Anniversary for Turin
Five years ago today, Stefania Belmondo lit the Olympic Flame at Turin’s Olympic Stadium.
The XX Winter Olympics took place from Feb. 10 to 26 in the capital of the Piedmont region.
At the time, the Games were the largest Winter Olympics ever, with 2,508 Olympians from 80 countries competing the Games. That record was broken four years later. Turin still holds the record for largest city to stage a Winter Olympics. More than 900,000 people call the city home.
Some of the notable events from the Games included Shaun White winning his first medal, the only snowboard title he hadn’t claimed in his career. Claudia Pechstein of Germany became the first speed skater with nine medals. Albania, Ethiopia, and Madagascar all made their Winter Olympic debuts at the Games.
2006 also marked the first year Olympic coverage was broadcast to mobile devices.
Show Your Love Via London 2012
Nothing says Happy Valentine’s Day like commemorative pins featuring your favorite Olympic and Paralympic mascots.
Some love-struck Londoners must think so because The London 2012 Shop was all sold-out of the $26 special edition sets on Wednesday. The website now shows the product as "In Stock" and advertises free standard delivery.
The heart-shaped twin pins show Wenlock and Mandeville marching in front of a pink and blue Union Jack. The smaller inset hearts read "Happy Valentine’s Day 2011", so they’ll be topical just this once.
No word yet on whether the current stock will last through Monday's occasion.
Station for PyeongChang
A stop on Seoul’s subway line is showing the city’s support of PyeongChang 2018.
Seoul's Mongchontoseong station is now decorated with PyeongChang paraphernalia following a rebranding as a special "PyeongChang 2018 Station".
The artwork, which features great moments in South Korean Olympic history and photos of PyeongChang, will hang until the IOC’s vote on a 2018 host at its Sessionin Durban, South Africa on July 6.
Seong-jik Eum, Chief Executive of the Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation said: "With the IOC decision fast approaching, SMRTis excited to show its support for PyeongChang’s bid to host the 2018 Winter Games. We are proud to decorate this station as a special PyeongChang 2018 stationand help people relive some of Korea's most memorable winter sports moments."
Munich Shows Ski Venue
The proposed venue for alpine skiing at the 2018 Olympics is on display.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is hosting the International Ski Federation world championships until Feb. 20.
Bid officials say Monday’s opening ceremony shows "Munich and Bavaria’s Olympic hostingcredentials have passed a major test".
Bernhard Schwank, CEO of the Munich 2018 Bid Committee, said: "It was fantastic to see what is being done in Garmisch-Partenkirchen to celebrate the global event – an incredible show of the Bavarian passion for winter sports with a sense of warmth and hospitality from the crowd. The athletes are experiencing a hint of Munich 2018’s Festival of Friendship atmosphere and everything we have promised to the world should the Games come to Munich in 2018."
More than 500 athletes from 69 countries are competing at the event. Competition in eleven events are being staged—men’s and women’s combined, downhill, giant slalom, slalom, Super-G, and a team event. The team event is hoping to join the Olympic Program.
The downhill event, typically the highlight of skiing competitions is scheduled for this weekend.
So far, the only champions crowned came in the Super-G event. Christof Innerhoffer of Germany won the men’s event. Elisabeth Goergl of Austria won the women’s title. Both are Olympians, with Georgl winning two bronze medals in Vancouver.
Speed Skating World Championships
Speed skating returns to the Olympic Oval in Calgary.
The venue for the 1988 Winter Olympic speed skating tournament plays host to the 2011 International Skating Union All Round Speed Skating Championships.
Scheduled for Feb. 12 and 13, nearly 50 skaters will compete in eight events.
Written by Ed Hula III.
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