Friday, February 20, 2009

Winter Olympic Games : Stamps from Austria

Innsbruck 1964 IX Olympic Winter Games .



History :
The 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck were threatened by a lack of snow. The Austrian army rushed to the rescue, carving out 20,000 ice bricks from a mountain top and transporting them to the bobsled and luge runs. They also carried 40,000 cubic meters of snow to the Alpine skiing courses. When rain caused further havoc ten days before the Opening Ceremony, the army packed down the slopes by hand and foot. Lydia Skoblikova won all four women’s speed skating events to become the first athlete to win four gold medals in one Winter Olympics. Klavdiya Boyarskikh earned three gold medals in cross-country skiing and, on the men’s side, Eero Mäntyranta won two. Sisters Christine and Marielle Goitschel finished first and second in both the slalom and the giant slalom. Ski jumping gained a second event, and the sport of luge made its Olympic debut. 36 NOCs (Nations) 1,091 athletes (199 women, 892 men) 34 events

Lillehammer 1994 XVII Olympic Winter Games:

Albertville 1992 XVI Olympic Winter Games:

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