If you're
thinking of holding your own mini 'bowling Olympics' with friends or colleagues
in light of the current Winter Olympics in Sochi, picking a venue is easy - AMF
bowling alleys have all you need for parties for kids or even a more corporate party.
However,
venue choice for these iconic Winter Games is a little more complicated, and
often ends up in some of the most culture-rich and interesting locations you
can think of. The only obvious requirement is that they have to have snow - and
lots of it!
Let's take a
look at the history of the Winter Olympics and its exciting venues:
1924:
Chamonix, France
The first
ever Winter Games were named after the success of 
what was meant to be a
"Winter Sports Week" supported by the International Olympic
Committee. The sports week attracted a minimum of 10,004 spectators, and so the
Winter Olympics was born. This modest-sized snowy town was the perfect venue
for the Games and saw impressive skills from athletes in events like speed
skating and cross country skiing.
1952:
Oslo, Norway
Perhaps
fittingly, the Games had to be hosted in Norway - after all, it was one of the
first countries associated with the sport of skiing! This event was one full of
firsts. It was the first time the Games mixed snow with the ocean when held at
this seaside town, and was also the first time a capital city was selected to
host.
2014:
Sochi, Russia
This year,
the Games are currently underway in Russia's city of 
Sochi. Like Oslo, it's
another seaside city and has a rather warm climate considering it is now
hosting the best of skiing, skating and curling athletes.
And what
about in the future?
2018:
PyeongChang, South Korea
The venue
for each Olympic Games must be planned well ahead in order to give each country
(and athlete) time to prepare. It has been announced that the 2018 Winter
Olympics will be held in PyeongChang a self-confessed natural beauty of a
county in South Korea that has been described as the "Alps of Korea"
after its gorgeous snow-capped mountains.
