February 15, 2010 | 2010 Olympics >
Vancouver, Festivals & Events
View a larger image on flickr.com
“QUAAAAATCHIIII!!!! SUUUUUUMIIIIII!!!! MIIIIIIGAAAA!!!!!” Hysterical fans of 2010’s cuddly Olympic mascots were screeching their heads off just for a chance to pet or hug the giant furry creatures. I thought I might be the only big kid at Robson Square’s GE Plaza in Vancouver but no, ‘kids’ of all ages crammed around the ice rink to meet their idols. You’d have thought Madonna or Brad Pitt was in town – such was the level of excitement.
The ice rink had been transformed into an enchanted forest and other skaters in leafy green outfits twirled in formation around the stars. A commentator gave us the lowdown on the Winter Games Mascots: Miga (black and white) is a sea bear, which in First Nations mythology is part Orca whale and part Kermode bear. A snowboarding fanatic, she normally lives in surf capital, Tofino. Quatchi (huge and fluffy with blue ear muffs) is a Canadian sasquatch from the Great White North – and he loves ice hockey.
Mascot to the Paralympic Games, green Sumi loves skiing. He wears the hat of an Orca, flies with Thunderbird wings and skates on furry bear legs. Their sidekick marmot, Muk Muk was absent, maybe marmots just don’t skate?
At the end, we all did get our moment with the mascots as they glided around for big hugs, and putting wide grins on little faces. And afterwards it was time to put on skates (rentals are $3) and make the most of the free ice rink.