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NUNAVUT - The Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) has officially released the route for the 2010 Winter Olympic torch relay and Nunavut will figure prominently in the opening stages.

Iqaluit, Kugluktuk, Resolute and CFS Alert are the planned stops along the way to the opening ceremonies, where the flame will be lit to start the Olympics on Feb.12, 2010.

"We're all very excited," said Iqaluit Mayor Elisapee Sheutiapik., who will have the torch in her city on Nov. 9, 2009.

"We had one of their committees come to talk to us and we submitted a proposal."

The city knew about Iqaluit's inclusion on the route, but couldn't say anything officially until VANOC made the announcement, Sheutiapik said.

"We're setting up a task force along with the main sponsors to go over what will happen in the city," she said. "I believe there will be a youth representative from ITK (Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami), but overall, I'm looking forward to the planning process."

The excitement is being felt in the other Nunavut communities, too.

"It's a great honour to be hosting the torch," said Duncan Walker, senior administrative officer for Resolute, where the torch will be Nov. 8, 2009. "To think it will be stopping in our little corner of the world - a community of around 240 people - it's a privilege."

The torch coming through Nunavut may give a little more motivation to Inuit athletes, Walker added.

"It may inspire them to reach for a higher level," he said. "I can't think of any athlete from Nunavut going to the Olympics ever so this could provide some inspiration to them."

VANOC chief executive officer John Furlong said the relay will be a chance to make some history in the territory.

"Our trip to Nunavut will be extraordinary for us because we will go back to our old friends in Kugluktuk," said Furlong in an audio interview at the VANOC website. "For the first time, we'll go to the top of the world to Alert. Visiting that community will symbolize our goal of visiting every community and giving every Canadian a chance to take part."

Jim Richards, VANOC's director of torch relays, said in a voice clip on VANOC's website Nunavut was always on the group's radar.

"There was no way we could leave people out," he said. "We're trying to get this to as many people as we can and we made it a point to look at culturally significant areas."