We’ve seen Olympic Flames cross continents by land, sea, and air, get shot by bow and arrow, and even get sent via laser beam from space (thanks, Canada). But Sochi organizers promise their Relay will break plenty of records when it travels the farthest any flame has in Olympic history.
Oh, and it will also include something called a troika – a traditional Russian sleigh.
“The relay will bring the entire country together, highlighting the diversity and beauty of Russia,” said 2014 Olympics chief Dmitry Chernyshenko. “The torch relay is one of the most important and magical events associated with the Olympic Games.”
The Flame will be lit in Olympia, Greece, and then will head to Moscow where it will start a 123-day journey around Russia. It will make appearances in more than 2,900 towns in 83 regions covering more than 40,000 miles of the world’s largest country before arriving in Sochi on Feb 7, 2014 for the Opening Ceremony.
More than 14,000 Torchbearers will carry the Flame – compared to 8,000 from London – making it the most involved Relay in history. Rumors are that Putin will run alongside the entire Relay just to prove he can.
