Latest news with #VancouverOlympics
Calgary Herald
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Ready for the fireworks? Everything you need to know about GlobalFest 2025
Calgary is set for five nights of explosive fun this month as GlobalFest returns to Elliston Park on Thursday. Article content The annual multicultural celebration and international fireworks competition runs for five nights between Aug. 14-23, blending dazzling pyrotechnics, global cuisine and live cultural performances. Article content Article content Here's what to expect this year – from the artistry behind the fireworks to the food, music and pavilions that make GlobalFest one of the city's most unique summer events. Article content This year's Panasia-themed lineup will see the return of defending champions team USA (Aug. 14), followed by Malaysia (Aug.16), Phillipines (Aug. 19) and China (Aug. 21). A Canadian-designed finale will close the festival on Aug. 23. Article content Each team creates a 24-minute 'pyromusical' – fireworks choreographed to music – judged on elements like technical precision, soundtrack, storytelling and cultural representation. At least half the music used in each show must come from the team's country of origin. Article content 'It's science, engineering and art, all blended into one,' said GlobalFest chief operating officer Ken Goosen. 'You've got 24 minutes to take your audience on a journey like no other.' Article content Article content This year's fireworks finale is designed by GlobalFest fireworks director Kelly Guille, one of Canada's top pyrotechnic designers, whose credits include Vancouver's Celebration of Light and the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Article content Article content Built around a 'water journey' theme, the show blends cinematic storytelling with low-level effects and pyro products not used in previous years. Article content 'This is a big production,' Guille said. 'I encourage people to come out and see what they can pick out (that is) different from years past.' Article content 'One of the wonderful things about the site is that it's multi-sensory,' Goosen said. 'You feel the fireworks' breaks on your chest… You hear those bangs, you see it unfolding in front of you.'
The Province
11-08-2025
- Sport
- The Province
FIFA wants World Cup volunteers. Why not just pay them?
Patrick Johnston: FIFA says they need 6,000 volunteers for the 2026 World Cup in Canada. They've got $3 billion in the bank Get the latest from Patrick Johnston straight to your inbox Volunteers move a giant replica of the World Cup trophy before a match between Portugal and Uruguay at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar in 2022. Photo by Darko Vojinovic / AP Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. No tournament or major public event gets pulled off without people power. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The bigger the event, the more people you need. For the 13 games the FIFA World Cup will bring to Canada next year, the sport's organizers are looking to recruit 6,000 volunteers. That's a solid number, although it pales in comparison to the 25,000 recruits the Vancouver Olympics used for the two-week festival of sport in 2010. FIFA insists it is a non-profit organization, which uses the revenues it generates from its tent pole events, like the men's and women's World Cups, to fund the growth of football all over the world. And there is little doubt they do run programs all over the place. But we also know that the people in charge, mostly men, are well-paid to do so. For some, sure, that's something they have earned over a lifetime of hard work and commitment to the world's most popular sport. Many though, are there through local politicking and glad-handing. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. A decade ago, FIFA was consumed by a massive corruption scandal. Dozens of officials were caught up in it. There were arrests. Some went to prison. Many were disgraced. FIFA had turned bribery into a casual sport of its own. The coffers, if you look at FIFA's public reporting, are deeper than ever. The 2022 tournament in Qatar opened a new era of windfalls for FIFA. The organization's public balance sheet showed they had nearly $4 billion US in the bank at the end of 2022. Those funds have diminished over the past two years, but at the end of 2024, there was still nearly $3 billion US in the bank. FIFA, needless to say, is swimming in dough. So why do they need volunteers to run next year's event? Why not pay these people? We pay people to work on our elections. That's a known budget item. That's public facing. That's putting on one of society's great miracles: a free and fair election. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. It would not break FIFA's bank if they were to turn around and pay those who will be running errands, handing out drinks and holding open doors. Volunteers prepare the jump for the women's freestyle skiing aerials qualifications at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Vancouver on Feb. 20, 2010. Photo by Odd Andersen / The Associated Press I was a volunteer during the 2010 games. I helped build the moguls and aerials facility at Cypress. That was two weeks of good fun. I would have happily taken pay for it. I'm sure the IOC could have afforded it. Sure, I was happy to offer up my time. So were the other volunteers involved. We did get a front row to history. But that is beside the point. In the end you are doing work. You are making the event happen. You are volunteering to give up your time, to give up money in many cases, to make the event happen. You are paying FIFA with your time. It should be the other way around. For the record, if you are interested in volunteering, the application window opened on Monday. First tryouts will be this fall, with training for those selected taking place next spring. If you are selected, FIFA says you will be expected to work eight shifts during the tournament. Volunteers will get a uniform, meals, and discounts on tournament merchandise. pjohnston@ Read More News University News News News
Gulf Today
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Gulf Today
Norway's ski cross Olympic medallist Gronvold dies at 49 after lightning strike
Olympic ski cross bronze medallist Audun Gronvold has died at the age of 49 after being struck by lightning during a cabin trip, the Norwegian Ski Federation said on Wednesday. Gronvold was rushed to hospital and received treatment for his injuries but died late on Tuesday, it added. Born in Hamar, Gronvold won bronze medals in men's ski cross at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and 2005 World Ski Championships. He was a national team athlete in alpine skiing from the 1993-94 to the 2003-04 season. "Norwegian skiing has lost a remarkable figure who has meant so much to both the alpine and freestyle communities," federation president Tove Moe Dyrhaug said. "Audun had a great career in both alpine skiing and ski cross, before he became a national team coach in ski cross. The Norwegian Ski Association also remembers his efforts on the ski board. There will be a big void after Audun." Reuters
The Star
17-07-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Freestyle skiing-Norway's Olympic medallist Gronvold dies at 49 after lightning strike
(Reuters) -Olympic ski cross bronze medallist Audun Gronvold has died at the age of 49 after being struck by lightning during a cabin trip, the Norwegian Ski Federation said on Wednesday. Gronvold was rushed to hospital and received treatment for his injuries but died late on Tuesday, it added. Born in Hamar, Gronvold won bronze medals in men's ski cross at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and 2005 World Ski Championships. He was a national team athlete in alpine skiing from the 1993-94 to the 2003-04 season. "Norwegian skiing has lost a remarkable figure who has meant so much to both the alpine and freestyle communities," federation president Tove Moe Dyrhaug said. "Audun had a great career in both alpine skiing and ski cross, before he became a national team coach in ski cross. The Norwegian Ski Association also remembers his efforts on the ski board. There will be a big void after Audun." (Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Goa; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
CBC
18-02-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Virtue, Moir, Chan among Skate Canada Hall of Fame's elite 2025 class
Skate Canada announced an elite class of 2025 to its Hall of Fame on Tuesday led by two-time Olympic ice dance champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir and three-time men's world champion Patrick Chan. Kaetlyn Osmond, a women's world champion in 2018, and two-time pairs world champions Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford were also among the inductees. Virtue, of London, Ont., and Moir, of Ilderton, Ont., won ice dance gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and 2018 Pyeongchang Games in South Korea. They also combined for eight Canadian titles and seven world championship medals (three gold, three silver, one bronze). Chan, from Ottawa, was the men's world champion for three consecutive years from 2011-13. He also won silver in 2009 and 2010. The 10-time Canadian champion took silver in the men's event at the 2014 Sochi Games. WATCH | Virtue, Moir reflect on iconic career: Tessa and Scott reflect on their partnership 5 years after retirement 1 year ago Duration 0:57 Canada's greatest figure-skating duo is now enshrined together forever into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. We spoke to Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir about the honour. Osmond, a three-time Canadian champion from Marystown, N.L., also won an Olympic bronze in women's competition in 2018 and added a world championship silver in 2017. Duhamel, of Sudbury, Ont., and Radford, of Red Lake, Ont., combined to win seven national titles, two world titles and three Olympic medals spanning two Games. Chan, Osmond, Duhamel, Radford, Virtue and Moir were all members of Canada's team that won gold in the team event at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Lyndon Johnston of Hamiota, Man., a pairs silver medallist at the 1989 world championships in Paris, was also named to the class of 2025. Longtime coaches Cynthia and Jan Ullmark and team doctor and chief medical officer Jane Moran were also named to the class.
