• Thunderous applause for the Kiwi Olympic athletes who took to the stage for bows and beers.
• Pavlovas and Steinlager behind the bar to bring a flavor of New Zealand, which surprised more than one islander.
• The Icebreaker “VIP” sale which rocked-the-flock, requiring bouncers to control traffic flow in and out of the store.
• Performances by Te Tini a Maui and Soul Paua which got everyone’s feet stomping and generated four encores!
• Icebreaker’s hero Ramotaur taking on the entire Australian contingent present – and winning!

The party ended with an unexpected haka lead by one of our guests. What a great way to close our own private ceremony. A rep from the NZ Olympic crew summed it up by saying “We have never had a party like this for the athletes before, at the end of the Olympics, this is absolutely amazing. Look how much fun the athletes are having!”. Well, they deserved it! And Icebreaker Canada was only too proud to be part of the family that made it all possible. Now the torch passes to our European colleagues for 2012 – see you in London!

Helen Danglmaier from Irdning, Austria, Europe (pictured below), is the lucky winner of the limited edition Icebreaker Whistler ‘10 gear, which includes a set of Bodyfit+, an Icebreaker “Whistler” Toque hat, Skier Mid Socks, the AC Glacier Scarf and the Long Sleeve Chase Crewe. Nice one Helen!

We received 255 fantastic entries to the competition — from goats to babies to boys and girls in their Nature and Beast knickers (and less). Take a look back at what was submitted here.

Icebreaker was honoured to be the Official Baselayer Sponsor of the New Zealand Winter Olympic Team, and we’re proud of the Kiwi team who competed in Vancouver last month. We had an awesome wrap up party on Monday. The band was fantastic and we sold the bar out of beer! Photos and video to come once Kent Hawkins, our marketing man in Canada, recovers from a chest infection that knocked him out that night (or so he says).

Let us know what you thought of the competition. We’d like to do again if you’re all up for it?

New Zealand based Soul Paua are currently in Vancouver playing at events running alongside the XXI Winter Olympic Games. This Music Award nominated group was founded in 2001 and its compositions are strongly influenced by Maori and Polynesian culture. In fact, the band sings a contemporary mix of English and Maori language. Soul Paua is also well known for performing some of the best contemporary Polynesian music.

The members of Soul Paua kept themselves busy since their arrival in Vancouver. They represented New Zealand at the Aboriginal Pavilion Festival, also called the Chiefs House, which is mainly showcasing talent & tradition by BC’s Aboriginal People for the Olympics. They also took part in the Talking Festival which annually unites Aboriginal artists from Canada and abroad and features a fusion of music, dance, art and storytelling.

Team Canada Icebreaker had the chance to have Soul Paua on board for their Welcome NZ Party. Soul Paua, whose New Zealand covers attracted a huge crowd outside the venue, energized people and made them dance. Here’s a video that was taken that night so you can experience it for yourself.

For more information on Soul Paua, please visit www.soulpaua.com

I just completed my 12th day in a row wearing the same Icebreaker Bodyfit200 Legless Bottoms, Bodyfit260 Slalom Crew, and Alpine Ski Socks under my uniform. I did alternate the Beast Boxer Briefs but thatʼs probably more underwear detail than you need. In those 12 days I shoveled several hundred kilograms of snow, set up thousands of meters of safety net, and hiked kilometers up and down the race course. There was one day where my socks and my feet spent 12 straight hours in my ski boots. Each morning I would pull on the same base layer I had taken off the night before and not once was I repelled by odor or the state of the fabric. Even more important, neither was the roommate with whom I had to share my tiny but efficient accommodation. On the hill I was never worried that I would be too hot or too cold or too wet. I could focus on helping to get the course ready for the Olympic Athletes.

I honestly donʼt know what Iʼm going to do with the piles of synthetics I have at home. I look at the three simple pieces of clothing that replace the dozen or so that I used before and wonder, “Can I sell this stuff on eBay before the rest of the world discovers Icebreaker?”.

- David Kerr

Today was day 9 and this whole experience has flown by sooo quickly!

I’ve been up at the crack BEFORE dawn most mornings, and although it’s hard to get out of bed, arriving at the venue always lifts my spirits. We’re an army of blue. Little smurfs as far as the eye can see. We’re served breakfast and lunches are provided. It’s nothing fancy, but always sooo tasty!

A typical day involves heading up the gondola anywhere between 4:00 am and 7:30 am depending on whether the day is a race day or not and how much snow has fallen. The course needs to be ICY. So icy it’s scary to ski! We maintain fencing, help slide slip, work as a team to ensure everything is prepared and ready at least 1 hour before the race. Between skiers we fix gates, rake ruts and shovel snow. My crew is composed of 12 people from all over: Detroit Tom, Tom Jackson (Whistler), Tony (Arizona), Phil and Brian (Hamilton, On), Luke (Edmonton) and Chris and Christine (Toronto). It’s an eclectic crew, but I’ve had so many laughs. There’s been a lot of standing around, so these laughs have been insanity savers.

There’s only 1 race left, but mountains of work! Rolling up all the fencing, removing all the fixtures installed along the course etc etc… My last work day in this Saturday.

Whistler’s atmosphere is amazing. People everywhere, full venues, shows and cheering like I’ve never seen! I’m blown away by how much we’ve come together to show our support for everything Olympic related.

I’ve attached a few pictures for you, none too exciting, but more to come in the next few days. As well, if you want a good representation of the whole experience, two volunteers on my crew from Ontario have a blog where they are updating photos daily. It’s worth a look hereOlympics, Winter Olympics, raciing, …

As the date crept closer and closer I grew more and more excited about my run. I checked the daily live highlights from the torch relay internet site, I tried on my uniform and practiced carrying the flame (I know, kinda nerdy but it made for some good laughs) and I coordinated with my family to fly in so we could spend a few days in the interior together. The day before my run my family and I went down to Osoyoos, BC and watch the community celebration highlighting the relay, Canadian athletes, the local community and more. It was a great event with local musical groups, politicians, athletes and of course the finale was the torch running in and lighting the community cauldron with Fireworks in the background.

After an early morning wake up on Monday I went to the Oliver Visitor Centre to meet with the 20 other Torch Bearers that were running with me in Oliver that day. We had a briefing on the background of the torch, the protocol for the day and how to make sure we didn’t burn our eyebrows off with the flame. As one of 12,000 torch bearers in Canada my moment was coming soon and I could feel the anticipation building.

Our transfer bus dropped us off at our respective starting points and as I waited for the flame to reach my leg of the relay I was greeted by family, friends, a parade of pump up support crew from Coca-cola and RBC along with a support crew from VANOC. As the Flame approached I realized the impact and the power that the Torch and Flame signify. The dreams, aspirations and hopes of athletes, fans and visitors from around the world was being carried by each one of us and the importance was not that “I” was carrying the torch, but instead that that torch was being welcomed by all of Canada into each of our homes and our hearts and that I was just the vessel for the 400m segment, of the 45,000 km journey across Canada, that I was running.

With the burning torch in hand I was amazed at the heat of the flame on my face and the awe that flickers and smoke drew. With light steps and a steady pace I began to run and carried on the flame’s journey to Vancouver. As short as the run was in distance it felt like an eternity in time. With a big smile, waving red mitts and my clean white uniform I know really felt the Olympic spirit and was glad to be a part of the excitement.

After my run my family and I took a series of photos to commemorate the run as to someday provide an image to show my grandchildren when the Olympics are back in Canada. Torch in hand, but flame passed on, I gathered my belongings and headed to the airport to return home with a wonderful story and extraordinary experience to share with my friends and colleagues back home and now with you online. Below are some photos of the special day for me and for Canada. Enjoy the Olympics, share the spirit and keep the flame burning.

PS. I know it likely seems obvious, but yes I was wearing head to toe Icebreaker underneath my VANOC torch bearer uniform. It was the perfect balance of warmth in the 0 degree weather. What exactly was next to my skin? Skier+ Socks, Rapid Leggings, GT200 Chase Crewe with Quantum Zip and Quantum Chute. The red mittens??? Well…….unfortunately they weren’t merino, but they did support Canadian athletes.

- Kent Hawkins, Icebreaker Canadian Marketing Manager

Prior to the Olympics Dasha took Icebreaker’s own Canadian Marketing Manager, Kent Hawkins, out on the course in Canmore Alberta’s Nordic Centre to give him the crash course on Nordic skiing. As a traditional Alpine skier the technique and stamina for Nordic skiing did not come naturally for Kent. However, Dasha pushed her coaching and training and soon he was able to hold his own and complete the 2km course.

Dasha has been a long time supporter of Icebreaker and we would like to show our support for her now too. Please help us to congratulate Dasha on her top 25 in the World ranking and wish her continued luck in her final event, Ladies’ Team Sprint Free. Please take a minute to learn more about Dasha through her profile on the Vancouver 2010 website here.

In partnership with the organizing committee Icebreaker provided uniforms for the event organizers as well as an Icebreaker Top and Beanie, as a thank you, to each of the speakers. Partnership with this event and topic fell right in line with the sustainable philosophies of Icebreaker. Our “Superfine” clothing line allows adventurers to “Travel More with Less”. Our light weight, versatile, no stink apparel is idea for travelers looking for clothing that provides options in both cold and warm weather while being functional for backpacking, hiking or just sightseeing allowing them to pack less clothing and focus on doing more travelling. Organizers from the TEDx event sported our Detour Polo and Long Sleeve Airport as a professional, yet casual look for their team. For more on Icebreaker’s sustainability practices please visit icebreaker.com/baacode.

Here are a few photos that Michael snapped for us at the event.

Our shirts, sweaters, leggings, socks, boxer/knickers, and toques among others come from New Zealand, and while we’re pretty jealous of the team in Vancouver who will be right in the action, we will be having our own little celebration right here in Montreal: employees and customers alike will be watching all the action in-store through a live feed. Our window has been decked out with a NZ flag and a giant ramotaur-turned-Olympic-torch-bearer is catching the eye of everyone wandering past. Best of all, all customers who come in will get an IB Team Pass, giving them the gold medal prize of 2 pairs of socks if they spend 200$, or silver medal 1 pair of socks if they spend 100$ (check out our littlest customer rocking last summer’s Rio Hood).

So, if you in the area, stop on in. We’ll be cozy in-store, cheering on the Olympians!

The Montreal Touch_Lab_ Team

For the past 5 years I have worked as a consultant for USA Hockey coaching at various player development camps and serving on the USA Hockey Goal tending committee, while coaching for a Division 1 Women’s hockey program at the University of Vermont. For the past year, I have been helping the US National Team (pre-Olympic team) with their game video editing. In other words, during the game, I breakdown the film for scouting purposes. I also put together clips for the coaches and players to support the teaching efforts on the ice.

My experience at the Olympics thus far has been incredible! The Olympic Village is gorgeous and our accommodation is amazing. The USA Team house is so fun and bumping into famous athletes like Shaun White and Apollo Ono everyday is great! Vice President Biden came to our game against China and Stephen Cobert was at our Russia game!

Our team is playing very well, we’re 3-0 and gearing up for the Semi-Finals on Monday against Sweden. Our major focus is the Gold Medal game, most likely we’ll face Canada.

As coaches, we have to dress up for each game and I usually wear a suit. I am wearing an Icebreaker Nature Ultralite Sweetheart T under my clothes every game and the other female staff are so jealous because it’s so warm! I’ve worn the shirt since we arrived 10 days ago and haven’t washed it yet! They can’t believe it doesn’t smell! Also, one coach from the Netherlands team is wearing the Men’s Camo Bodyfit200 Oasis Crewe everyday!!

If you visit eminvancouver2010.shutterfly.com you can request to see my pics and videos. Due to NBC rules about posting video from inside the Village and venues I can’t make it public, sorry, but I’ll accept anyone that wants to check it out!

Thanks for your support and interest in the team…. Oh and the team was on Ellen yesterday. Check out her website for the video, it’s hilarious!