The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially the XI Olympic Winter Games [dai dʑɯitɕi-kai oɾinpikɯ tokikʲogi taikai] and commonly known as Sapporo 1972, were a winter multi-sport event held from February 3 to 13, 1972, in Sapporo, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. It was the first Winter Olympic Games to take place outside Europe and North America.
Marit Bjørgen is a former Norwegian cross-country skier. She is ranked first in the all-time Cross-Country World Cup rankings with 114 individual victories. Bjørgen is also the most successful sprinter in Cross-Country World Cup history, with 29 victories. She headed the medal table at the 2010 Winter Olympics by winning five medals, including three gold. A five-time Olympian, her five Olympic medals at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games brought her total number of medals up to a record 15, making her the most decorated Winter Olympian of all time and the third-most decorated Olympian of all time.
Nordic combined at the 1972 Winter Olympics consisted of one event, held from 4 February to 5 February. The ski jumping portion took place at Miyanomori Ski Jump Stadium, while the cross-country portion took place at Makomanai Park.
Japan was the host nation for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano. It was the second time that Japan has hosted the Winter Games, after the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, and the third time overall, after the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2007 took place 22 February – 4 March 2007 in Sapporo, Japan. It was the second time this city has hosted these championships, having previously done so in the 1972 Winter Olympics. Sapporo was selected as venue by vote at the 43rd FIS World Congress in Portorož, Slovenia, on 6 June 2002. It also marked the third time the championships were hosted outside Europe in a year that did not coincide with the Winter Olympics; it was the first championship held in Asia. The ski jumping team normal hill event was not held, as it had been in 2005.
The Soviet Union (USSR) competed at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan.
Italy competed at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan.
East Germany competed at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan.
Japan competed at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, from February 8 to February 23, 1992. As many as 63 athletes competed accompanied by 42 officers. Japanese athletes compete in all disciplines except ice hockey.
The women's 30 kilometre classical cross-country skiing competition at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada was held on 27 February at Whistler Olympic Park in Whistler, British Columbia at 11:45 PST.
For the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan, a total of twelve sports venues were used. A thirteenth venue which was a reserved luge course was constructed, but never used in actual competition. Construction on all of the venues used took place between 1968 and early 1971 in time for the test events. The Tsuskisamu Indoor Skating Rink was not completed until late 1971 or early 1972 because the number of teams scheduled to compete at the 1972 Games was not known. At the actual luge venue used, a malfunctioning starting gate during the first run led to the results being cancelled and rerun being ordered. The results of this event led to the only tie in Olympic luge history. The ski jumps at Miyanomori and Okurayama served as host venues for the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships thirty-five years later.
The 2017 Asian Winter Games (2017アジア冬季競技大会), also known as Sapporo 2017 (札幌2017), was a continental winter multi sport events and the 8th edition of the Asian Winter Games. They were held from February 19 to 26, 2017 in Sapporo and Obihiro in Hokkaido, Japan.
Nepal competed in the 2017 Asian Winter Games in Sapporo and Obihiro, Japan from February 19 to 26. The country is scheduled to compete in one sport.
The Women's 10 kilometre classical at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 was held on 19 February 2009 at 11:30 CET. A 5 km qualifying event took place on 18 February.
The Women's 10 kilometre cross-country skiing event was part of the cross-country skiing programme at the 1972 Winter Olympics, in Sapporo, Japan. It was the sixth appearance of the event. The competition was held on 6 February 1972, at the Cross Country Skiing Stadium.
The Women's 3 × 5 kilometre relay cross-country skiing event was part of the cross-country skiing programme at the 1972 Winter Olympics, in Sapporo, Japan. It was the fifth appearance of the event. The competition was held on 12 February 1972, at the Makomanai Cross Country Events Site.
The men's 50 kilometre cross-country skiing competition at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan, was held on Thursday 10 February at Makomanai Cross Country Events Site. Kalevi Oikarainen of Finland was the 1970 World champion and Ole Ellefsæter of Norway was the defending champion from the 1968 Olympics in Grenoble, France.
The 4 × 10 kilometre relay cross-country skiing at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan was held on Sunday 13 February at the Makomanai Cross Country Events Site. It was the eighth appearance of the 4 × 10 km relay in the Winter Olympics. It was the second time that the Soviet Union won the gold medal in the event. Norway finished second in the relay, Switzerland in third place.
The men's 30 kilometre cross-country skiing competition at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan, was held on Friday 4 February at the Makomanai Cross Country Events Site.
The men's 15 kilometre cross-country skiing competition at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan, was held on Monday 7 February at the Makomanai Cross Country Events Site.
