Exactly one year before the Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, British Olympic Association (BOA) Chairman Colin Moynihan was in Vancouver to accept the official invitation to attend the Games on behalf of Team GB.

Inviting the athletes of the world to Vancouver, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge said, “The Olympic Games engender dreams and inspiration in the hearts of young people everywhere. For athletes around the world the chance to compete next year in Vancouver will be their goal, the culmination of a lifetime’s ambition. I wish them all good luck, and on behalf of the IOC, I invite them to participate in the XXI Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, one year from now.”

BOA Chairman Colin Moynihan said, "As the next Host Nation for the summer Olympic Games, I was delighted to receive the invitation from the President of the International Olympic Committee for Team GB to participate in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.”

Moynihan is excited by positive recent results for GB winter athletes in World and European competitions, “We have strong medal prospects in the winter sports disciplines, which are delivering promising results this season. Vancouver is already buzzing with expectation and excitement. These Winter Games will be outstanding. British results should see a real step-up from the Turin 2006 Olympic Winter Games, before continuing on the road to London 2012."

Great Britain’s top female snowboarder Zoe Gillings, ranked sixth in the world, shared the sense of anticipation, "I'm in Vancouver right now and there is a real buzz around the city. I competed on the Olympic course on Cypress Mountain yesterday and I can't believe the Games are only 12 months away, I'm really excited. The British Olympic Association is providing terrific support in preparation for 2010."

Fresh from claiming the European Championships bronze medal alongside his sister Sinead, John Kerr added: “Sinead and I are extremely excited that the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver are now only one year away. The Pacific Coliseum, where our event will take place, was recently used for the Four Continent Championships and it proved to be a fantastic venue. Just watching the event got us very excited about skating there in 12 months time. Vancouver itself is an amazing city and we believe that it could prove to be one of the great Olympic Winter Games.”

Britain’s number one figure skater in pairs Stacey Kemp, who partners David King, commented, “It is just pure excitement. Something we've worked our entire lives for and that has always seemed so far away is now just around the corner. We hope our first Olympic Games will be in Vancouver.”

Earlier, the Vancouver Organising Committee (VANOC) launched the Olympic Torch and the uniforms for the torchbearers at a ceremony in Whistler, the site of the sliding events and many of the ski disciplines in 2010. This was another key milestone on the way to this year’s torch-lighting ceremony in Olympia, Greece.