(ATR) The Olympic Winter Games of Turin are over. The flame is doused, the the Olympic flag passed to Vancouver, host of the Games in 2010.
Sunday night's two and a half hour ceremony was a lighthearted production billed as a celebration of Carnival, the traditional pre-Lenten party held this weekend across Italy.
For Turin organizers, the night was one to celebrate.
Despite worries over funding for the games, lagging ticket sales and concerns of a transportation meltdown, once the Games began, nothing threatened to bring them to a halt. Even the weather generally cooperated, including for the closing ceremonies.
Even a rogue who ran up to the microphone during TOROC President Valentino Castellani's farewell speech failed to throw the event off step. The man shouted out something like "the passion of Italy lives in Torino" and then was hustled off the stage.
Unconfirmed reports say the man was from Spain and had worn a volunteer jacket to get close to the stage. He was being questioned by police Sunday night, but appeared to pose no threat other than trying to yell into the microphone. Castellani carried on as if nothing had happened and the host broadcast feed cut to a wide shot of the stadium.
While at times interesting and amusing, the closing ceremony did not come up to the same level of energy and humor as the opening ceremony Feb. 10. How many times do we have to hear Volare? YMCA? Tenor Andrea Bocelli was a nice touch, as was Canadian helden tenor Ben Heppner with an acapella O Canada.
Sadly to follow was Vancouver's eight-minute presentation, a bland production that conveyed little about the 2010 Olympics or the character of Vancouver. Opening with the obligatory appearance of First Nations leaders, the segment included a troupe of young performers running about the stage with simulated blocks of ice, stacking them up to build the Inukshuk logo of Vancouver 2010.
Canadian popster Avril Lavigne sang (or lip-synched) one of her hits, and then the Vancouver segment ended with a gimmicky cartoon video meant for TV, not the audience in the stadium. Thankfully, the Vancouver crowd will have four years to figure out how to stage ceremonies worth the price of a $500 ticket.
At the same time, the handover of the Olympic flag to Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan will likely be remembered as one of the best moments of the night. It's the first time the Olympic flag has been received by a quadraplegic mayor, wheeling about the stage in his motorized wheelchair, the flag billowing fully.
Another peak moment: Italian IOC member, Olympic Village Mayor and 1994 cross country Olympic champion Manuela diCenta hanging the gold medal around the neck of her brother Giorgio, surprise winner Sunday of the grueling 50km cross country race.
In his remarks to officially close the Games IOC President Jacques Rogge congratulated the hosts.
"These were truly magnificent Games. We say a heartfelt thank-you to Italy, Piedmont and Turin!
"These Games have been held in the sprit of the Olympic Truce, with the peace and harmony we all desire," said the IOC chief.
And, as he did in the opening ceremony, Rogge included an anti-doping message.
"Athletes, it is to protect you that the International Olympic Committee fights untiringly against doping. I promise that we shall continue to fight for a pure and healthy sport."
The IOC's fight appeared to show some results in Turin. While a potential scandal involving members of the Austrian team could still develop as an inquiry proceeds, so far the Turin Olympics have produced but one positive drug test.
With the close of the Games Sunday night, Turin organizers still have challenges ahead. First comes today, moving as many as 15,000 people of Caselle Airport without huge delays. And in two weeks, the stadium caldron will be lit one one more time for the opening of the 2006 Winter Paralympics. More than 500 athletes will take part in four sports, including for first time, wheelchair curling.
On the scene in Turin: www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only.
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