PyeongChang Torch Built to Withstand Wind and Snow

(ATR) A 700-millimeter-long torch celebrating winter and culture will carry the Olympic flame around South Korea ahead of the 2018 Olympics.

PyeongChang 2018 organizers showcased the torch and torchbearer uniforms ahead of a one year to go ceremony in Gangneung.

The torch’s length symbolizes the altitude in which PyeongChang county rests, 700 meters. The city cherishes its elevation, believing 700 meters is "the most suitable condition where people can live." The torch is white and gold, meant to evoke traditional Korean porcelain, which inspired the design.

Korean letters featuring the PyeongChang 2018 logo are engraved on the torch. Its five sides represent the five continents and the unity of Olympic values. The top features four chambers, creating four flames. The chambers are designed so that at least one will stay lit even in heavy winds. An umbrella-like feature guards the base of the flame, so that snow cannot extinguish it during the relay.

The torchbearer’s uniform is primarily yellow, but features the five colors of the Olympic Rings and includes the PyeongChang 2018 logo. Torchbearers will receive water resistant pants, jackets, and mittens.

Details for the torch relay will be released at a later date. Organizers at the event said the relay would "herald the three consecutive Olympic Games in Asia," but did not discuss if it would be traveling to either China or Japan.

Organizers say that 7,500 torchbearers will run the month-long relay. In keeping with Olympic tradition, the flame will be lit in Olympia, Greece, before journeying to Korea.

Written by Aaron Bauerin Gangneung

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