The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver are coming up. But what you may not know is that the city will also host the Paralympics, where spectators can watch athletes with physical disabilities competing for the gold.
The Paralympics are held every four years in the same host city as the Olympics. The major sports this winter include adaptive alpine and cross-country skiing, ice sledge hockey, and wheelchair curling.
This year, the event starts in March 2010, but it’s not too late to get tickets. The third phase of sales is starting this fall.
If you’re not a Canadian resident—or don’t have a distant cousin you can call up—the official ticket vendor for the U.S. is a company called CoSport.
Don’t get ripped off by unofficial third-party sites. In the past, some unscrupulous companies have charged thousands for a Paralympics package that includes airfare and hotels, but don’t include tickets to any events.
Most of the events will take place in Whistler Paralympic Park and the Vancouver Paralympic Centre, which are about 80 miles apart, so plan accordingly.
And guess what? If the events inspire you or someone you know, many major resorts around the U.S. and Canada offer adaptive winter sports programs, so stay tuned for more on that.
Learn more in our Olympics Travel section.
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