1924 First Winter Olympics: Fun Facts

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Becky_Springdale]Becky Springdale
Chamonix 1924 First Winter Olympics: Fun Fact 1
Retrospective Designation
The French Olympic Committee organized an "International Winter Sports Week" in association with the 1924 Summer Olympics. But it was only in 1925, that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to hold Winter Olympic Games independent of the Olympic Games. As a result, the 1924 International Week of Winter Sports had its name officially changed to I Olympic Winter Games.
The First Winter Games were hosted at Les Houches, Chamonix France.
Chamonix 1924: Fun Fact 2
What happened prior?
Prior to the 1924 Winter Olympics, only some winter sports were Olympic events. For example, Ice Hockey was introduced as an Olympic Event in Antwerp in 1920 and Figure Skating was an Event at the London Olympics in 1908 and the Antwerp Olympics.
Chamonix 1924: Fun Fact 3
Last medal - 1974
The final medal for the 1924 Winter Games, was presented in 1974. A scoring error was noticed 50 years after the event and the bronze medal for ski jumping was presented to the American, Anders Haugen. He was the first American to win a ski jumping medal.
Haugen had been recorded as finishing fourth and the bronze medal had been awarded to a Norwegian skier Thorleif Haug, who also won three gold medals at the 1924 Winter Games.
In 1974, at the age of 86, Haugen traveled to Norway and was given the bronze medal by Thorleif Haug's daughter.
Chamonix 1924: Fun Fact 4
Gold recognized in 2006
Great Britain won the Gold at the Curling event at the 1924 Winter Games, although it wasn't recognized until 2006, 82 years later.
It seems Curling was thought to be a demonstration event in the 1924 Games and it was only a campaign by The Herald in Glasgow that led to the IOC's decision in 2006 to award the gold medal.
Chamonix 1924: Fun Fact 5
Award for No Event
A Prize was awarded at the closing of the 1924 Winter Games for the sport of   rel=nofollow [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1924_Winter_Olympics]Alpinisme or "Haute Montagne". This is a European term for mountaineering. The prize was awarded to Charles Granville Bruce, who led the expedition that attempted the climb of Mount Everest in 1922.
Chamonix 1924: Fun Fact 6
Biathalon Beginnings
The demonstration event Military Patrol was first included in the 1924 First Winter Games. This is a combination of cross country skiing, mountaineering and shooting. The modern sport is Biathalon and this was first introduced into the Winter Olympics program in 1960.
Chamonix 1924: Fun Fact 7
1924 - 1992
The Winter Olympics would continue from the start in 1924 to be held in the same years of the Olympic Games proper until 1992.
Chamonix: Future Olympic Host?
The original buildings from the 1924 events at Les Houches are not much in evidence now although the Olympic Stadium has been rebuilt.
Currently you can [http://www.ski-chamonix.net/ski-les-houches.html]ski Les Houches. The famous Kandahar piste here is home to the World Cup Downhill Championships. It is long, steep and fast.
Annecy, a town about an hour from Chamonix is contender to be host to the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.
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Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?1924-First-Winter-Olympics:-Fun-Facts&id=6286452] 1924 First Winter Olympics: Fun Facts