The 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France, were the first Winter Games to be broadcast in color. The connection between the Olympic Games and television began with the 1960 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, when CBS paid just $50,000 for broadcasting rights. This special sled proved not to be quite enough, as Hackl finished second to Italy’s Armin Zoeggeler. Before the Salt Lake City Games–where he would attempt to become the first Winter Olympian to win four consecutive gold medals–Hackl teamed with chassis and aerodynamics specialists from German automaker Porsche to design a better, faster sled to aid him in his quest. In Nagano, Hackl turned heads with new aerodynamic yellow booties, drawing protests from the Canadian and American luge teams. Georg Hackl of Germany won a silver medal in his Olympic debut in Calgary, then went on to win gold in 1992, 19. Luge Star Gains Edge with Aerodynamic Footwear Zamboni’s invention–still the standard for ice resurfacing machines–was able to shave a surface of ice, remove the ice shavings and wash the ice to create a perfect slick surface for Olympic skaters and hockey stars to strut their stuff. After creating the ice resurfacer for his family-owned rink in 1949, Zamboni gained great exposure in the early ’50s, when Olympic champion skater Sonja Henie bought a machine to travel with her. The 1960 Winter Games at Squaw Valley, California saw the first Olympic use of the ice resurfacing machines invented and produced by Frank Zamboni. Judges then review (if necessary) the video to confirm the technical analysis and come up with a final score. Under the new system, a “technical specialist” uses instant replay to identify and evaluate each skating element (for example, the exact foot position in takeoff and landing of a jump). That year’s scandal involving judging misconduct in the pairs skating competition led to the replacement of the traditional 6.0 scale with the less subjective International Judging System (IJS). Instant Video Replay Debuts in Olympic Figure SkatingĪt Salt Lake City in 2002, instant video replay technology made its debut in Olympic figure skating. At the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, five gold medals were won in Lange boots, and the company went on to dominate the ski equipment industry. Incorporating advice from the Canadian National Ski Team, Lange improved his boot and made it good enough for racers. In 1963, he introduced Lange ski boots, the first fiberglass boots with lace closures. It resembled Calgary’s most recognizable landmark, the Calgary Tower, and bore the Olympic motto, “Faster, Higher, Stronger.” Designed to be especially lightweight, the torch was powered by a special fuel in order to ensure that the flame would stay lit in all weather conditions during the 88-day, 18,000-kilometer trip across Canada.įed up with traditional leather skiing boots, Bob Lange of Dubuque, Iowa wanted to create a boot that would make things easier for amateur skiers like himself. An All-Weather Torchįor the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics, the National Research Council of Canada developed a special Olympic torch for that year’s relay (a tradition since 1936). From an all-weather torch to a souped-up bobsled, check out some of the many inventions the Games have inspired. With icy conditions, slick surfaces and freezing temperatures, technological innovation is especially important for the athletes and organizers of the Winter Olympics. Automatic Starting Gates Debut in Olympic Skiing.Artificial Ice Transforms Bobsleigh Event.Revamped Clap Skate Leads to Faster Times.Luge Star Gains Edge with Aerodynamic Footwear.Instant Video Replay Debuts in Olympic Figure Skating.