Here's a reason to tune in for the official Opening of the Winter Olympic Games: the Italians have designed an introduction that includes slalom skateboarding! On February 10th, 2006 at 8:00 PM (Torino's time), the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics will feature twenty Italian slalom skaters, including World Champion Luca Giammarco as the first skater into the arena.

As is the tradition, the Host Country bears the privilege and responsibility to open the Games with a bang. Traditionally, the Host will highlight great athletes of their nation, and Italy will do exactly that.

Stefano Bellingeri and Luca Giammarco have been working, along with the other skaters, on the choreography of the big entrance since September. Within the first five minutes of the start of the Opening Ceremony, they will "break open a glacier" and four inline skaters will enter with flaming helmets... followed by 20 of Italy's slalom skaters, led by Luca, himself!

The skaters will be dressed up in the Olympic, over-the-top style, all in red Dainese leathers, and will skate down the bank into the arena. There's been some concern that the painted floor will be slippery in the moist air, but Bellingeri reports that the rehearsal session went well and the organizers have good conditions for the skaters. The feature is called "Sparks of Passion" and flames -- about 6 feet long -- will flow from performers speeding around the Olympic Stadium at speeds of more than 40 mph. The IOC said the performers would use "an innovative propulsion system specially designed for this event". Could they be referring to the skateboard trucks?

Organizers said the theme comes from passion for the sports and to 'reach out for the new. 'Italianess' will be shown through style, fashion, design and art."

Will your television network cover it? We don't know, but search the cable listings for the realtime coverage!! NBC will run it at 8:00pm local time, wherever you are in the USA. Look sharp: the skaters are on screen for only about 10 seconds!

For discussion of the Olympic presence, see the thread in our General Forum. For a close look at the Italian "carving" trucks used on the team boards for the Opening Ceremonies, see the thread in our Trucks Forum.