Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/252637
bcliving.ca 4 | 55 during a group curling lesson. For your chance to learn how it's done, check out the lessons available at the Vancouver Curl- ing Club (the actual ice used in the 2010 competitions), North Shore Winter Club and the Marpole Curling Club. vancouvercurlingclub.com; marpolecurling.com; nswc.ca 24 Hours of Winter February 8 and 9 To celebrate the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Grouse Moun- tain opens for 24 uninterrupted hours of winter fun. You'll be able to ski, snowboard and snowshoe around the clock, which means having the oppor- tunity to watch the sun rise over the city as you make your way down the mountain. Addi- tionally, there will be a torch relay and a kids' hockey tourna- ment to enjoy as you reminisce about your best memories from our own Winter Games. grousemountain.com Skating at Robson Square Ice Rink Now until February 28 Remember how cool it was when Robson Square Ice Rink re-opened after 10 years just in time for the 2010 Olympics? Well, you can still skate al fresco in the city centre until the end of February, and it's free if you bring your own equipment. Cheap helmet and skate rentals for all ages are available on-site, along with toasty hot chocolate to warm you up o the ice. e rink is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to ursday, and until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. robsonsquare.com Bobsleigh Now until March 30 rill-seekers can make like an Olympian by hurtling themselves 125 km per hour down the bobsleigh track at the Whistler Sliding Centre. While the pilot-guided four- person ride takes less than one minute from the top of the track to the bottom, the entire activity takes about two hours including a safety orientation. If you're feeling the need for speed, book online for $169 to experience the sleigh ride of your life. whistlerslidingcentre.com Skeleton Now until March 30 Athletes who compete in this daredevil sport lie head rst on a sled going 100 km per hour, steering themselves down the track using just their body movements. In 2010, Canadian athlete (and current Amazing Race Canada TV host) Jon Montgomery won the gold medal for Skeleton by 0.07 seconds. He famously celebrated by chugging a pitcher of beer while marching through a crowd of national anthem- singing Canadians. For $169, you can steer yourself down the very same track as Montgomery – in about 30 seconds – at the Whistler Sliding Centre. whistlerslidingcentre.com Freestyle Riding Now until mid-March Always wanted to try ski or snowboard tricks on the mountain but have been too nervous? is season, Mount Seymour is o ering Girls Night Out Freestyle, women-only classes in Seymour's terrain park (rated one of the best in Western Canada by SBC Resort Guide). You do need to have previous ski or boarding experience, but the classes introduce newbies to the park in a safe way. ere are also separate co-ed classes available for ages nine and up. mountseymour.com Cross-Country Skiing Now until mid-March Cross-country skiing became an Olympic sport in 1924. WATCH IT! Fire and Ice Show Now until March 30 See some of Whistler Blackcomb Snow School's best skiers and snowboarders (and future Olympians?) get major air as they jump through a blazing ring of re in Whistler Village. This free event happens every Sunday all winter long between the Whistler and Black- comb gondolas at 6:30 p.m. Afterwards, check out the live music at the "Afterburn Party" at Garibaldi Lift Co. whistlerblackcomb.com Cypress Mountain o ers cross-country ski lessons in a one-day, 90-minute format, or a package with ve once-a- week lessons for anyone over the age of six. Once you've got the hang of it, you can make your way to the historic Hollyburn Lodge, located in the heart of Cypress's cross- country ski area, for home- cooked meals, weekly live music and conversation with fellow ski bunnies. cypressmountain.com ■ SUPPLIED (BIATHLON) NOEL HENDRICKSON, SKATING AT ROBSON SQUARE ICE RINK SARA BORCK PHOTOGRAPHY, 24 HOURS OF WINTER GROUSE MOUNTAIN, BOBSLEIGH COAST MOUNTAIN PHOTOGRAPHY, FIRE & ICE SHOW TOSHI KAWANO Olympic Collection Mittens The wildly popular Canadian red mittens have been updated for Sochi. Best of all, $3.33 of each mitten sale goes towards the Canadian Olympic Foundation to support our athletes. $10, thebay.com The Olympic Athletes' Hub App This o cial and free iPhone app gathers Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts from over 5,000 Olympic athletes from around the globe. Get even closer to athletes with live chats and more. hub.olympic.org p54-55_Feature-Olympian.indd 55 14-01-23 10:19 AM