Vancouver opens with little cover of snow

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The XXI Olympic Winter Games begin Friday, and that’s about the only thing certain about them.

The star is hurting, and there’s more snow in Manhattan than on some of the mountains here.

Oh, and there could be two Olympic flames.

Back in Canada for the first time since 1988 in Calgary, the games open with the Olympics’ first-ever indoor opening ceremony.

Organizers have kept a tight lid on details, and that’s fitting for an Olympics full of questions.

Will the potential headline act, American skier Lindsey Vonn, overcome a shin injury and vie for multiple medals? Will the snowboard/freestyle skiing venue – already needing emergency snow imports – survive the latest bout of inclement weather? Will Canada’s home team thrive or wilt under the pressure of its bold ambition to dominate the games?

One burning question, at least, will be answered Friday night when the opening ceremonies end with the lighting of the Olympic cauldron. For days, Canadians have been speculating and debating whether the honor should go to hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, the greatest player ever in Canada’s most cherished sport, or some lesser-known, inspirational figure.

The flame itself finally arrived in Vancouver Thursday evening after a 106-day torch relay that passed through more than 1,000 communities in every corner of Canada over a nearly 45,000-kilometer (28,000-mile) route. Vancouverites waved flags, banged tambourines and rang cowbells to welcome the flame at City Hall.

On Friday, about 55,000 spectators will pack into BC Place Stadium for the opening, under the largest air-supported dome in North America. That roof may be a blessing – the forecast predicts showers during the ceremony and through the weekend, diminishing the coast-and-mountain vistas that can be breathtaking on a clear day.                                                                          (AP)