1976 Winter Olympics Totally Explained

Everything about 1976 Winter Olympics totally explained

The 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games, were celebrated February 4-15, 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria. It was the second time the Tyrolean city hosted the Games.
Following the Munich Massacre at the 1972 Summer Olympics, security was tight for the 1976 games. Innsbruck 1976 pointed the way to the future in Olympic security, however security at the 1976 Summer Games in Montreal was considered unparalleled and helped the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City cope as a result of the events of September 11, 2001.

Host selection

Denver, United States, Sion, Switzerland, Tampere, Finland, and Whistler, Canada bid for the Games.
The games were originally awarded to Denver in May 1970, but a 300 percent rise in costs and worries about environmental impact led to Colorado voters' rejection in November 1972, by a 3 to 2 margin, of a $5 million bond issue to finance the games with public funds. (External Link

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) The IOC then offered the games to Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, but they too declined due to a change of government following elections. (Whistler would go on to be associated with neighboring Vancouver's successful bid for the 2010 games.) Salt Lake City, Utah, which would eventually host in 2002 offered itself as a potential host after the withdrawal of Denver. The IOC, still reeling from the Denver rejection, declined and selected Innsbruck in 1973; it had hosted the 1964 games.

Highlights

Austrian favorite Franz Klammer won the men's downhill alpine skiing event in a total time of 1:45.73, after great pressure from his country and defending champion Bernhard Russi of Switzerland.
Media darling Dorothy Hamill of the United States won the Gold in Ladies Figure Skating, and inspired the popular "wedge" haircut.
Elegant British skater John Curry altered his routine to appeal to Olympic judges, winning gold.
American skater Terry Kubicka attempted (and succeeded) a dangerous backflip in figure skating.
West German skier Rosi Mittermaier almost swept the women's Alpine events, earning two golds and a silver, losing the third gold by an agonizing 13/100ths of a second.
Speed skating saw Soviet Tatiana Averina win four medals. Also, the U.S. team earned six of its 10 total medals in speed skating events.
In the 4-man bobsled, the East German team won for the first time of what would be 3 consecutive titles.
The USSR won its fourth straight ice hockey gold medal.
Sports technology, in the guise of innovative perforated skis, sleek hooded suits and streamlined helmets appeared in Alpine skiing, speed skating and ski jumping, making headlines in Innsbruck.
A second cauldron was built to represent the 1976 Games, and both the 1964 and 1976 cauldrons were lit.
The Soviet Union won the games with 13 gold medals, 6 silver medals and 8 bronze medals.
The mascot was the Tyrolean snowman.

Venues

Bergisel - ski jumping

Igls bobsleigh and luge track

Medals awarded

Ice dancing made its debut to the Olympics.

See the medal winners, ordered by sport:

Luge

Speed skating

Participating nations

The '76 Winter Olympics marked the final time the Republic of China participated under its official flag and its official name. After most of the international community recognized the People's Republic of China the ROC was forced to be represented under the name Chinese Taipei, under a completely altered flag, and use its National Banner Song in place of its national anthem.

Medal count

(Host nation highlighted)

1	13	6	8	27
2	7	5	7	19
3	3	3	1	7
4	3	3	1	7
5	2	5	3	10
6	2	4	1	7
7	2	2	2	6
8	1	3	1	5
9	1	2	3	6
10	1	2	1	4

Further Information

Get more info on '1976 Winter Olympics'.

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