Lufthansa's New A380 Gives Munich 2018 Bid Wings

7/28/2010

Munich, 28 July 2010: Munich's bid to host the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games now has wings, thanks to their national sponsor Lufthansa's new A380 aircraft, which has been christened 'Munich' in a ceremony at the city's airport today.

The name is a gesture to mark the Bavarian capital's 850th birthday. To celebrate the occasion, 'Munich's’ maiden voyage was a flight over the potential sports venues for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The Munich Alps route crosses over the Ice Park at Olympiapark, the Snow Parks in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the sliding centre at Königssee.

'Lufthansa's name is synonymous with sports thanks to its energetic support over many years. As a national sponsor of our bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2018, it is propelling our passion for Winter Sports across the entire globe', said Thomas Bach, Chairman of the Munich 2018 Supervisory Board and President of the DOSB.

In June 2010, the 'airline of sport' made its first A380 journey to South Africa with the German national football team. From October, Lufthansa will fly regularly from Frankfurt to Johannesburg and the CEO of the Bid Committee Willy Bogner hopes, that there will be a special flight from Munich to Durban for the IOC Session on 6 July 2011, where Munich 2018 will discover whether its bid has been successful:

'We look forward to continuing our partnership with Lufthansa. Hopefully next July, they will be sharing our celebrations on the journey back from South Africa! Until then, Lufthansa and 'Munich,' as a new flagship for German hospitality, will continue to make the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Munich a compelling prospect.'

Munich’s bid to host the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games reflects the region’s enduring affinity with winter sports. The supporting theme of the bid is its meticulous attention to detail on environmental prosperity.

The short distances between the sports venues and the environmentally friendly Olympic Villages in Munich and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, have aided a Games concept based on sustainability. Ice sports will be staged in Munich while Alpine events will be in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The artificial ice track at Königssee will also be used to host some of the ice sports.

The Munich 2018 Bid Committee has developed a comprehensive environmental concept which is designed to set new standards in the Olympic Movement.

For more information contact: Jochen Färber at presse@muenchen2018.org

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