | | In anticipation of the Vancouver Olympics, the |
| The City of Vancouver will host hockey, figure skating, | | | | Canadian Olympic Association developed a program |
| short track skating and some Paralympics events. | | | | with the lofty goal of Canadian athletes achieving more |
| Whistler, BC will host the alpine skiing, cross country | | | | Olympic medals than ever before. This program has |
| skiing, bobsled and luge events. Richmond will play host | | | | been called "Own the Podium" and has been in effect |
| to the long track speed skating while West Vancouver | | | | over the past number of years. The results of this |
| will host the freestyle skiing. | | | | program will be seen at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. |
| The first Winter Olympics were held in Chamonix, | | | | |
