A group of Canadian Olympians are departing for Northern Italy following a festive send-off for the Milan Cortina Winter Games on Thursday night at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport.
Members of the Canadian women’s hockey team — including captain Marie-Philip Poulin — and alpine skiing team, among others, rolled into the terminal with their suitcases to board the international flight.
Canada is sending 207 athletes to the Milan Cortina Games, including 109 first-time Olympians.
Freestyle skier Naomi Urness will compete in her first Games. The 21-year-old from Mont-Tremblant, Que., says she’s excited to see the Olympic Village and exchange pins with other athletes once she lands in Italy.
The opening ceremonies for the spread-out Games take place Feb. 6 in Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Predazzo and Livigno — where moguls skier Mikaël Kingsbury and ski cross racer Marielle Thompson will carry the Maple Leaf as Canada’s flag-bearers.
The Olympics conclude with the closing ceremonies on Feb. 22.
