Cortina d'Apezzo 1956 - Olympic Games Winners

Start:

26 Jan 1956

End:

05 Feb 1956

Countries:

Athletes:

821

Women:

134

Events:

City:

Cortina d'Apezzo, Italy

In April 1949 at the 43rd session in Rome, the IOC have chosen among the applications of the four cities - Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Lake Placid, USA, Montreal, Canada and Colorado Springs, USA.
After ballot, it was decided to assign the 1956 Winter Olympic games to Cortina d'Ampezzo with 31 votes as against 7 for Montreal, 2 for Colorado Springs and 1 for Lake Placid.

President Giovanni Gronchi officially opened the 7 Winter Olympic games 1956.
Despite one of the snowiest winters in history of Europe, snow was scarce in the Dolomite Alps, where Cortina dAmpezzo is located and Italian soldiers trucked it from higher up in the Alps.
For the first time, the Soviet Union competed at the Winter Olympic Games. Pavel Kolchin became the first non-Scandinavian medalist in cross-country and the Soviet hockey team defeated Canada, five times winners of previous tournaments.
Anton Sailer of Austria won all three gold medals in Alpine skiing.
In the Ski Jumping, the Finnish team introduced a new aerodynamic style - the arms held flat against the body rather than over the head, in the position of the diver.
For the first time, the Winter Olympic games were broadcasted to eight European countries.