Miramichier to carry Olympic flame this month
Published Friday November 6th, 2009
Veteran and Canadian biathlon pioneer Ray Kokkonen to take the torch on Nov. 27
MIRAMICHI - Although he's never competed in a Winter Olympic Games, it's fair to say that Ray Kokkonen has become well acquainted with winter sports' biggest showcase over much of its history.
The Finnish-born Miramichi-area resident's involvement in the Games is due in large part to the fact that Kokkonen has been involved in developing the Nordic hybrid sport of biathlon in Canada throughout the sport's entire modern history.
Kokkonen has been inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, Canadian Sports Hall of Fame and Canadian Forces Sports Hall of Fame; designed the biathlon course used during the Calgary Winter Olympic Games in 1988, was appointed technical delegate for the 1992 Albertville Olympic Games, and most recently was selected to help design the biathlon venue for the Vancouver Organizing Committee's (VANOC) successful bid for this winter's Games.
He's been involved in a staggering nine different Olympics over the course of his time as a senior official with Biathlon Canada.
But as he watched Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean officially accept the Olympic torch for Canada on television yesterday, Kokkonen knew that for a few minutes in November he might actually be closer the Olympics than he's ever been before.
That's because Kokkonen has been named one of the 12,000 Canadians who will bear the torch as it works its way across the country to its final destination in Vancouver.
But perhaps curiously, the latest honour bestowed upon Kokkonen has nothing to do with his involvement in biathlon, a combination of cross-country skiing and target shooting.
Kokkonen is also a Canadian Forces veteran of several oversees missions and serves as president of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association, which led him to being named one of only 120 Canadian veterans who will carry the torch during the coast-to-coast relay.
The soft-spoken Finnish-Canadian said he's humbled by the honour.
"It's sort of at the other end of the spectrum for me; I'm always at the Games, which is old hat but this, this is where the spirit is," he said.
"This will definitely be a memorable experience, and I'm very glad to be able to do it."
Kokkonen will carry the torch for 300 metres during the Bathurst leg of the ceremonial relay on Nov. 27, the same day the flame passes through his hometown of Miramichi.
He's also been tasked with recruiting 29 other torch-bearers from the association he oversees, one of whom is retired General Roméo Dallaire.
Dallaire will carry the torch past the Governor General's residence in Ottawa, Kokkonen said.
That said, Kokkonen can't wait for his turn to take the torch and run with it.
"I've seen three Olympics in Canada already and obviously I probably won't be around by the time Canada gets another one, so this is pretty great."
Festivities will take place on Nov. 27 in Miramichi at James M. Hill Memorial High School beginning at 10 a.m. with the torch relay beginning at 12:20 p.m.
The 2010 torch relay will be the longest such relay in Olympic history, snaking more than 45,000 kilometres across Canada, compared to the 17,000-kilometre route that was utilized during the 1988 Calgary Olympics.
* For more information contact Tammy Sanford at 506-773-4414 or 506-778-8444.
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