Fractional jet card provider Flexjet 25—which usually restricts itself to merely renting private jets to ostentatious elites who can't afford their own—has created a special package for the 2010 Winter Games. In addition to flying you and the date you're desperately trying to impress to Vancouver on one of their Bombardier aircraft, they'll put you up for 3 nights in the Sutton Place Hotel and guarantee you access to a bunch of high-level events.
You and your partner will have the chance to participate in the Closing Ceremony, attend the Men's Ice Hockey Gold Medal Game, and see three Short-Track Speed Skating gold medal races. You'll also have entrance into the Figure Skating Gala Exhibition, though you'll probably want to avoid it lest it impinge on the air of machismo you're obviously trying to build.]]>
It's certainly not too early to start thinking about travel to next year's Winter Olympics, which take over Vancouver in February 2010. Just make sure you know who you're buying tickets from.
Olympic organizers recently filed suit in a Canadian court seeking to stop the website RoadTrips.com from reselling tickets to the Winter Games. A similar suit earlier this year tried to stop Coast2Coast Tickets from doing the same thing. The groups buy up event tickets and then sell them as part of larger Olympics travel packages, a practice organizers are seeking to crack down on.
While these brokers claim their sales are legit, we'd say the safest bet is to stick to official tix. The next phase of event tickets go on sale June 6 via the Olympics website.
Related Stories:
· Vancouver 2010 [Official Site]
· Olympic organizers sue travel company [The Canadian Press]
· Looking Ahead To The 2010 Vancouver Olympics [Jaunted]
[Photo: jeffwilcox] ]]>
In exactly 392 days, The 2010 Winter Olympics will return to North America, and Whistler Blackcomb is the site of many ski, snowboard and other winter events, as well as events in the Paralympics. But this isn't the Whistler Olympics. Several events will be held in Vancouver proper. After the jump is a round-up of what's going on where.]]>
The International Olympic Committee claims women's ski jumping doesn't merit admission into the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver because the sport wouldn't be competitive enough. That has former Salt Lake City mayor Deedee Corradini protesting the decision, along with her Women's Ski Jumping USA Foundation.
Maybe if more ladies strapped on skis and started jumping, they'd join the cause. The facilities used for the 2002 Olympics are open to the public year-round, and a few local clubs offer lessons and camps to learn the sport.
An all-day personal lesson from Axis Freeride costs $500. Yeah, it sounds steep, but if you want to learn how to rocket down a big icy ramp and fling yourself through the air, you can't skimp. (A half-day intro class will run you $85, but you'll need to bring your own gear.)
By the end of the day, you'll be flying 30 feet off the K10 jump--and if you're especially talented, your instructor might let you try the K20 or K40, which send you soaring up to 100 feet. In addition to ski jumping, you can also learn bobsled, skeleton and luge. Try 'em all before deciding what kind Olympics protest to join.
Related Stories:
· Former Salt Lake City Mayor Leads Ski Jump Protest [24 Hours]
· Axis Freeride [Official Site]
· Active Travel coverage [Jaunted]]]>