Canada's Vancouver won the right to stage the 2010 Winter Olympics on Wednesday after defeating South Korea's Pyeongchang in a closely contested vote.

Pyeongchang had pulled off an early upset by winning the first round of a secret International Olympic Committee (IOC) ballot with 51 votes, 11 more than Vancouver's 40 and just three short of a simple majority that guarantees victory.

Austria's Salzburg was eliminated in the first round with 16 votes.

However, the Canadian city prevailed in the next round of voting, with 56 votes to Pyeongchang's 53.

IOC President Jacques Rogge announced the winner soon thereafter.

Meanwhile, South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun sent a message of support to the Pyeongchang bidding team, thanking them for their efforts to bring the Winter Games to the Korean penninsula.