More about Innsbruck 1964

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  Lack of snow
  The Innsbruck Games were threatened by a lack of snow. The Austrian army rushed to the rescue, carving out 20,000 blocks of ice from the mountain side and transporting them down to the luge and bobsleigh tracks. They also carried 40,000 cubic metres of snow to the Alpine skiing slopes.
  
  Firsts and debuts
  Mongolia, India and North Korea all made their debuts, and the latter’s Han Pil Hwa took silver in the women’s 3,000m speed skating event, her country’s first Olympic Winter medal. In the bobsleigh, athletes raced on a track that used artificial ice – another first. This resulted in the sport losing much of its danger.
  
  Keep it in the family
  Eighteen-year-old Marielle Goitschel of France finished in second place behind her older sister Christine Goitschel in the women's slalom. Two days later, Marielle got her revenge and finished ahead of her big sister in the giant slalom.
  
  Olympic spirit
  In the bobsleigh event, Italy’s Eugenio Monti distinguished himself by helping British duo Tony Nash and Robin Dixon win gold when he loaned them a replacement axle bolt. The Italian team took the bronze and Monti was awarded the first De Coubertin Medal for sportsmanship.

  NOCs 36
  Athletes 1,091 (199 women, 892 men)
  Events 34
  Volunteers n/a
  Media n/a

• All Facts

  Lack of Snow
  The organisers had to cope with serious problems concerning snow conditions. The Austrian army had to remove 20,000 blocks of ice from the mountain side and transport them down to the luge and bobsleigh tracks. They also had to transport 40,000m3 of snow to the Alpine skiing slopes and leave 20,000m3 of spare snow as a back-up.
  
  The Flame was lit in Olympia
  For the first time in the Winter Games, the Flame was lit in Olympia. Since then, it has always been lit there.
  
  Precision timing
  Introduction of timing to a hundredth of a second in Alpine skiing.
  
  A pre-destined river
  The Inn is the river from which Innsbruck takes its name. Its source is in the Swiss Alps some kilometres above St Moritz. With the two St Moritz editions in 1928 and 1948, and the two Innsbruck ones in 1964 and 1976, the Olympic Winter Games have been held four times on the banks of this river.
  
  One million spectators
  For these Olympic Games, over one million spectators (1,073,000) flocked to the slopes and rinks to watch the champions’ performances. Record crowds turned up for the Alpine skiing events and the ice hockey matches.
  
  Opening and Closing Ceremonies in different stadiums
  The Opening Ceremony was held at the foot of the Bergisel ski jump, in the ski jump stadium. From the top of the jump, the jumpers dominated the whole city and all the Olympic facilities. The Closing Ceremony was held at the Olympia Eisstadion, the rink used for figure skating and ice hockey.
  
  New Asian NOCs at the Winter Games
  For the first time, delegations from Mongolia, India and North Korea took part in the Olympic Winter Games. Thanks to Pil Hwa Han, who took silver in the women’s 3,000m speed skating event, North Korea won its first Olympic Winter medal.
  
  Articificial Ice for the Bobsled
  For the first time, a bobsleigh track that used artificial ice was built for the Games and as a result the bobsleigh conditions became more controllable and the competition lost much of its danger.
  
  Ceremonies
  
  Innsbruck, 9 February 1964. General view of the Ice Stadium.
  
  Official opening of the Games by: President Dr Adolf Schärf
  
  Lighting the Olympic Flame by: Joseph Rieder (Alpine skiing)
  
  Olympic Oath by: Paul Aste (bobsleigh)
  
  Officials' Oath by: The officials' oath at an Olympic Winter Games was first sworn in 1972 at Sapporo.

• Emblem
  
  Il représente les armoiries de la Ville d'Innsbruck illustrant le pont sur l'Inn auquel la ville doit son nom. Le pont et les cinq anneaux olympiques symbolisent la compréhension entre les peuples et l'amitié entre les jeunes sportifs des différents pays qui se sont donné rendez-vous au pont sur l'Inn en 1976.
• Medals

  
  Tout comme celle des Jeux d'Innsbruck en 1964, cette médaille a été conçue par l'artiste viennoise Martha Coufal-Hartl. Les médailles ont été frappées par la Monnaie Autrichienne à Vienne. Sur l'avers, l'emblème des Jeux - le même que pour les Jeux de 1964 - composé des anneaux olympiques et des armoiries de la ville où l'on retrouve le pont sur l'Inn, rivière qui a donné son nom à la ville d'Innsbruck. Ce pont relie depuis des siècles la vieille ville au quartier d'Hötting. Il symbolise l'amitié et l'union de tous les peuples. Sur le revers, le domaine skiable du Bergisel avec les Alpes en arrière plan et la flamme olympique au premier plan à droite. The reverse shows the Bergisel skiing area with the Alps in the background and the Olympic flame in the foreground on the right hand side.

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