In a ceremony in Ancient Olympia in Greece, the Olympic flame has been lit with the sun’s rays, and the torch relay to Vancouver has begun. It is the first time the ancient Olympic stadium has hosted the winter games ceremony.

Organisers had to wait for a break in the clouds to ignite the silver torch, but it was the first time in the last four Winter Olympic lighting ceremonies that everything went according to plan, and the backup flame from the previous day’s dress rehearsal was not needed. For the next eight days the torch will travel around Greece, only arriving in Canada on October 30 when it will begin the longest ever domestic relay. The torch will travel 45,000 kilometres before arriving in Vancouver on February 12 for the games’ opening ceremony. The International Olympic Committee has scrapped international relays following the protests that marred the progress of the Beijing games torch.More about: Greece, Olympic Games, Vancouver

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