About the Games (Lake Placid 1980)

Artificial Snow

To guarantee that all events took place in the best possible conditions, many snow machines were used to produce artificial snow—the first time this had been done at the Olympic Games.

Slalom Champions

The great Swedish skier Ingemar Stenmark won the giant slalom and the slalom. In both races, he was behind on the first run but came back sensationally on the second. Hanni Wenzel did the same in the women’s races, making her nation, Liechtenstein, the smallest country to produce an Olympic champion.

Lake Placid 1980 Winter Olympic Games Legacy

Discover the lasting legacy that this edition of the Olympic Games created for its hosts.

Memorable Champions

Germany’s Ulrich Wehling won the Nordic combined for the third time, and Russian pairs skater Irina Rodnina achieved the same feat in her event. In the biathlon relay, Aleksandr Tikhonov of the USSR earned his fourth straight gold medal, while his compatriot Nikolay Zimyatov earned three gold medals in cross country skiing.

Five Historic Golds

American speed skater Eric Heiden won all five speed skating events from 500m all the way up to 10,000m, setting an Olympic record in every one. He became the first person in Olympic history to win five gold medals in individual events at the same Games.

NOCs: 37

Athletes: 1,072

Events: 38

Volunteers: 6,703

Media: N/A

A Second Time

This was the second time the Games were held in Lake Placid, the first being in 1932.

Ceremonies

February 1980, Lake Placid. Procession of the delegation of Costa Rica (CRC).

Official Opening of the Games by:

Vice President of the United States, Walter Mondale

Lighting of the Olympic Flame by:

Dr Charles Morgan Kerr

Olympic Oath by:

Eric Heiden (speed skating)

Officials' Oath by:

Terry McDermott (speed skating)