Whistler, British Columbia is widely known for its Whistler Blackcomb resort facilities, with generous amenities and legendary ski slopes. The area has also distinguished itself as the host location of the Whistler/Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games. The history of Olympic competition in Whistler actually dates back to the 1960s.
The Beginnings of Olympic Competition Planning in Whistler
In 1960, several Vancouver businessmen who were skiing in Squaw Valley first proposed the idea of the Whistler and Vancouver areas playing host to the 1968 Winter Olympics. Squaw Valley was the setting for the 1960 Winter Olympics and one of the businessmen, Franz Wilhelmsen, strongly believed that Whistler's natural features would be comparable or superior to those of Squaw Valley. Wilhelmsen and his cohorts helped begin the planning for what would eventually become the now-world-famous Whistler resort municipality. The resort plans would come to fruition in 1966, and Whistler would receive its designation as a legal municipality nine years later. Even so, none of the proposals submitted to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) by Whistler's community leaders would be approved until nearly 40 years later.
The 2010 Winter Olympics at Whistler
The sixth attempt to gain the IOC's approval of Whistler as a winter Olympic setting, submitted in 2003, was the first successful bid. The president of the IOC announced that the resort municipality would host the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. Technically, the games were divided between the Vancouver suburbs and Whistler, though this fact took no distinction away from the Whistler community. Eighty-two countries from around the world sent teams of their best winter athletes to the 2010 games, including Winter Olympic debuts from nations such as Colombia, Pakistan, Ghana and Peru, which were entering the Winter Olympics for the first time in 2010. Sports played at the 2010 Winter Olympics included sports such as alpine, cross-country and freestyle skiing, snowboarding, figure skating, ice hockey and bobsledding. This particular Winter Olympic year saw the host-nation, Canada, distinguish itself among the elite Olympic competitors, winning 14 gold medals, more than any other nation. This total also set a record for the most gold medal wins by the host nation of any previous Winter Olympic games.
2010 Winter Paralympics
The 2010 season was also the first year Canada hosted the Winter Paralympic games for disabled and handicapped athletes. Forty-four nations sent their most distinguished disabled athletes to compete in alpine and cross-country skiing, biathlon, wheelchair curling and sledge hockey. Germany's team won the most gold medals, with 13 wins. Canada, a nation distinguished for its skills in skiing, hockey and other winter sports in Whistler, B.C. and elsewhere, brought 10 gold medals home.