The Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch has been lit in the North Pole for the first time. The world's largest ice-breaker, the ROSATOM's "50 Years of Victory" reached the very heart of the Arctic, as part of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay. The special project was organized by the Presenting Partners, the Coca-Cola Company, OSAO "Ingosstrakh" and OAO "RZD".
The ice-breaker, decorated in the official style of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay, reached the geographical North Pole point on October 19. At that time, the main team of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay was in Vologda, where it arrived from Yaroslavl after having completed its town stage.
The ice-breaker set a new record taking just 91 hours and 12 minutes to travel from Murmansk to the planet's most central point.
In order to adhere to the Olympic Torch Relay's principle of integrity, which states that the flame can only be lit in one place at one time, it was decided that the Relay in the North Pole would take place overnight between October 19 and 20. Once the last torchbearer had completed his run in Yaroslavl and the Keepers had transferred the flame to the lantern, the first torchbearer, the captain of the "50 Years of Victory", Valentin Davydyants, lit the Torch from the very same lantern in the North Pole.
This stage of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay took place on board the ice-breaker and on an ice block, whilst the Lighting Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Lantern took place at the geographical North Pole point. 11 torchbearers, who have made a huge contribution to the studying of the Arctic and the conservation of its natural resources, animals and ecology, were given the honor of carrying the Olympic Flame. These included Lassi Heininen (Finland), Jens Petter Nielsen and Jan-Gunnar Winther (Norway), Karen Pat Pitney (USA), Steingr?mur J?nsson (Iceland), Stephen Podborski (Canada), Sj?berg Ylva (Sweden), Marcussen Christian (Denmark) and Elena Kudryasheva (Russia).
In a place where all the time zones meet, the final torchbearer of the Olympic torch relay Arctic stage, Artur Chilingarov, honored explorer of the Arctic and the Antarctic, lit the Olympic Cauldron. He was surrounded by all of the torchbearers holding the flags of their countries.
The Olympic expedition participants who had gathered in a round dance, made the world's smallest trip around the world and the Olympic festival ended with a 3D laser show.
One of the most complex and large-scale projects, the special "North Pole" project of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay was made possible by the Torch Relay’s technical partner, the "Rosatom" State Corporation. It was responsible for delivering the Torch, safe boarding of expedition participants on the ice flow, organizing of the lighting activities as well as the provision of food and medical services for the Relay team, and accompanying the staff members of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee.
Notes to the Editor:
The Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay
The Olympic Torch Relay got under way in Sochi on 7 October 2013. According to the organizers' calculations, 90% of the Russian population will be within an hour's reach of the Torch Relay route at some time or another, and this means that approximately 130 million Russian citizens will be able to watch or participate directly in the Relay. In total, it will cover more than 65,000 kilometers, including by car, train, plane, Russian troika and even reindeer sleigh.
The Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay is going to be the longest in the entire history of the Olympic Winter Games. During the Olympic Torch Relay 14,000 torchbearers will carry the Sochi 2014 Olympic torch through 2,900 settlements of 83 regions of the country. The Relay will end with the Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony in Sochi on February 7, 2014. Presenting Partners of the Torch Relay are Coca-Cola, OSAO "Ingosstrakh" and OAO "Russian Railways".
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Euronews: Olympic flame lights up North Pole