'Eddie the Eagle' soars into Calgary to support 2026 Olympic bid at rally
The unlikely fan favourite of the 1988 Olympics is throwing his support behind the bid
Those making the case for Calgary to host the 2026 Winter Games are about to get a boost from the unlikely star of the 1988 Olympics.
By mid-afternoon Sunday, British ski jumper "Eddie 'the Eagle" Edwards was set to land in Calgary, with Team Canada athletes Michelle Salt, Valerie Maltais and Jordan Belchos welcoming him at the airport.
He'll be joining some of his fellow Olympians, as well as 1988 mascots Hidy and Howdy, at a Yes Calgary 2026 rally to share stories and promote the bid at noon on Monday.
Canadian Olympians expected to attend include gold-medal sprinter Donovan Bailey and multi-medal-winning hockey player Cassie Campbell-Pascall.
Ice dancing duo Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, who won gold at this year's Winter Olympics, are to make an appearance by video.
Michael Edwards was the first competitor to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski jumping.
His underdog story made him a crowd favourite and won the hearts of fans worldwide. In 2016, a biopic depicted his determined efforts to compete.
"I hope they do go for another Olympics and I hope they win the bid because I think the Calgary Olympics were the best Olympics. And if they can have the Olympics again, I think it will be even better. I might even jump, you never know," Edwards told CBC News at WinSport last year, 30 years after he finished dead last in the 70- and 90-metre events.
Calgarians will vote in a non-binding plebiscite on Nov. 13 to determine the bid's future, with advance polls open on Tuesday and Wednesday.
LIVE EVENT: CBC Calgary Olympic Games Plebiscite Town Hall
If you live in Calgary, find out what you need to know before you cast your vote in the Nov. 13 plebiscite by tuning in to the CBC Calgary Olympic Games Plebiscite Town Hall.
Featuring a knowledgeable panel and hosted by the Calgary Eyeopener's David Gray, we will hear from both sides and take questions from the audience. Panellists include:
- Calgary 2026 CEO Mary Moran.
- Yes Calgary 2026 organizer Jason Ribeiro.
- Coun. Evan Woolley, chair of city council's Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games assessment committee.
- Economist Trevor Tombe.
It'll take place at Calgary's new Central Library (800 3rd St. S.E.) on Wednesday, Nov. 7, starting at 6 p.m. All of the reserved tickets have been claimed, although there will be rush seating available at 6:15 p.m. as capacity allows.
Didn't get a ticket? Never fear, you can tune in by:
- Joining our Facebook Live at facebook.com/cbccalgary, where you can ask questions and post comments.
- Watching the Facebook Live on our regular website and app.
- Listening in on CBC Radio One (99.1 FM or 1010 AM in Calgary), at cbc.ca/calgary or your CBC Radio App from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. MT.
- Read more articles by CBC Calgary, like us on Facebook for updates and subscribe to our CBC Calgary newsletter for the day's news at a glance
With files from The Canadian Press