VICTORIA, British Columbia — Olympic triathlon gold medalist Simon Whitfield and speedskater Catriona Le May Doan are the first torchbearers for the Vancouver Winter Games in what will be the longest domestic Olympic torch relay in history.

Whitfield was a gold medallist at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics and silver medallist at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games. He resides in Victoria, where the relay started on Friday.

Le May Doan lit the torch with Whitfield. She is the only Canadian to successfully defend an individual Olympic title, having won gold at Nagano and Salt Lake City.

Over 106 days, it will stop in every Canadian province and territory leading to the lighting of the cauldron at BC Place. The games will be held from Feb. 12-28 in Vancouver and Whistler.