The competition schedules for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games were released Saturday, a significant milestone for the organizers and sports fans as the clock ticks down towards the opening ceremonies at BC Place Stadium.

The events will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12-28, 2010.

The Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) said the release of the schedules comes just two months before tickets to the Olympic Winter games go on sale to the public on October 3.

"This is a major milestone we can share with our sport and broadcast partners who worked closely with us to develop a balanced Games schedule that satisfies the respective International Sport Federations (Ifs), television audiences around the world and spectators who will attend the Games,'' said Cathy Priestner Allinger, VANOC's executive vice president, Sport and Games Operations.

"As with all Games, the schedule will maintain a degree of flexibility in timing,'' she said.

There was no mention in Saturday's press release of the massive rock slide that has been blocking the main highway route between Vancouver and Whistler since Tuesday, raising concerns that something similar could happen when the games are on.

On Thursday, Priestner Allinger downplayed the significance of the impact another rock slide could have during the games.

"We have to have contingency plans in place for something like this --and also for a number of other 'what ifs' that might happen,'' she said VANOC did not elaborate.

The scheduled for 2010 Games has been released after it was approved by the International Olympic Committee in Beijing, China.

Full details of the games schedule are available at www.vancouver2010.com

Highlights include:

The Opening Ceremony at 6:00 p.m. on Feb. 12, 2010

The final sport event of the Olympic Winter Games, the men's gold medal hockey game on Feb. 28, at 12.15 p.m. in General Motors Place.

The first Paralympic sport event on March 13, when the men's and ladies' alpine skiing competitions begin at 9.30 am at Whistler Creekside;

The final Paralympic sport event on March 21, the men's and ladies' one-kilometre sprint finals in cross-country skiing, beginning at 12:00 pm at Whistler Paralympic Park.