The emblem is a line that forms the Adirondacks,
which becomes a column on the left, paying tribute to the ancient Olympic games. The top of the column is serrated to hold the Olympic rings. This represents a double cauldron, acknowledging that the Olympics were also held in Lake Placid in 1932. |
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Host city | Lake Placid, New York, United States | ||
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Nations participating | 37 | ||
Athletes participating | 1,072 (840 men, 232 women) |
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Events | 38 in 6 sports (10 disciplines) | ||
Opening ceremony | February 14 | ||
Closing ceremony | February 23 | ||
Officially opened by | Vice President Walter Mondale | ||
Athlete's Oath | Eric Heiden | ||
Judge's Oath | Terry McDermott | ||
Olympic Torch | Charles Gugino | ||
Stadium | Lake Placid Equestrian Stadium | ||
Winter | |||
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Summer | |||
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The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games (French: Les XIIIes Jeux olympiques d'hiver), was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from February 13, through February 24, 1980, in Lake Placid, New York. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932. The only other candidate city to bid for the Games was Vancouver-Garibaldi, British Columbia, Canada, which withdrew before the final vote (though Vancouver would eventually win the bid to host the 2010 Winter Olympics.)
The mascot of the Games was "Roni", a raccoon. The mask-like rings on a raccoon's face recall the goggles and hats worn by many athletes in winter sports. The sports were played at the Olympic Center, Whiteface Mountain, Mt. Van Hoevenberg Olympic Bobsled Run, the Olympic Ski Jumps, the Cascade Cross Country Ski Center, and the Lake Placid High School Speed Skating Oval.
The selection process for the 1980 Winter Olympics consisted of one bid, from Lake Placid, United States. It was selected at the 75th IOC Session in Vienna on October 13, 1974.
Notable highlights included:
There were 38 events contested in 6 sports (10 disciplines). See the medal winners, ordered by sport:
Critics decried poorly planned transportation which left spectators waiting for hours in freezing weather, and some athletes complained about lousy accommodation at the Olympic village, where the dorms would later be turned into a prison, FCI Ray Brook. The supply and demand for event tickets never merged, as would-be buyers were unable to buy unsold tickets because only those who already had a ticket could enter ticket-sales areas at venues. Unsold tickets are still being sold as souvenirs at several local tourist shops, including the Olympic Regional Development Association's gift shop at the Olympic Arena.