Canadians have marked the build-up to the FIFA World Cup with an outsized show of national pride, unfurling what organizers say is the largest Canadian flag ever produced on the slopes of Grouse Mountain near Vancouver. The enormous banner was laid out on a sunny day on the mountain as a way to greet the tournament that is about to bring the world's soccer fans to the country.
The numbers behind the flag are striking. According to its creators, the banner measures 160 metres by 80 metres, a scale that meant it had to be built in pieces rather than as a single sheet. It was created from 60 unique panels that all had to be sewn together perfectly to form one seamless flag large enough to drape across an entire mountain run.
Getting it into place was a feat in itself. More than 100 people came out to support the installation, carrying the flag on their shoulders down the length of the ski run before it was secured. Crews then clipped it into place using carabiners fed through the grommets and attached to airline cables to hold the vast sheet of fabric steady on the slope.
It is not a light piece of work, either. The flag weighed in at more than 3,500 pounds, a heft that helps explain why so many hands were needed simply to move it across the mountain. The combination of its sheer size and its weight turned the installation into as much a logistical exercise as a celebration of the country and its colours.
For the organizer, identified as Adam, the only regret was a missed moment. He said that, in hindsight, he wished he had asked all of the installers to sing the national anthem once the flag was finally in place, suggesting it would have made the occasion even more memorable for the volunteers who hauled it up the mountain.
The hope now is that the giant flag becomes a welcome sign for arriving visitors. Adam said he expects people flying into Vancouver for the games will be able to spot it from the air and feel a sense of Canadian pride, adding that, at its size, the flag will be pretty tough to miss as fans descend on the city for the World Cup.