2006 Winter Olympic torch design and plans unveiled

2006 Winter Olympic torch design and plans unveiled{mosimage}A distinctly modern re-interpretation of the traditional wooden torch, in which metal catches fire and burns. This is the concept behind the design of the Torino 2006 Olympic torch, conceived by Pininfarina (Official Supplier to the Olympic Games) and presented today during a press conference in the Sala Alessi, Palazzo Marino, Milan.

Milan was the last stop in a journey which began in Rome on 7 December 2004 and involved nine of the major Italian cities through which the Olympic Flame will pass. In just over a year, on 29 January 2006, the Olympic Flame convoy will reach Milan on its way to Piedmont, and will doubtless spark celebrations across the city.

Present at today’s meeting were Gabriele Albertini, Mayor of Milan, Roberto Formigoni, President of the Lombardy Region, Filippo Luigi Penati, Chairman of Milan Province Council, Gianni Petrucci, Chairman of CONI (the Italian national Olympic Committee), Mario Pescante, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Heritage and Culture with responsibility for Sport, Valentino Castellani, Chairman of the Torino 2006 committee, Andrea Pininfarina, CEO of Pininfarina SpA, Sergio Chiamparino, Mayor of Turin, Antonio Saitta, President of Turin Province Council, and Enzo Ghigo, President of the Piedmont Region.

The torch designed by Pininfarina has been developed to fulfil the technical requirements of the IOC: it must never go out, not even in rain, snow, or in winds up to 120 km/h. The flame should never reach higher than 10 cm, and should last 15 minutes. 765 mm high, 108 mm in diameter, and weighing 1850 g, the Torch is made in aluminium and contains parts in steel, copper and techno-polymers. 12,000 numbered units will be produced. The propeller for the torches will pe supplied by Italgas.

The press conference was also the occasion to announce the names of some of the personalities who will have the honour of bearing the torch on its journey through Lombardy. Giorgio Armani will represent Milan and the city’s strong ties with fashion. Apart from Giorgio Armani, the honour of being torch-bearer for Milan will also fall to Barbara Fusar Poli and Maurizio Margaglio, world champions and Olympic figure-skating bronze medal winners at the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympic Games who were present today in their official capacity as bearers of the torch on its Torino 2006 Olympic Torch Relay.

Giorgio Armani, Fusar Poli and Margaglio will be joined in Lombardy by other celebrities from the world of Italian television and entertainment who will also have the honour of carrying the Olympic Flame, including Linus, Cristina Parodi, Roby Facchinetti, Giorgio Pasotti.

Anyone interested in sharing the honour of carrying the Torch can get the application form from www.fiammaolimpica.it. Torino 2006 torch-bearers must be over the age of ten and, as required by Olympic rules, cannot be members of an elected body. The selection panel will award those who demonstrate their passion for Olympic Values, which candidates can show when they fill in the on-line application.

‘On this day which concludes the presentation of the Olympic Torch Relay that will start in Italy in December 2005 said Valentino Castellani, I would like to thank the leaders of local bodies and organizations who by their presence, as has been the case in other parts of Italy, have confirmed the interest and spirit of cooperation which the cities, provinces and regions feel for the 2006 Olympic Games.

The Olympic Flame project is particularly important because it helps to spread and share the spirit of the Games among the Italian people, including those who will not be able to attend the competitions in 2006.

The Torino 2006 Olympic Torch Relay will last 64 days and pass through every region and province in the land. The Flames’ glow will light up some of the most characteristic features of Italy: the Tower of Pisa, the Grand Canal in Venice, the Greek Theatre in Taormina, Piazza della Signoria in Florence, from Mont Blanc to the Island of Lampedusa and the Valley of the Temples near Agrigento. The project has been made possible by the support of national institutions (the Office of the President of the Republic, the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry for Heritage and Culture, the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of the Interior) and by the tireless commitment of many local government bodies (regional, provincial and city councils) and by IOC TOP sponsors Coca-Cola and Samsung, which have also decided to become Presenting Sponsors for the Olympic Torch Relay.The presentation of the Olympic Flame was the final leg in the programme ‘A Year from now in…’, during which the Torino 2006 Olympic Committee called upon nine major cities to provide the setting for a preview of the Olympic Torch’s journey through Italy next year. Each city saw announcements for some famous name torch-bearers: Stefano Baldini in Rome, Andrea Benelli, Jury Chechi and Aldo Montano in Florence, Eraldo Pizzo in Genoa, Fernando Attori in Cagliari, Gianfranco Zola in Nuoro, Candido Cannavò and Alexandra Araujoa in Palermo, Francesco Paolantoni and Lilli Allucci in Naples, Emilio Solfrizzi, Carmela Vincenti and Francesco Attolico in Bari, Gianluca Basile and Gianmarco Pozzecco in Bologna, Federica Pellegrini and Denis Marconato in Venice, and Kristian Ghedina in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Presenting Sponsors for the Torino 2006 Olympic Torch Relay are Coca-Cola and Samsung. Further information on the Torino 2006 Olympic Torch Relay are available from or .