Innsbruck 1964

In Innsbruck in 1964, the Games now ran for two weeks. This extra week allowed events to be postponed if the weather conditions were poor. In January 1964, the hot “Foehn” wind was blowing. A heat wave hit the resort and put the competitions at risk. This situation forced the organisers to use artificial snow for the first time (the first snow cannons were patented in 1961). The army came to the rescue. Soldiers cut and transported 20,000 blocks of ice for use on the bobsleigh and luge tracks, which were artificially refrigerated. The competitions were saved. --- Innsbruck 1964 - When Humans Made it Snow.

For the first time at the Innsbruck 1964 Games, a bobsleigh track that used artificial ice was built for the Games and as a result the bobsleigh conditions became more controllable and less dangerous. --- Innsbruck 1964 - Four-men bobsleigh.