Anglais

30 years after Calgary ’88, will the Olympic legacy be renewed?

Published

5 années ago

novembre 6, 2018

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It’s been more than 30 years since the wonder of the Calgary Olympics.

Hard to fathom, but they survive as arguably the greatest Winter Games of all time.

The cast of characters is unrivalled and the fame of those athletes, in many cases, transcended sport.

A number of the champions from Calgary remain iconic figures and still have a lustre in spite of the passage of time.

Think of it: alpine skiing boasted the hot-blooded Alberto « La Bomba » Tomba of Italy. He won double gold by taking the technical events — the giant slalom and the slalom.

But perhaps more intriguing was the fact that his passion ran wild for champion figure skater, Katarina Witt of Germany, who performed seductively to Georges Bizet’s « Carmen » on the way to capturing a gold medal over her skating rival Debi Thomas of the United States who ironically also skated to music from « Carmen. »

« In 1988, the stars shone bright, » said four-time world figure skating champion Kurt Browning, who made the first of his three Olympic appearances in Calgary.

« Tomba was chasing Katarina and trying to charm her. It felt so very strange to just get in my car and drive a few hours to the Olympics when in my head I always thought of the Olympics as being in some far-off, snow-driven land. »

Witt recalls the satisfaction of the gold medal she won in 1988, becoming the only female singles skater to repeat as Olympic champion since Sonje Henie of Norway won three gold medals in a row more than half a century before.

Watch Katarina Witt reminisce about the Calgary Games:

Representing East Germany, the figure skater captured gold, making her the first repeat women’s champion since 1936. 3:12

But for Witt, the magic of Calgary was about much more than a personal victory.

« There was such a warm welcome from the Canadians, » she said. « It was so wonderful that the Olympics were in a country where they love sport…where they love winter sport and especially where they love figure skating. »

Rocketing in between Witt and Thomas, Canadian underdog Elizabeth Manley of Ottawa captured lightning in a bottle and the silver medal in Calgary.

She very nearly stood atop the podium on a famous night where she donned a Stetson after her once-in-a-lifetime performance. That white cowboy hat and so many others like it have become symbolic of the volunteers who worked those Games — some say the greatest force of community volunteers in Olympic history.

Watch Elizabeth Manley reflect on the ’88 Games:

The Canadian skated out of the shadows of her competitors, capturing ladies figure skating silver at the 1988 Games in Calgary. 2:40

« It’s every athlete’s dream to not only win an Olympic medal but to do it in your home country, » Manley said. « It was the cat’s meow for me. »

There were also the figure skating Brians — Boitano and Orser, who battled at the Olympic Saddledome. It was compelling stuff and the resulting drama went beyond who won and who lost.

Watch the ‘Battle of the Brians’ at the ’88 Games:

Brian Orser and Brian Boitano went toe-to-toe in the men’s free skate at the 1988 Calgary Olympics. 3:32

In the end it was sport that triumphed.

« I smile when I think of what we delivered in Calgary for the fans that people still remember 30 years later, » the silver medallist Orser said. « We left an incredible mark and one of the best rivalries ever. »

« All athletes were welcomed and celebrated, » said Tracy Wilson who won an ice dance bronze medal with her partner Rob McCall.

« The enthusiasm and warmth of the audiences and fans in Calgary made every one of us athletes believe that we were part of something much bigger than our event and our personal endeavours. »

Watch Tracy Wilson relive her Calgary triumph:

Tracy Wilson recalls winning Canada’s first Olympic medal in ice dancing, a bronze, with partner Rob McCall. 2:54

There was Matti Nykanen, the Flying Finn, who became the first ski jumper in Olympic history to capture three gold medals. But it was the unlikely Eddie « The Eagle » Edwards, a British plasterer, who won so many hearts by finishing last but who also ended up stealing the show.

« I exemplified that Olympic ideal, that Olympic spirit, » Edwards enthused. « I think that’s the most important thing and that’s what people remember. »

Watch Eddie the Eagle talk about his unlikely jump to fame:

The British ski jumper made the Olympics after starting the sport 20 months earlier, he knew he wouldn’t win a medal but his goal was simply to represent his country. 2:47

The Jamaican Bobsleigh Team rocked Calgary having partially financed their journey by selling T-shirts and reggae records.

It was a story fit for a fable.

The last of the great Soviet hockey teams triumphed, featuring a lineup which included Slava Fetisov, Igor Larionov, Vladimir Krutov, Sergei Makarov and Alexander Mogilny. All were on the cusp of becoming NHL superstars.

Alpine skier Karen Percy of nearby Banff, Alta., captured two of Canada’s modest total of five medals in 1988.

Both were third-place finishes in the speed events. But Percy, who became a local legend (not to mention a national darling), won the first Canadian medal on home snow and was the natural choice to carry the flag at the closing ceremony.

Watch Karen Percy’s dream come true:

The two-time bronze medallist was responsible for two of the five medals Canada won that year, and did it all with a broken hand. 2:58

« I was a girl with a dream and my dream came true, » Percy said tearfully as she conjured up that time in her life.

« It doesn’t seem like 30 years ago that it happened. But I still truly feel that feeling of being Canadian and having delivered something to Canadians that was really fun and magical. »

Wilson echoed Percy’s sentiments about competing at home.

« I, for one, was overcome by gratitude at having the opportunity to compete at home in an Olympics, » Wilson said. « That and I felt the privilege of being Canadian. »

There were other stars including Swiss downhill ace Pirmin Zurbriggen and the incomparable double gold medallist Gunde Svan, a Swedish cross-country skier. Everyone at the speed skating oval mourned for American favourite Dan Jansen, who fell in the sprint after learning of the death of his sister on the morning of the race.

There was so much personality to Calgary and although Canadian athletes like Percy, Gaetan Boucher, and Nordic skier Pierre Harvey garnered much of the attention they were not the only story. Canada winning the most medals was not the end game as it turned out to be in Vancouver in 2010.

« Happiness was to be at home, » Harvey concluded. « It was to be able to compete in front of, and for, Canadian citizens, friends and family. »

Watch Pierre Harvey’s reflections on competing at a ‘home’ Games:

The Quebec native became the first ever Canadian male athlete to compete in both the summer and winter Olympic Games. 3:13

« I competed at two Olympics beyond Calgary and nothing compares to the intensity of that one for me, » Browning said. « Somehow the world felt smaller and our attention more focused as people around the planet were falling in love with athletes. »

The Calgary Games are more than 30 years behind us. Their legacy has been the flourishing of a Canadian winter sports system. Facilities remain intact and well employed and the reputation of Calgary as an « Olympic City » endures.

It’s quite clear, three decades later, that through these blockbuster Olympics, Canadians developed a lasting affection with our winter fields of play and the athletes from around the globe who brought them to life in the Stampede City.

Calgary 1988 consummated a love affair between a community and sport.

Now we’ll see if that passion has been inherited by a new generation of people from Calgary.

More importantly we’ll find out if there’s a will to ensure that the legacy of those memorable and landmark Games can be renewed.

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Anglais

Nostalgia and much more with Starburst XXXtreme

Published

3 années ago

août 10, 2021

admin

Get a taste of adventure with Starburst XXXtreme based on the legendary NetEnt Game. The nostalgic themes are sure to capture fans of the classic version as they get treated to higher intensity, better visuals, and features. The most significant element of the game is its volatility. Patience will not be an essential virtue considering the insane gameplay, and there is a lot of win potential involved. It retains the original makeup of the previous game while adding a healthy dose of adrenaline.

Starburst Visuals and Symbols

The game is definitely more conspicuous than before. The setting happens over a 5-reel, 3-row game grid with nine fixed win lines, which function if a succession from the left to the right reel is present. Only those players that that attain the highest win per bet line are paid. From a visual standpoint, the Starburst XXXtreme slots illustrates lightning effects behind the reels, which is not surprising as it is inherited from the original version. Available themes include Classic, Jewels, and Space. The game is also available in both desktop and mobile versions, which is advantageous for players considering the global pandemic. According to Techguide, American gamers are increasingly having more engaging gaming experiences to socialize to fill the gap of in-person interaction. Starburst XXXtreme allows them to fill the social void at a time when there is so much time to be had indoors.

Starburst XXXTreme Features

Players get to alternate on three features which are Starburst Wilds, XXXtreme Spins, and Random Wilds. The first appears on reels 2,3, or 4. When these land, they expand to cover all positions while also calculating the wins. They are also locked for a respin. If a new one hits, it also becomes locked while awarding another respin. Starburst XXXtreme offers a choice between two scenarios for a higher stake. In one scenario with a ten times stake, the Starburst Wild is set on random on reels 2,3, or 4, and a multiplier starts the respin. The second scenario, which has a 95 times stake, starts with two guaranteed starburst wilds on reels 2,3, or 4. it also plays out using respin game sequence and features. The game also increases the potential with the Random Wilds feature to add Starburst Wilds to a vacant reel at the end of a spin. Every Starburst Wild gives a random multiplier with potential wins of x2, x3, x5, x10, x25, x50, x100, or even x150.

The new feature is sure to be a big hit with the gaming market as online gambling has shown significant growth during the lockdown. AdAge indicates the current casino customer base is an estimated one in five Americans, so Starburst XXXtreme’s additional features will achieve considerable popularity.

What We Think About The Game

The gambling market has continued to diversify post-pandemic, so it is one of the most opportune times to release an online casino-based game. Thankfully Starburst XXXtreme features eye-catching visuals, including the jewels and space themes. These attract audience participation and make the gameplay inviting. The game also has a nostalgic edge. The previous NetEnt iteration featured similar visuals and gameplay, so the audience has some familiarity with it. The producers have revamped this version by tweaking the features to improve the volatility and engagement.

That is characterized by the potential win cap of 200,000 times the bet. Starburst XXXtreme does not just give betting alternatives for players that want to go big. The increase of multipliers also provides a great experience. If the respins in the previous version were great, knowing that multipliers can go hundreds of times overtakes the game to a new level.

Players should get excited about this offering. All of the features can be triggered within a single spin. Whether one plays the standard game or takes the XXXtreme spin route, it is possible to activate all of the features. Of course, the potential 200,000 times potential is a huge carrot. However, the bet size is probably going to be restricted and vary depending on the casino. It is also worth pointing out that a malfunction during the gameplay will void all of the payouts and progress. Overall, the game itself has been designed to provide a capped win of 200,000 times the original bet.

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Anglais

‘We’re back’: Montreal festival promoters happy to return but looking to next year

Published

3 années ago

juillet 23, 2021

admin

In downtown Montreal, it’s festival season.

In the city’s entertainment district, a musical act was conducting a sound check on stage Friday evening — the second day of the French-language version of the renowned Just For Laughs comedy festival. Tickets for many of the festival’s free outdoor shows — limited by COVID-19 regulations — were sold out.

Two blocks away, more than 100 people were watching an acoustic performance by the Isaac Neto Trio — part of the last weekend of the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, a celebration of music from the African continent and the African diaspora.

With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to limit capacity, festival organizers say they’re glad to be back but looking forward to next year when they hope border restrictions and capacity limits won’t affect their plans.

Charles Décarie, Just For Laughs’ CEO and president, said this is a “transition year.”

“Even though we have major constraints from the public health group in Montreal, we’ve managed to design a festival that can navigate through those constraints,” Décarie said.

The French-language Juste pour rire festival began on July 15 and is followed by the English-language festival until July 31.

When planning began in February and March, Décarie said, organizers came up with a variety of scenarios for different crowd sizes, ranging from no spectators to 50 per cent of usual capacity.

“You’ve got to build scenarios,” he said. “You do have to plan a little bit more than usual because you have to have alternatives.”

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Anglais

MELS new major movie studio to be built in Montreal

Published

3 années ago

juillet 23, 2021

admin

MONTREAL — MELS Studios will build a new film studio in Montreal, filling some of the gap in supply to meet the demand of Hollywood productions.

MELS president Martin Carrier said on Friday that MELS 4 studio construction will begin « as soon as possible », either in the fall or winter of next year. The studio could host productions as early as spring 2023.

The total investment for the project is $76 million, with the Quebec government contributing a $25 million loan. The project will create 110 jobs, according to the company.

The TVA Group subsidiary’s project will enable it to stand out « even more » internationally, according to Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau. In the past, MELS Studios has hosted several major productions, including chapters of the X-Men franchise. The next Transformers movie is shooting this summer in Montreal.

Péladeau insisted that local cultural productions would also benefit from the new facility, adding that the studio ensures foreign revenues and to showcase talent and maintain an industry of Quebec producers.

STUDIO SHORTAGE

The film industry is cramped in Montreal.

According to a report published last May by the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ), there is a shortage of nearly 400,000 square feet of studio space.

With the addition of MELS 4, which will be 160,000 square feet, the company is filling part of the gap.

Carrier admitted that he has had to turn down contracts because of the lack of space, representing missed opportunities of « tens of millions of dollars, not only for MELS, but also for the Quebec economy. »

« Montreal’s expertise is in high demand, » said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, who was present at the announcement.

She said she received great testimonials from « Netflix, Disney, HBO and company » during an economic mission to Los Angeles in 2019.

« What stands out is that they love Montreal because of its expertise, knowledge and beauty. We need more space, like MELS 4, » she said.

There is still not enough capacity in Quebec, acknowledged Minister of Finance, the Economy and Innovation Eric Girard.

« It is certain that the government is concerned about fairness and balance, so if other requests come in, we will study them with the same seriousness as we have studied this one, » he said.

Grandé Studios is the second-largest player in the industry. Last May, the company said it had expansion plans that should begin in 2022. Investissement Québec and Bell are minority shareholders in the company.

For its part, MELS will have 400,000 square feet of production space once MELS 4 is completed. The company employs 450 people in Quebec and offers a range of services including studio and equipment rentals, image and sound postproduction, visual effects and a virtual production platform.