GRENOBLE 1968.

Exceptional official torch of the Xth Olympic Winter Games used for the relay of the women's course.
She was greeted by 2 million spectators during the relay which covered France in 50 stages over 7000 kilometres from 19 December 1967 to 6 February 1968. The first torchbearer was the gold medalist at the Melbourne Games, Alain Mimoun. On the opening day of the Games, Alain Calmat took charge of the final relay by lighting the large basin at the Olympic Inaugural Stadium after climbing the 96 steps of the tower in front of the 100,000 spectators gathered.
Of artisanal manufacture, only 33 of them were made of copper plated sheet metal and consisted of a long handle topped by a protective sleeve for the fireplace, the body of which is decorated with 3 silver medals, bearing the official emblem of the Games designed by Roger Excoffon.
This Torch made by the engineers of the Société d'Équipement et de Fournitures Industrielles was engraved on the tip of the handle of the company's initials (STEFI) followed by the N° 20, never observed to date on one of the torches previously offered for sale.
It is 76 cm high with a diameter of about 9 cm at the stove and 4.2 cm for the handle. It still has its red felt pen and burner.
This is certainly one of the last remaining torches available. An official jacket of the French Ski Federation is attached with the logo of the Olympic Games that belonged to Albert Huber and two competitors' bibs.
Origin: Family of Mr Albert Huber (1921-2002)
Note:
Albert HUBER (known as "Al") was a passionate sportsman, and more particularly skiing from a very young age. To practice alpine skiing, he cycled from Strasbourg, his hometown, to Chamonix at the age of 14. To attend the 1948 London Summer Olympic Games, he did not hesitate to cross the Channel in a kayak. He began downhill and cross-country skiing at the Champ du Feu, a Vosges resort near Strasbourg, and would compete until after the war. With his friends, he braved the ban on skiing under German occupation, and hurled himself onto the powdery snow slopes after climbing the peaks on foot. A leading member of the Strasbourg Skiers, the Association Omnisports des Cheminots de Strasbourg, the Comité Régional des Vosges de la Fédération
Française de Ski, the Ski Club Vosgien 1896 and the Syndicat National des Remontées mécaniques de France, he supervises, organises, secures and times French ski competitions. In 1968 he was official timekeeper of the alpine skiing events at the Grenoble Olympic Games, which saw the victories of Jean-Claude Killy, the Goitschel sisters and Georges Mauduit, whom he met. He will bring back from the games our official torch, as well as his jacket and two bibs carefully kept by his grandson.
With his friend Georges Heschung, he developed the official ski boot of the French ski team and operated with his family from 1969 to 1989 the Champ du Feu ski lifts and rentals in the Vosges. It is still widely present in the collective memory of French skiing.
Exceptional official torch of the Xe Olympic Winter Games having served at the relay of the course of the fl ame.
It was greeted by 2 million spectators during the relay that traveled France in 50 stages over more than 7000 kilometers from December 19, 1967 to February 6, 1968. The fi rst runner being the gold medalist at the Melbourne Games, Alain Mimoun, the day of the opening of the Games, Alain Calmat taking charge of the ultimate relay by lighting the cauldron at Ice Stadium.
Handcrafted, it was made only 33 copies, made of copper plate and consists of a long handle surmounted by a protective sleeve for the home whose body is decorated with 3 silver medals, which is the offi cial emblem of Games directed by
Roger Excoffon.
This Torch made by the engineers of the Company of Equipment and Industrial Supplies was engraved on the tip of the sleeve of the initials of the company (STEFI) followed by N ° 20, never observed to date on one of the torches previously set in auction.
It measures 76 cm high for a diameter of about 9 cm at the stove and 4.2 cm for the handle, it still has its red felt and burner.
This is certainly one of the last torches remaining available.