Winter Olympic Games well as Summer) Games to proclaim the superiority of their political systems. The Winter Olympics has been hosted on three continents by twelve different countries. The Games have been held four times in the United States (in 1932, 1960, 1980 and 2002); three times in France (in 1924, 1968 and 1992); and twice each in Austria (1964, 1976), Canada (1988, 2010), Japan (1972, 1998), Italy (1956, 2006), Norway (1952, 1994), and Switzerland (1928, 1948). Also, the Games have been held just once each in Germany (1936), Yugoslavia (1984), Russia (2014) and South Korea (2018). The IOC has selected Beijing, China,
Cross-country skiing at the 1924 Winter Olympics – Men's 18 kilometre the first, then all others starter within 30 seconds. Cross-country skiing at the 1924 Winter Olympics – Men's 18 kilometre The 18 kilometre cross-country skiing event was part of the cross-country skiing at the 1924 Winter Olympics programme. The competition was held on Saturday, February 2, 1924. Forty-one cross-country skiers from twelve nations competed. The competition began at 9:30 a.m. with the first starter Antonín Gottstein. The last starter was Ragnar Omtvedt at 9:55:30 a.m.. The first finisher was Tapani Niku at 10:51:56 a.m. and the event ended with the last finisher, who was again Ragnar Omtvedt at 12:00:33 p.m..