Venues of the 1960 Winter Olympics

For the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, California, in the United States, a total of five sports venues were used. Except for the Palisades Tahoe, all of the venues had to be constructed. For the first time in Winter Olympic history, a temporary venue was constructed at McKinney Creek for biathlon, cross-country skiing, and Nordic combined. A bobsleigh track was not constructed over the guarantees from the FIBT not being able to field the minimum twelve teams needed to compete, making it the only time bobsleigh has not been included in the Winter Olympics.

Venues
Venue Sports Capacity Ref.
Blyth ArenaFigure skating, Ice hockey; opening and closing ceremonies8,500 [1]
McKinney Creek StadiumBiathlon, Cross-country skiing, Nordic combined (cross-country skiing)1,000 [2]
Papoose Peak Ski jumping hillSki jumping, Nordic combined (ski jumping)Not listed. [3]
Squaw Valley Olympic Skating RinkIce hockey, Speed skating8500 [1]
Palisades TahoeAlpine skiing9,650 [4]

Before the Olympics

Bobsleigh was not included at this Winter Olympics at a 1957 International Olympic Committee meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria because of a lack of assurance from the International Bobsleigh Federation (FIBT) on having a minimum twelve teams.[5] This was why a track was not constructed for the 1960 Games.[5] As a result, an extraordinary event would take place at the 1956 Winter Olympic venue used for bobsleigh.[6]

The ski jump was designed in 1957 with construction beginning the following year.[3] It was completed the following year with trial events taking place in February 1959.[3] The jumps had calculation (K) points of 40 m (130 ft), 60 m (200 ft), and 80 m (260 ft), the first time in Olympic history that there were three ski jumps.[3]

McKinney Creek Stadium was constructed in August 1959 and completed in time for the 1960 Games.[2]

During the Olympics

The speed skating venue used a Zamboni-type machine that could completely resurface the oval in 45 minutes.[1] This led to four world records being set at the oval.[1]

The cross-country men's 4 x 10 km relay event at McKinney Stadium produced an exciting finish in which Finland edged out Norway by 0.8 seconds, the closest event finish in Olympic history until Norway lost out again 34 years later by 0.4 seconds, only this time to Italy.[7][8][9]

After the Olympics

Blyth Arena continued as an indoor venue until a heavy snowstorm in 1983 collapsed the roof.[10] By 1991, the arena was demolished as replaced by an outdoor arena that was part of a revitalization plan in Squaw Valley.[10] The speed skating venue was also dismantled by 1991.[10]

The jump was used for the US National Championships in 1976 following renovations.[11] Afterwards, the jump became known for speed skiing and snowboarding events and now serve as alpine skiing events.[11]

After the Olympics, McKinney Creek Stadium was dismantled since it was a temporary venue.[2] The trails where the cross-country skiing and biathlon events took place are popular off-road trails.[12]

Palisades Tahoe hosted an Alpine Skiing World Cup in early 1969, the only alpine event of significance held there since 1960.[13] FIS Races that are not of World Cup level have taken place in 1998, 2001, 2005, and 2010.[14] The ski resort continues to be a popular alpine skiing and snowboarding attraction and is the only venue of the 1960 Games still in use as of 2010.[15]

As of 2016, three buildings from the 1960 Winter Olympics remain in Palisades Tahoe.[16] An expansion of the resort's village, currently in the planning stages, would see two of these buildings demolished.[16]

References
  1. 1960 Winter Olympics official report. p. 121. Accessed 27 October 2010.
  2. 1960 Winter Olympics official report. pp. 109-10, 115. Accessed 27 October 2010.
  3. 1960 Winter Olympics official report. p. 103. Accessed 27 October 2010.
  4. 1960 Winter Olympics official report. pp. 99-102. Accessed 27 October 2010.
  5. 1960 Winter Olympics official report. p. 20.
  6. FIBT.com Men's World Championships and Olympic Games: 1924-2007 results. Accessed 27 October 2010.
  7. Wallechinsky, David and Jaime Loucky (2009). "Cross-County (Nordic) Skiing, Men: 4 x 10 Kilometer Relay". In The Complete Book of the Winter Olympics: 2010 Edition. London: Aurum Press Limited. p. 237.
  8. 1960 Winter Olympics official report. p. 117. Accessed 27 October 2010.
  9. 1994 Winter Olympics official report. Book 4. pp. 166-7. Accessed 27 October 2010.
  10. "Family Fun at Squaw Valley". Smith, Lynn. Los Angeles Times. 24 February 1991. Accessed 27 October 2010.
  11. Skisprungschanzen.com profile of the Squaw Valley jump. Accessed 27 October 2010.
  12. Trails.com profile of McKinney Creek Trail, CA. Accessed 27 October 2010.
  13. FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup Squaw Valley 28 February -1 March 1969 podium results. Accessed 27 October 2010.
  14. FIS Alpine Skiing Races Squaw Valley 1998-2010 podiums. Accessed 27 October 2010.
  15. Squaw Valley profile. Accessed 27 October 2010.
  16. Peter Fimrite (15 November 2016). "Big Squaw Valley resort expansion gets the green light". SFGATE. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
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