1964 Innsbruck, Austria

After missing out by two votes in 1960, Innsbruck got a chance four years later

Last Updated: Friday, December 18, 2009 | 3:31 PM ET

CBC Sports

Jumping on the last day of the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. (Allsport Hulton/Archive/Getty Images)

"Simple Games – Back to Reason." This was the motto of the 1964 Winter Games in Innsbruck, Austria. Based on a pledge to stage the Games according to the principles of athleticism and sportsmanship, the International Olympic Committee unanimously selected Innsbruck as the host city. Despite concerted efforts to return to simplicity and modesty, the 1964 Games introduced a new level of complexity and global attention.

A disturbing Winter Olympics trend continued, with more uncharacteristically warm weather. Innsbruck was experiencing its warmest winter in 58 years. Three thousand soldiers were called in to pack 40,000 cubic metres of snow onto the ski course and reset the grounds.

All events proceeded as planned, but some scheduling alterations were needed because of the afternoon sun. However, no change could prevent what happened next. Tragically, two athletes, alpine skier Ross Milne and luger Kazimierz Kay-Skrzypecki, died while performing practice runs. Weather conditions were cited as factors in the tragedy.

In an expansive layout, the Olympic events took place away from the heart of the city. More than a million spectators scattered to satellite locations up to 25 kilometres away to attend events including the slalom, cross-country and bobsleigh. The luge debuted at these Games and a second ski jump event (normal hill) was added. A total of 36 countries sent 1,091 athletes to the Innsbruck Games to compete in 34 events.

A record number of journalists converged on site to cover the Games. With their numbers swelling to 1,164, media outnumbered athletes. Television revenue also became a mainstay of the Olympic budget as ABC television paid $1 million for the American broadcasting rights.

The biggest star to emerge was the Soviet Union's Lydia Skoblkova, who swept the four women's speed skating events and became the first athlete to win four gold medals at a Winter Olympics. Meanwhile, Sweden's Sixten Jernberg ended his outstanding cross-country skiing career at the age of 35 atop the podium in both the 50km race and the relay event. Over his career, Jernberg won a total of four gold, three silver and two bronze medals.

Without losing a single match, the Soviets won the ice hockey tournament with the Swedes and Czechs finishing second and third, respectively. Under the coaching of Father David Bauer, the Canadian team – made up of collegiate talent and former professionals – finished fourth.

The normally powerful Americans suffered a devastating blow to their figure skating program three years before the Innsbruck Games. In 1961, the entire figure skating team was killed in a plane crash en route to the world championships. Still, 14-year-old Scott Allen managed to win bronze, becoming the youngest person to win a medal at the Winter Olympics.

Canada's performance

The Canadians enjoyed greater success with their four-man bobsleigh team. Peter Kirby, Doug Anakin and brothers Vic and John Emery made up the team, as Canada entered its first Olympic bobsleigh competition with a flourish.

The Canadian team seemed to be at a disadvantage because they practised mostly on dry-land runs in a gymnasium. While the Italians and the Austrians trained in Innsbruck for a few weeks before the Games began, the Canadians managed to squeeze in only four practice runs on the Olympic course. But with Vic Emery at the helm of Canada 1, the team set a new record on the first run of the day. To everyone's surprise, the Canadians went on to defeat the Austrians and Italians to capture gold.

Canada also continued its Olympic streak of medals in figure skating, with 15-year-old Petra Burka winning a bronze. In 1965, Burka won the world championship. Pairs figure skaters Debbi Wilkes and Guy Revell won bronze behind the legendary team of Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov, who won gold for the Soviet Union, and Germany's Marika Kilius and Hans-Jurgen Baumier who won silver.

Following the Games, it became public that the German pair had signed contracts and performed as professionals before the Olympics. Accordingly, they were stripped of their medals, and Canadians Wilkes and Revell moved up in the standings and received silver medals.