NEWS
Snowboarders Help Unveil Olympic Stamp
01/23/2010
Snowboarders Help Unveil Olympic Stamp
Printer Friendly |
Facebook
del.icio.us |
Digg
PARK CITY, UT (Jan. 23) – Anticipation for the Vancouver Games mounted Friday night as the United States Postal Service unveiled the official postage stamp for the XXI Olympic Winter Games at the Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix in Park City. Adorned in red, white and blue, the stamp, designed by illustrator Steve McCracken, features an airborne snowboarder flying high against a snow-capped mountain.
"It's great to have a stamp featuring this young a sport." said Dick Coe, chief operating officer for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, to the thousands gathered around the Park City superpipe. "Snowboarding has only been contested at the games for the last 12 years and we are thrilled that the USPS chose to commemorate the sport with this stamp."
After a night filled with double-corks and 900s, the Vancouver Bound riders joined Coe and USPS Board of Governor Alan C. Kressler in front of the crowd to unveil the commemorative stamp. "I'm so pumped that they chose to put a snowboarder on the stamp," said Scotty Lago. "That's awesome. I mean, I don’t know much about stamps, but I love it that they're backing snowboarding."
The setting of the unveiling only amplified the spirit of Olympism that filled the night. Eight short years ago, three American snowboarders made history on the halfpipe at Park City Mountain Resort, sweeping the podium at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Now, a new generation of Olympic hopefuls have flooded Park City for the U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix, pursuing their own Olympic dreams on the same historic halfpipe.
Commemorative Olympic stamps have been issued since the first modern Olympic Games held in Athens, Greece in 1896. Now, as the world sets its sights toward Vancouver, the U.S. Postal Service continues its tradition of releasing stamps designed to honor the spirit of athleticism and unity that is manifested at the Olympics.
"We are proud to show our admiration for the sport and the accomplishments of each and every one of the riders," said USPS Board of Governor Alan C. Kressler before the unveiling. "The stories of triumph motivate us to do our very best in our own lives and the U.S. Postal Service is cheering for all of our Olympic athletes."
In celebration of the occasion, beginning Jan. 22, all three Park City Post Offices will offer souvenir envelopes that include special artwork, the Olympic Winter Games Stamp, and the coveted Official First Day of Issue Postmark. 45 million copies of the Olympic stamp have already been printed, adding to the growing excitement that continues to surround the Games.
Only time will tell who takes home the gold in Vancouver, but for now, fans can mail home their own little piece of Olympic history.
