[Printer Friendly Version]   [How to E-mail This Article to A Friend]

SPORTS ZONE 1: Olympic Torch

The 2006 winter Olympic games torch was recently passed to its first carrier.

With two full months to go before the games begin, Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi passed the Olympic flame to its first carrier, marathon gold medalist Stephano Baldini.

The flame is lit before every Olympics and burns for the duration of the games. Before the games begin, the unlit torch will complete a 64-day tour of Southern Europe, eventually coming to rest in Turin, Italy, host of the 2006 Olympics.

Italian celebrities and athletes will carry the torch through Italy, Switzerland, France, Austria and Slovenia. They will hit most of Italy's famous sites, including the Pantheon, the Vatican, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and Venice's Grand Canal.

In total, 10,000 torchbearers will bring the torch 7,022 miles. It will also be transported in a Ferrari sports car, a gondola and cavalry regiment of horsemen.

The torch will stop finally in Turin on February 10, 2006, where it will be lit for the opening ceremonies.

--Written by Laura Moss

Write your own story telling us what you think about this article!

Read SPORTS ZONE 2: American Enters Boat Race