ITALY: OLYMPIC GAMES - Turin prepares for the first day of competition in the Winter Olympics as spectators arrive and residents warm up to the Games

Record ID: 332086

  • Title: ITALY: OLYMPIC GAMES - Turin prepares for the first day of competition in the Winter Olympics as spectators arrive and residents warm up to the Games
  • Date: 12th February 2006
  • Summary: TURIN, ITALY (FEBRUARY 11, 2006) (REUTERS) WIDE OF BRIDGE WIDE OF PALAVELA OLYMPIC SKATING VENUE OLYMPIC POSTER PEOPLE LINING UP FOR TICKETS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE BUYING TICKET CLOSE UP ON HANDS HOLDING TICKETS (SOUNDBITE)(Italian)WOMEN SAYING:" I would like to see an Italian win, like Fabbris who comes from Asiagio." WIDE OF BRIDGE WITH MOUNTAIN IN THE BACK PAN FROM MOUNTAIN TO SKATING VENUE EXTERIOR SKATING VENUE OLYMPIC POSTER WITH SKATER OLYMPIC ARCH IN FRONT OF MOUNTAIN
  • Embargoed: 27th February 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA9B8X4D5XQVEH3OC398HL1QJIH
  • Story Text: The Winter Olympics has almost met its ticket sales target as spectators pour into Turin and residents warm up to the Games which started on Saturday (February 11).
    So far 750,000 tickets have been sold for a total of 63.5 million euros ($76 million), nearing a 64 million euro target, organising committee TOROC said.
    After months of slow sales, TOROC cut its revenue target from 76 million euros in January, and has said it will bus schoolchildren into less popular events to boost numbers.
    But on Saturday morning, hundreds of hopeful spectators crowded around ticket offices clutching programmes and chatting about what the less known Winter Olympic sports were like. The ticket Web site was blocked because too many people were online.
    Up in the mountains, spectators braved the freezing cold early morning to see the very first Olympic event - Nordic Combined NH 15km - at the mountain venue of Pragelato.
    The medal ceremony will take place later in the day.
    This event will be followed by the 20km Biathlon pitting Frenchman Raphael Poiree and Norwegian Ole Einar Bjorndaelen.
    Organisers said the Winter Olympics has almost met its ticket sales revenue target.
    Sales of 750,000 tickets have so far reaped 63.5 million euros ($76 million), close to the 64 million euro target, the Turin Olympic organising committee (TOROC) said.
    For months ticket sales were sluggish, and TOROC cut its revenue target to 64 million euros from 76 million in January when it revised its overall budget.
    But organisers have long said that Italians tend to buy sports tickets at the last minute.
    Earlier this week, TOROC said organisers would bus school children in to less popular events to boost the crowds and avoid a repeat of the Athens Games where some stadiums were empty.
    Cross-country skiing gets underway at Pragelato too amid high controversy.
    Unless an appeal is dealt with quickly, the action will start without one of the defending Olympic champions who has been suspended for five days after tests showed she had an abnormally high red blood cell count.
    The Olympic programme begins with the women's 15-km pursuit at 0900 GMT but Germany's Evi Sachenbacher Stehle was one of eight cross-country skiers suspended on Thursday by the International Ski Federation after failing the tests.
    Four more skiers were suspended on Friday night bringing the total to
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