PyeongChang Gears Up for Torch Relay in November

(ATR) The Olympic flame will be on the road again as the latest Torch Relay travels across Korea this year.

The ceremonial lighting of the Olympic flame in Olympia, Greece on Oct. 24 will begin the journey.

The following week torchbearers will kick off the relay in Incheon on Nov. 1 under the theme - 'Let Everyone Shine'.

Coca-Cola, Samsung Electronics and KT are all presenting partners of the event.

There will be 7,500 torchbearers and 2,018 supporting torchbearers expected to participate in the relay, traversing 17 cities and provinces in 101 days.

The final torchbearer with the honor of lighting the Olympic cauldron has not been revealed but will be unveiled on Feb. 9 at the start of the Games.

Compared to the last Winter Games in Sochi - with the second largest torch relay participation in history - the number of runners for PyeongChang is vastly smaller. Sochi had a total of 14,250 torchbearers - 14,000 in Russia and 250 in Greece. Ahead of the 2010 Games, Vancouver had nearly as many with 12,000 in Canada and 560 in Greece.

The relay will make its final stop at the Olympic Cauldron to mark the start of the 2018 Winter Games. The Games run from Feb. 9 to Feb. 25, 2018.

"The PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Torch Relay will inspire a generation and bring people together from different cultures, races, and religions" POCOG president Hee-Beom Lee said in a statement.

"As the torchbearers carry the torch for 101 days, we are confident that the flame will truly ‘Let Everyone Shine’ and spark passion and excitement before the Games."

Written by Courtney Colquitt

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