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Lighting The Flame


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Thanks for clarifying Mr X. Guess I just don't want to have shelled out for my first OC ticket just to see the lighting on a big screen!

Guess it's all about which will be first or whether they will be together.

Personally, I'd love to see a huge fireworks pallooza across the Downtown peninsuala immediately after the cauldron inside BC Place is lit.

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I think in order for it to be authentic, the one inside the ceremony stadium is the one that needs to be lit last.

Any other cauldrons around the city should be lit prior to the opening ceremony, even if they are just kept on a pilot light and go at full burst afterwards.

No, the lighting of the cauldron is the true mark of the beginning of the Olympics. They won't have that symbol diminished by lighting the secondary cauldrons beforehand.

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Why Wayne Gretzky will open the Olympics

The Globe and MailBy Gary Mason, The Globe and Mail Posted Friday, January 29, 2010 10:49 PM ET

John Furlong can count on one hand the number of people who know who will light the Olympic cauldron in two weeks.

"But if word ever got out," the chief executive officer of the Vancouver Olympic organizing committee told me recently, "we would make a change and anyone who might be affected knows this. We are determined to keep it a surprise."

Fair enough. Who'd want to ruin the Games' great wow moment?

But that hasn't stifled rampant speculation or stopped Facebook groups from being formed to build momentum behind a particular candidate. At last look, a site demanding that the cauldron be lit by Betty Fox - mother of one-legged Marathon of Hope runner Terry - had more than 120,000 members.

Besides, now that we know who will be Canada's flag-bearer at the opening ceremonies - Clara Hughes - the identity of the person lighting the cauldron is the last great Olympic secret left.

I'll confess to being a little obsessed with knowing who it is. Today I will hazard my best guess based on nothing more than hunch and intuition. Although, when you see my choice, you'll likely say a Tanzanian monkey could have arrived at the same conclusion.

You may be right.

The list of realistic candidates is becoming shorter by the day, as those of us consumed with solving this riddle know.

Senator Nancy Greene Raine, for instance, was on most people's list. She has gold-medal credentials as a former Olympic skier.

But when she was named Canada's Olympic ambassador for the Games two weeks ago, it seemed unlikely she would be asked to be the last to carry the torch as well. Then when she carried the flame this week in Kamloops, that cinched the deal.

She was out.

Man-in-Motion Rick Hansen was also on most short lists, often in the No..1 position. Born in B.C., Hansen was an amazing disabled athlete, known internationally, who embodied the best of the Olympic ideals. His bona fides to be the cauldron lighter were impeccable. Some imagined a scenario where Betty Fox and Hansen lit it together.

Then it was announced this week that Hansen will carry the flame in Richmond, B.C., three days before the Olympics.

Scratch him.

Former Vancouver Canucks great Trevor Linden has made it on some people's roster of candidates, but I don't see it. A wonderful person and former Olympian, Linden is adored in the host city. But he's not a name nationally or internationally. He'll run with the torch somewhere, but not into the stadium on opening day.

For me, the choice is between Betty Fox and Wayne Gretzky.

Fox would be an inspiring choice, without doubt. The memory of her son's courageous journey to raise money for cancer research is as strong as ever. The name Terry Fox resonates globally. And Fox has been about as perfect a custodian and guardian of her son's dreams and ambitions that you could find. Still, when I close my eyes and imagine that moment, I don't see her lighting the cauldron.

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/news-centre/newsid=28602.html#why+wayne+gretzky+will+open+olympics

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Not sure...besides being the manager of the Canadian hockey team in 2002 olympics, he didnt took part on the winter olympics so much. Probably an athlete who has won medals on the actual games and not just a professional hockey player would make more sense (anyway, maybe he and the canadian hockey team from Salt Lake could be one of the final torchbearers on BC place)

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He is also a former Olympian (Nagano, 1998) and, of course, owns a gold medal as the executive director of the Canadian men's hockey team that won it all at the Winter Games in Salt Lake City in 2002, one of the greatest Olympic moments in our country's history.

Actually no, he doesn't own a gold medal from 2002, because Olympic charter and protocol is that only competing athletes get medals and can use the title of Olympic Champion.

If it is Wayne Gretzky I will be sick. He has nothing to do with the Winter Olympics as an Athlete and is no where near as deserving as Gaetan Boucher, Marc Gagnon, Cathrina le May Doan, Cindy Klassen, Kerrin Lee-Gartner, hell even Cassie Campbell, Babara Ann Scott. All great Canadian Olympic champions. Gretzky is a tool and doesn't deserve this honour.

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I heard in the news that the mother of Terry Fox is also considered.

Gretzky ? why not Bobby Orr instead (much greater player than WG)

Because if we do a poll more canadians consider gretzky (including myself) the greatest hockey player of all time... They is only one Wayne Gretzky..... and wayne is the greatest hockey player... and he is also a former olympian. :)

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I think it will be a former Olympian who has made their career as an Olympian. WG has only one Olympic appearance and that was a failure one year before his retirement. WG is also a long term resident of the United States (moved there around the time Calgary hosted the Olympics). While I respect his contribution to hockey and recognize his place as a Canadian icon, I think he's the wrong pick. I'd almost rather them pick Steve Nash, but that's also a big stretch a la Albertville 1992.

As for the question asked earlier, I believe that Cathy Freeman also carried the Sydney torch in the relay before lighting the cauldron at Stadium Australia.

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Because if we do a poll more canadians consider gretzky (including myself) the greatest hockey player of all time... They is only one Wayne Gretzky..... and wayne is the greatest hockey player... and he is also a former olympian. :)

I agree that if you make a poll now, Gretzky (probably followed by Mario Lemieux) will grab the first place because maybe 75% of the peoples who will vote are born after 1970 so they never had the chance to see Bobby Orr play.

But, asked your parents, or every one over fifty and they will probably tell you that the number 4 is the greatest ever and not the 99.

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I agree that if you make a poll now, Gretzky (probably followed by Mario Lemieux) will grab the first place because maybe 75% of the peoples who will vote are born after 1970 so they never had the chance to see Bobby Orr play.

But, asked your parents, or every one over fifty and they will probably tell you that the number 4 is the greatest ever and not the 99.

I cannot know because in Québec this hockey player is forgotten.... the reason is simple the quebeckers. (older 50) still remeber DEEPLY Maurice Richard, then Guy Lafleur, then Mario Lemieux/gretzky are the greatest hockey player. We all hear bobby orr at the television selling chips (this is how I remember him)... but I dont know one person in my crew of friends, family etc... who talk about bobby orr... with the passions in his eyes like the others players I list peoples because we cheer for quebeckes in general, wayne is the only exception. But you are right it's probably a question of generation in the ROC.

For me, I'm so sure it will be Wayne Gretzky it's so obvious, that I dont think anymore it will be him... Too easy to "pin". Since the Vancouver bid I had a feeling it will be gretzky.... and since vanoc want to make a surprises... all door are opens now to others contestants. One more thing. Atkins said they want a "mohammed ali moment" what kind of olympian in canada do we have that can fit "this mohammed ali" moment? Hurricane carter? (since he lives now in toronto, just joking LOL). I that sense Betty Fox is probably the closest I know from a muhammed ali. I'm just curious? Any taught?

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Ali was also an Olympic Gold medalist. And that moment in Atlanta was not inspiring, it was sad to see how far a great champion had fallen. Sydney's would be by far the best to try and emulate.

I personnaly couldnt agree more with you.... it was so amazing to see cathy freeman. it was so beautiful...., pure magic! not like salt lake miracle on ice... I wasnt move at all and I cannot figure it out why I wasnt move with 2002 opening.

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Question to baron pierre (I'm pretty sure you have the answer)

I dont know if it's was in my dream since I cannot find any source leading with what I think remember. For me the most amazing torch lighting was in Lillehammer when the torch was lit with somebody going toward the cauldron =with a downhill in skis... Am I crazy? So wonderful I cannot even describe this moment! But I cannot see any source saying it really did happen. I'm so confuse! please somebody light me up!

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Question to baron pierre (I'm pretty sure you have the answer)

I dont know if it's was in my dream since I cannot find any source leading with what I think remember. For me the most amazing torch lighting was in Lillehammer when the torch was lit with somebody going toward the cauldron =with a downhill in skis... Am I crazy? So wonderful I cannot even describe this moment! But I cannot see any source saying it really did happen. I'm so confuse! please somebody light me up!

Is this a private party or can anyone play?

What happened in Lillehammer is the torch was carried to the top of the Large Hill Ski Jump, then handed off to a ski jumper (the back up, incidentally, the original crashed in the final practice before the ceremonies and had to be replaced) who then carried the torch off the ski jump into the stadium where it was handed off to the crown prince of Norway who ran the torch up to the cauldron to light the flame (also the last time in my memory a non-Olympian lit the torch).

If Baron has something to add, please do.

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Is this a private party or can anyone play?

What happened in Lillehammer is the torch was carried to the top of the Large Hill Ski Jump, then handed off to a ski jumper (the back up, incidentally, the original crashed in the final practice before the ceremonies and had to be replaced) who then carried the torch off the ski jump into the stadium where it was handed off to the crown prince of Norway who ran the torch up to the cauldron to light the flame (also the last time in my memory a non-Olympian lit the torch).

If Baron has something to add, please do.

Thanks you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I finished my question by saying "please somebody light me on".... so yes you where more than welcome in this "private party" lol thanks for the info really well explained... glad to see I wasnt dreaming LOL

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Question to baron pierre (I'm pretty sure you have the answer)

I dont know if it's was in my dream since I cannot find any source leading with what I think remember. For me the most amazing torch lighting was in Lillehammer when the torch was lit with somebody going toward the cauldron =with a downhill in skis... Am I crazy? So wonderful I cannot even describe this moment! But I cannot see any source saying it really did happen. I'm so confuse! please somebody light me up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EuYORVw4cA

Not the most spectacular 'lighting' but probably the grandest entrance!

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