Cindy Crawford, Michael Phelps among Vancouver Olympic visitors

VANCOUVER — Supermodel Cindy Crawford heads a list of Omega celebrity "ambassadors" who will visit Vancouver during the 2010 Olympics, Omega confirmed today.

The Olympic sponsor said Crawford will appear at an event to be held Feb. 14 at the Omega boutique at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.

Superstar swimmer Michael Phelps, the winner of eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, will appear at the same location on Feb. 18.

The Swiss watch company said NASA astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Thomas Stafford and Eugene Cernan — along with solar-powered airplane pioneers Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg — will be at the boutique on Feb. 21.

An Omega representative said one or two more celebrity ambassadors might come to Vancouver during the Games but those arrangements have not been completed. Other Omega ambassadors include George Clooney and Nicole Kidman.

The roster of VIPS and dignitaries expected to visit Vancouver during the Olympics is also expected to include 25 heads of government and 10 members of royalty, according to a City of Vancouver report this year.

King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden are expected to be in B.C. for much of the Games period while Netherlands Crown Prince Willem-Alexander will also attend. The prince is a member of the International Olympic Committee.

Netherlands Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende has confirmed his Olympic attendance in Vancouver while the U.S. ambassador to Canada recently hinted President Barack Obama will come to watch the Games.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin are also expected to attend, given the 2012 Summer Games will be in London and the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.