The workshop, which has been conducted by the COC for the last five Olympic Games and this time took place in Vancouver, forms part of the nation's strategy as it aims for a repeat of its excellent performance at Vancouver 2010, where it claimed the number one spot on the overall medal table.

"Canada has a worldwide reputation for delivering best-in-class Games preparation for our athletes, coaches and mission team and one need only look at this weekend's activities to see why," said COC President Marcel Aubut.

"Virtually every moment - whether it was for education, relaxation or to simply get to know each other - was designed to help ensure that the Canadian Olympic team entering Sochi's Fisht Olympic Stadium is practically and purposefully equipped to deal with whatever occurs, both on and off the field of play."

As well as topping the medal table at the last Winter Games, the home nation also broke several Olympic medal records.

Canada made history by winning the most gold medals - 14 - of any host country at a Winter Olympics, surpassing the previous record of 10 set by Norway in 1994 and the United States in 2002, and were the first host nation to win the gold medal count at a Winter Olympics since Norway at the 1952 Winter Olympics.

They also broke the record for the most gold medals at single Winter Olympics, one more than the previous record of 13 set by the former Soviet Union in 1976 and Norway in 2002.

Vancouver 2010 was also the first time the nation had won a gold medal on home soil, after failing to top the podium in Montreal and Calgary, and it was freestyle skier Alexandre Bilodeau who started the gold rush to became the first Canadian to become an Olympic champion at home, doing so in mogul skiing.


One of the gold medals won at those last Winter Games was claimed by Kaillie Humphries in the two-woman bobsleigh event and she was in the city again this weekend for the latest OES event.

"It was a cool weekend and a great opportunity to get together with other athletes looking to head off to Sochi," said the 27-year-old, who is also a two-time world champion.

"We all have to hit the ground running so the more quality information and preparation we can get early on, the better we'll be when we get there."

Also attending the preparation camp was Mikaël Kingsbury, the International Ski Federation (FIS) world champion and two-time World Cup winner who is looking to make his Winter Olympic debut in Russia next year.

"This has been such an amazing chance to learn about what the Games will be like from people who know the drill," said the 20-year-old moguls skier.

"I'm really happy to have had the chance to come here and be together with so many of the team before we get to Sochi."

Canada's Sochi 2014 Olympic team Chef de Mission, Steve Podborski, praised the camp saying that it could be the thing that sets the nation's athletes apart from their competitors.


"Every Canadian athlete here this weekend knows how to win, but so too does any athlete who makes it to the Olympic Games," Podborski said.

"The goal of OES is to protect peak performance by helping the participants be more prepared - individually and as a team."

The athletes will remain in Vancouver for the COC media summit, taking place today and tomorrow, which is expected to attract more than 20 media outlets from across the country, including Sochi 2014 broadcast rights holder CBC.

The Sochi 2014 Olympics are due take place on February 7 from 23.

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