The Atlantic - - Looking Back: Photos From the First 12 Winter Olympics

[progressoid]

With the world's attention focused on Sochi, I thought it would be interesting to take a look back at some of the earliest Winter Olympics. At the first Winter Games in 1924 in Chamonix, France, 16 countries sent 250 athletes to compete in familiar sports like bobsleigh and hockey. The 1936 Winter Olympics were held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in Nazi Germany, after which the Games were cancelled until 1948 due to World War II. The photos below are from Olympic Winter Games I-XII, which took place from 1924 to 1976. (43 photos total)

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2014/02/looking-back-photos-from-the-first-12-winter-olympics/100679/



In 1976, members of the West German luge team, Elisabeth Demleitner and Stephan Hoelzlwimmer, wear the latest design in helmets during a practice session on the Olympic Luge course in Innsbruck, Austria, on Friday, on January 30, 1976. (AP Photo)




Driven by Hubert Stevens of Lake Placid, the US two-man Olympic bobsled team photographed at Shady Corner at Lake Placid, New York, on February 9, 1932, when the U.S. team established a new world record of 2 minutes 5.88 seconds. Led by Stevens again February 10, the team twice smashed the world record for two-man bobsled and won a gold medal for the United States. (AP Photo) #




The lighting of the Olympic flame in the ice stadium at St. Mortiz, Switzerland, on January 30, 1948, at the opening of the V Olympic Winter Games. (AP Photo/Staff)



Shooting in the pistol section of the Olympic Pentathlon competition, from right to left is Sdt. Griessler of Austria, Capt. John Walker of Great Britain, and Hauptmann Scriber, on February 1, 1948, in St. Moritz, Switzerland. (AP Photo/Green)

More here: http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2014/02/looking-back-photos-from-the-first-12-winter-olympics/100679/

[El_Johns]

1. coneheads! and on another note, didn't there use to be an event combining riding and shooting?

[hlthe2b]

2. wouldn't that be in the summer olympics?

[El_Johns]

3. yes, just wondered if it still existed.

[progressoid]

5. The modern pentathalon now uses laser guns.

Modern pentathlon contained five events; pistol shooting, épée fencing, 200 m freestyle swimming, show jumping, and a 3 km cross-country run.[4] It was the first Olympic Games in which the running and shooting events were combined; athletes faced three rounds of shooting each followed by a 1 km run. In each of the three rounds of firing, athletes had to shoot five targets, loading the gun after each shot; they were then allowed to resume their running. Misses were not penalised, but exceeding a maximum total time of 70 seconds would result in a penalty.[4]

Pistols were replaced with laser guns after a successful trial at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in Singapore. The use of laser guns reduced the cost of the shooting section by approximately two-thirds and opened up new venues for the sport because of the increased levels of safety.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_pentathlon_at_the_2012_Summer_Olympics

But in the winter olympics the Biathlon is still going strong.

Prior to the biathlon debut at the 1960 Winter Olympics, there was a military patrol event that was held at four Winter Olympic Games: 1924, 1928, 1936, and 1948. Medals were awarded for military patrol in 1924, but it was a demonstration event for the other three Games.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biathlon_at_the_Winter_Olympics

[MADem]

4. Those CONEHEAD helmets are hilarious!

Looks like the spirit of Ralph Lauren was present even back in the Good Ole Days--some of those uniforms look pretty doggone goofy!

Members of the U.S. Olympic team march behind the American flag into the ski stadium in the snow during opening ceremonies of the IV Winter Olympic Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, on February 6, 1936. There were 668 athletes participating from 28 nations. (AP Photo)

I love the old school zamboni!!!

To form a fresh smooth surface, lukewarm water is poured over the ice of the speed skating rink of Lake Misurina, where the 1956 Winter Olympics speed skating events will take place in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, on January 13, 1956. (AP Photo)